148 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



loose enough to admit of the same measurement as 

 the side-pieces. Strange to say, there is perhaps 

 no article of saddlery which is more generally badly 

 put on than a breast-plate. It is either too tight or 

 too loose. It either cramps the horse (in which 

 case it is very likely to break), or else it is too 

 loose to be of any use. And very often the main- 

 piece is far too long — dangerously so ; for, if such 

 is the case, it is by no means a difficult matter for 

 a horse which has fallen over a fence to get his 

 foreleg- through in his struggles, and such an occur- 

 rence would be scarcely likely to mend matters. 



Where horses carry their heads too high, it is 

 necessary to adopt some plan to remedy the evil ; 

 and this may be done by the use of a ' martingale,' 

 as it is termed, and which is somewhat similar to a 

 breast-plate, but with the addition of two split 

 straps of leather provided with rings, through 

 which the snaffle-reins are passed, and thus the 

 horse's head is drawn and kept down. If it is 

 necessary to use such a martingale, the breast-plate 

 may be utilized by the use of the split straps alone, 

 which may be made to buckle on to the breast-ring. 

 Such a martingale as I have described is termed a 

 ' running martingale.' inasmuch as the reins run 

 through its rings. 



There is a description of martingale which is 



