.164 HANDBOOK OF THE lURF. 



Market Horse. [Eng.] A horse simply kept in the 

 betting lists for the purpose of being betted against. The 

 market is the turf exchange at Tattersall's. 



Marking's. The markings of white upon the forehead 

 and face of bay or dark colored horses, are defined as follows : 

 Blaze — if the white spreads over the forehead ; reach — if the 

 white runs down the nose in the form of a line of no great 

 width ; snip — a white or pink patch on either lip ; star — a 

 small patcli of white more or less in the center of the forehead. 



Master of the Horse. In Roman history, an oiBcial 

 appointed by the Dictator to act as his chief subordinate. He 

 discharged the duties of the -Dictator during the latter's absence. 

 An equerry. The third great officer in the British court. He 

 has the management of all the royal stables, with authority 

 over all the equerries and pages, coachmen, footmen, grooms, 

 etc. In state cavalcades he rides next to the sovereign. 



Marting-ale. A strap fastened to the girth of the sad- 

 dle or harness, passing between the horse's fore legs, and end- 

 ing in tw^o rings through which the reins pass. Its uses are to 

 aid the hands in keeping the horse's head in position ; to 

 increase the power of the rider in holding his head straight ; 

 to retain the reins in their places, and to prevent either of the 

 reins from getting over the neck. 



Wlien tlie bridooii bit is drawn straight to about one inch above the 

 ponunel of tlie saddle, the rings of the niarlingale should just liang 

 easy on them when tlie horse holds his iiead in its normal posilion. 

 If lie attempts to throw his head up tlie martiiigale will, at this 

 length, checdv him. In leaping, the martingale must be lengthened 

 and wh.olly powerless, else the horse may be thrown over the fence. 

 The curb and martingale have no fellowship with each other. They 

 belong to two different bits or reins, lor, while the curb cannot be 

 used on the bridoon, the martingale should uol be used on the curb 

 rein.— The Bridle Bits. Col. J. C. Battersby. 



Match. A pair of horses ; a span ; to mate together, as, 

 "the horses are an exact match in height, color, gait and 

 disposition." 



Match Race. The trotting rules regard match races as 

 performances against time, and time made in such races is so 

 treated and designated. By the rules of the Turf Congress a 

 match is a private sw^eepstakes. 



A match against time is a bet that a horse will beat a certain time, or, 

 in other words, is a bet against individuals.— J. H. Steiner. 



It is said the first match between two horses took place in 1377, between 

 Richard Fitzallan 14th Earl of Arundel and the Frince of Wales, 

 afterwards Richard II. The horses were ridden by their owiiers. 

 The Earl's horse subsequently became the property of Richard at a 

 price which would be rei)resented to-day by .$20,000. The first match 

 against time upon record occurred in the year 1604. John Lepton, a 

 groom in the service of James I., un«lertook to ride five'^ times 

 between London and York from Monday morning until Saturday 

 night. He actually perlorined the task in five days. 



