226 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



that is divided at the end and attached by billets, or 

 snaps, to the rings of the snaffle or bridoon. 



The first type is the one most frequently met with 

 in this country. It is useful on a hack in preventing 

 the horse from throwing up his head, or star-gazing. 

 It may be made as short as desired, but care must be 

 taken in using it on a horse unaccustomed to it, for if 

 made too tight at first, he may throw himself over 

 backward on finding himself restrained. 



Geoffrey Brooke, the high priest of the English show 

 ring, and most of the French and Belgian officers who 

 make such splendid performances, as well as Mr. 

 Thomas Hitchcock, all use a standing martingale when 

 jumping their horses, but it is not a practice to be 

 recommended, unless the rider has exceptionally fine 

 hands and the horse is quite familiar with its use. 



The form of standing martingale known as the Chesh- 

 ire, which attaches to the rings of the snaffle, or bridoon, 

 is seldom, if ever, used over here, but is often encoun- 

 tered in England and Ireland. Although far more severe 

 than the other kind, it is likewise far more effective, 

 and not only forces, but teaches, a horse to flex his neck 

 and hold his head in place. Whereas a martingale on 

 the nose-band merely compels a horse to bring his head 

 down, this kind of martingale punishes a horse in 

 the mouth every time he raises his head beyond a cer- 

 tain limit, and rewards him by a cessation of pain 

 whenever he flexes, eventually teaching him what is 

 expected of him. Sometimes after a short tuition with 

 this form of standing martingale, it can be dispensed 

 with altogether. When sufficiently long to enable a 

 horse to hold his head in a natural position (or a little 

 higher), it is quite safe to be used on a jumper by a 

 person with good hands. It is not a martingale, how- 



