48 HANDBOOK OF THE TURF. 



When the bridoon is used with this bit the check-rein is put on the 

 bridoon, and thus the bit is relieved of contrary action. Tliis bri- 

 doon bit is used on the carriage liorse witli a clieck-rein only, and 

 is not nsed in any way in guiding the liorse; its chief use being to 

 give the horse a stylish carriage and handsome appearance. — The 

 Bridle Bits, Col. J. C. Battersby. 



Cart; Break-cart; Track-cart. A vehicle espe- 

 cially adapted for educating the colt to the use of the shafts 

 and a carriage. Its peculiar features are : Wide seat, rear 

 foot-platform, shafts of extra length, (usually three feet longer 

 than the shafts of the standard sulky), and heavier construc- 

 tion — their weight being usually 160 pounds. They vary 

 somewhat in design and make from different houses. A track 

 cart is a combined speed and road cart, weighing generally 

 about 85 pounds. 



Cartilag"e. A non-vascular animaC tissue ; gristle. 

 When these tissues become ossified, which indicates a conver- 

 sion into a hardened structure of the cartilages naturally 

 developed upon the rings of the coffinbone, it constitutes 

 unsoundness. 



Catch. To catch a horse after a break ; to bring him to 

 his gait. Almost every driver has a different way of bringing 

 a horse to his trot after a break, according to the disposition of 

 the horse and the way he has been trained ; but all agree that 

 a dead pull on both reins will not do it. Almost invariably the 

 horse will jump to his gait when a twist or sudden pull is made 

 on one rein. Sometimes it is done with the off rein, sometimes 

 with the near one. A particular w^ord or sound should also be 

 used when this pull is given the rein, that the horse may know 

 what it means. 



Always try to teach a horse to catch on the inside rein, for if you are 

 going round the turn in the lead and someone trailing, and he 

 should break, obliging yon to pull your horse on the outside rein, 

 your opponent might slip tiirongh between you and the fence and 

 beat you the heat, where he would not be able to go round you and 

 doit. Then loo, if you are head-and-head with a man he might, 

 when your horse broke, crowd you in so close that you would be 

 Tuiable to pull him to the outside without running into him, whereas, 

 if he caught on the left rein you would have no trouble. — Life with 

 the Trotters, John Splan. 

 Catcli Driver. A driver put up at random, when from 



any cause, the judges take out a driver, and put another in his 



place. 



Catch Weig'hts is where the driver or rider is not 



obliged to weigh out or weigh in. Generally, in a race or heat 



at catch weights there is no distance except for foul driving. 

 Cauterizing'. The act of searing or burning some part 



of the horse's body by the application of the firing iron. See 



Firing Irox. 



