A SET-TO. 103 



the ordinary place in which a head should be in a 

 gallop will do : if he is more violent, or is apt to rear, 

 but not dangerously, bring his nose to about a level 

 with the point where the neck is set into the chest : 

 if he is a determined rogue, an old oiFender, and one 

 disposed to hog up his back, plunge violently, and 

 then vary the entertainment by rearing, so as to leave 

 it an equal bet whether he falls backwards or not, 

 bring my gentleman's nose nearly on a level with the 

 point where the forearm is set into the shoulder. In 

 either of these cases, fasten his head to the level you 

 bring it to by the strap going to the girths, and mind 

 the strap be of sufficient strength to prevent his break- 

 ing it. Should he set plunging, which he is likely 

 enough to do on finding himself restrained, it then 

 becomes, in magic-lantern terms, " pull devil, pull 

 baker; " it is, in short, which tires first — the martingal 

 holding him, or he hurting his mouth in trying to 

 break the martingal. " Ten to one on martingal : " 

 martingal has it all the way, and wins in a canter. I 

 have seen several set-to's in this way, but never saw 

 a difi'erent result, or anything even like a dead heat. 



I should always recommend as a proper precaution, 

 the first time this martingal (or rearing-bit as it is 

 called) is put on, that it be tried in a meadow, or 

 some place where a horse cannot bark his knees or 

 hocks should he throw himself down, which, though 

 rarely the case, he might do, if a very determined 

 one, when restrained to a very great degree for the 

 first time. I never saw one do so, however vicious, 

 but it might happen ; nor did I ever see one that was 

 not cowed after a few plunges. He gets such a lesson 

 in a few minutes, that he generally leaves the da capo 

 to less experienced pupils. The great merit of this 



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