RACE-RIDING. 297 



other. This tackle consists, in addition to the 

 bridle, of the common martingal, with a spare mar- 

 tingal-rein, independent of that to the snaffle-bit ; 

 a gag-bit and rein, and the martingal running rein. 

 The first, the common martingal-rein, is merely to 

 prevent a loose-necked horse throwing his head up. 

 The jockey uses it altogether, or lets it lie on his 

 horse's neck till he wants it. The gag-rein, from 

 its severity, is generally knotted, and remains un- 

 touched till wanted. Its use is to prevent a horse 

 getting his head down, when he goes too much on 

 his shoulders, or bores, and is consequently very 

 difficult to ride, and be made the most of in a race. 

 By gradually giving and taking with this and the 

 snaffle-rein, the jockey gets his horse's head into a 

 proper place, and rides comparatively at his ease. 

 We say " gradually," because, if done with vio- 

 lence, it may cause him to alter his stride. The 

 running martingal-rein (the most common now in 

 use, particularly with young things) is merely to 

 steady a horse's head, and to give his jockey more 

 power over him to prevent his breaking away with 

 him in a race, and to enable him to pull him up at 

 the end of it. No hard puller, or very free-going 

 racer, is ridden without this running martingal- 

 rein. The jockey uses it much in the same way as 

 he uses the snaffle-rein, giving and taking with it 

 in his pulls, so as to keep his horse's mouth alive, 

 and thereby bring his head into a proper place. 

 The necessity for this perfect command of the race- 

 horse, by some one of these means, is obvious, when 

 we see how often they are huddled together in a 



