110 YOUNG HEADS AND OLD HANDS. 



pered a hundred years ago than they are now, whether 

 they had better mouths, or jockeys had better hands 

 (I should think none of these suppositions likely to 

 have been the fact) ; but certainly long since that 

 period martingals were but rarely used in races ; now 

 we as rarely see a race ridden without one. This 

 may probably arise from more two-year-olds being 

 brought to the Post than there were in the time of 

 our forefathers. These young ones at times take 

 to all sorts of freaks and gambols ; and, let me ask, 

 what could any man do with these without being able 

 to command their mouths ? Of course, nothing. 

 They would be all over the course, or perhaps out of 

 it, just as their fancies led them; nor could all the 

 Chifneys, Scotts, or Days in England get them together 

 at the Post. The martingal has been found to steady 

 the heads of such horses, and to enable the jockey to 

 keep them in command while running. This has pro- 

 bably led to its general use on almost all race-horses : 

 if therefore a perfect command of a horse's mouth has 

 been found necessary on a level race-course, it must 

 be also necessary when we ride over all descriptions 

 of ground and all descriptions of fences. 



I have heard many persons express a fear that in 

 hunting a martingal would confine a horse, and 

 perhaps prevent his rising at his leaps. I have heard 

 others at once assert that it did, yet allowing at the 

 same time that they had never tried one. I cannot 

 but think the latter gentlemen rather too fast. Now, 

 as I have before stated, I have not only tried them, 

 but constantly used them on every horse I ever rode 

 that in the slightest degree wanted one ; and I have 

 universally found it to be the case, that whenever he 

 does want a martingal, he will be made to rise better 



