82 BRIDLES. 



it greatly helps the rider to distinguish one pair of reins 

 from the other. With the same object, I like the 

 snaffle reins to be connected by a buckle, and the 

 curb reins by sewing. 



MARTINGALES. 



The only kinds of martingales which we need con- 

 sider are the standing martingale which is buckled on 

 to the rings of the snaffle (Fig. 46) and the running 

 martingale (Fig. 47). Following in the footsteps of 

 that high priest of Irish horsem.anship, Mr. John 

 Hubert Moore, I pin my faith to the standing martin- 

 gale, as it has enabled me on many occasions to ride, in 

 peace and quietness, horses which without it would 

 have been most dangerous ''handfuls." Its great 

 virtue, when properly put on, is to prevent the animal 

 getting his head too high. If he be allowed to do this 

 and is unruly, whether from vice or impetuosity, our 

 power over him will more or less vanish, and besides 

 he will not be able to accurately see where he is going, 

 in which case we will be lucky if we escape without an 

 accident. The famous steeplechase horse, Scots Grey, 

 would never win a race without one of these martin- 

 gales to keep his head in proper position. When 

 lengthened out to its maximum effective length 

 (Fig. 48), it cannot possibly impede the horse in 

 any of his paces or in jumping. It is, of course, well 

 to accustom a horse to its use before riding him in it 

 over a country. It at least doubles one's power over a 



