MARTINGAL?!. 237 



horse when only held by a snaffle, or bridoon, which 

 is pretty much the same thing ; and to one of these 

 the martingal is, in ninety-nine cases in a hundred, 

 applied. In going over his leap, no exrtaordinary 

 elevation of the head is necessary ; and on landing 

 we would wish a horse to look at the earth not at 

 the skies. 



There can be no doubt but, under certain circum- 

 stances, it may be necessary that a horse should 

 have the liberty of raising his head to an unusual 

 height — getting into a bog, for instance, or in his 

 efforts to recover himself from a serious stumble at 

 a leap or from putting his foot in a water drain or 

 cart-rut. The martingal permits any sudden occa- 

 sion for this, if the man's hands will permit it also ; 

 it in fact allows a horse to do anything that he 

 ought to do, it is only a check to prevent his 

 doing the reverse, j 



Now for the martingal as regards road-riding, 

 Carrying the head too high very much militates 

 against the safety of the horse's going — not from 

 the idea of his not seeing any obstacles in his way. 



