THE BIT — THE WHIP. 295 



perfectly neat and simple. The head-stall and reins should 

 always be made of the most pliant of leather. It is well 

 to have the two reins made of different material, or of dif- 

 ferent size, that they may be readily distinguished. It is 

 indispensable that a lady should know when her horse is 

 well bridled and well saddled, and she should study the 

 adjustment of bit and buckle. 



The martingale is often adopted for show, rather than 

 use. A lady's horse, properly broken, will bend to the 

 hand without it, and where not absolutely required, it is 

 far better dispensed with. This remark applies particu- 

 larly to the nose or standing martingale ; for, should a 

 horse make a false step, half his power to recover himself 

 is destroyed b}^ the manner in which his head is confined 

 by it. The objection to the ring-martingale is not so great 

 but one of this kind can only be used on the snaffle-rein 

 and is of very little service. 



The Bit. — Ladies should always use either the Pelham 

 bit (fig. 26), or the bit and bridoon, which is a combination 

 of both snaffle and curb. Its arrangement is shown in 

 figure 13. There are many sorts and sizes of these bits. 

 Some are very light and elegant, being intended especially 

 for ladies' use. Ornamental frippery should find no place 

 in any part of a lady's riding outfit, and it is peculiarly 

 inappropriate for the bit, which should be, in all cases, as 

 strong and effective as possible. There is no bit in the 

 world which, while it does not annoy a nervous horse, 

 gives such absolute control over an obdurate brute as this 

 very Baucher bit elsewhere described. Its large, smooth 

 canon is easy in the mouth, and the great length of the 

 branches affords a leverage which is especially necessary 

 to riders of little strength. 



The Whip, an essential element of the lady's riding 

 outfit, should be stiff and substantial, without being heavy. 



