BREAST-PLATE — MAETIXGALE. 265 



The second form is a heavy felt cloth, or a folded blanket, 

 which is put on the horse's back under the saddle, and 

 which greatly protects the horse from inj ary by its friction. 

 It is of further use in absorbing the perspiration of the 

 horse, thus preventing the pads of the saddle from becom- 

 ing hard. 



The Crupper is too familiar to need description. It is 

 of use only on such horses as are, from their straight shoul- 

 ders and low withers, unfit for the saddle. All well-bred 

 saddle-horses are so high in the withers that there is no 

 danger of the saddle slipping forward. 



The Breast-plate or Hunting Martingale is of use 

 only on such very highly bred horses as, from their high 

 withers and small, round barrels, may " run out of their 

 saddles" in ascending steep hills. It consists of a strap 

 which passes about the neck, and is attached to the girths 

 beneath, having on either side, -at a distance of about nine 

 inches below the top of the withers, a ring, from which 

 pass short straps to the breast- plate rings of the saddle. 



Martingales are of three sorts : — the running martin- 

 gale, which has two rings through which the reins are pass- 

 ed ; the standing martingale, which is buckled to both 

 rings of the bit ; and the cavesson martingale, which is 

 buckled to the nose -band of the bridle. The object of the 

 standing martingale and of the cavesson martingale, is to 

 keep the horse's head always in position, and they are but 

 poor substitutes for a proper rein-hold. Except for unskil- 

 ful riders on fretful horses, their use is to be deprecated as 

 unnaturally constraining the movements of the horse. 



The running martingale is scarcely ever more desirable, 

 though with horses which have a habit of rearing, or of 

 throwing up their heads, it may be used as a last resort. 

 But in all cases the straps should be sufficiently long to al- 

 low the rings to go quite up to the buckles when the horse's 

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