6o BITS AND BRIDLE GEAR. 



times he will keep altering the position of his head a good 

 deal, and the consequences of such an accident will then be far 

 more serious than if the movement was slower or more uniform 

 in character. This catching of the rings of a martingale is 

 very dangerous in the case of a rearer, especially when he is 

 held back and is desirous of going on ; for the sudden shock 

 on his mouth will be liable to make him rear and throw him- 

 self back, in the endeavour to free himself from the painful 

 restraint. 



A good contrivance to remedy the inconvenience of the 

 reins slipping through the hands when riding a puller, especi- 



Fig. 78. Ordinary Nose-band with rubber tube. 



ally in wet weather, is that of making a series of holes, about 

 an inch-and-a-half apart, in the centre of the reins where the 

 hands come, and passing through the holes, on each side, a 

 narrow leather strap in the manner shown in Fig. yj. Buck- 

 ingham's rubber covers for reins give a secure grip to the hands. 



NOSE-BANDS. 

 The following are the usual varieties of nose-bands : 

 I. The ordinary nose-band (Fig. 78), which consists of a 

 strap that passes over the horse's nose, under his lower jaw, 

 and through loops on the inside of the lower ends of the 



