hands get into such a position that the horse must topple over. Now, by McKenny's system the rider has only to stick to the ring rein to maintain his seat undisturbed, and, at the same time, to exert a downward pressure on the bars of the mouth. This attachment, in good hands, will be found of great service in breaking young horses and in getting their heads well into the counter. On the whole I consider it a

WITH ATTACHMENT.

meritorious addition to our list of efficient riding requisites, and it is equally effective, with a special attachment on the off side, on the side as on the cross saddle.

The ring-martingale is another appliance aiming at keeping a horse's head down, and is more commonly used in racing than elsewhere. When leaping, the tyro should never attempt to ride in one, for it requires to be used with nice judgment, and the rein passing through its rings either dropped or "eased-off" when the animal is gathering himself for his effort, to be taken up again the moment he is

landed once more on the ground and is in his stride. The stitching of the reins to the bit has already been recommended, but, when they are buckled on, the buckles should be guarded by a sliding piece of leather, longer than the diameter of the martingale ring, to prevent the rings sliding down on to the buckles and catching. Many very serious accidents have been caused by the neglect of this precaution; the ring remains fixed in the buckle, the horse

WITHOUT ATTACHMENT.

finds his head imprisoned in a one-sided manner—for it is seldom that both rings get caught-loses control over himself, and gallops into the first ditch, upsetting both himself and his rider.

A noseband exercises a marvellous effect on some headstrong pullers. A very hard-mouthed, excitable ex-steeplechaser I used to ride with the Pytchley, though almost

frantic when ridden in a Melton bit and bridoon, and out of all control with snaffle alone, in a big field, unless allowed to go abreast of the leading hounds, a proceeding Captain Anstruther Thomson did not quite approve of, would go comfortably and collectedly in pretty light nose-band and plain thick snaffle. Some violent horses go very temperately in the Kerr model bit (see page 151), when used in connection with a tightish nose-band.

A GENTLEMAN neeed not, to ride well and to look well outside his horse, descend to the dress of a stableman. In Rotten Row, when the ride is crowded, no man with any

pretention to taste appears in breeches and boots, or in breeches and leggings, though these nether garments are quite allowable in the country. In the park, well cut riding trousers are essential, and in wearing them the stirrups should always be longer than when riding in breeches. Few, very few, tailors can build a pair of riding trousers well, so that they shall fit well up into the fork, and lie faultlessly over the boot without the slightest drag from the strap. My idea is that a horseman can generally be told by the cut of his breeches. A workman who is much in the saddle always insists on comfort combined with fit. men who understand their business, and who the best of materials.

He goes to

only supply

I can tell breeches turned out by such "top sawyers" as E. Tautz and Son, of 485, Oxford Street; Whiting, of South Molton Street, and others of their calibre, in a moment from the clumsy pyjamas of the ordinary tailor. These firms are careful that they should be nice and full in the thigh, fit to the knee as if moulded on that joint, and that—a very important point-the knee buttons be well in front and perfectly true. Great care is taken in giving exact and sufficient length, in keeping the inside seam of the leg straight and the outside seam full. The materials most in vogue for home wear are leather, i.e., buck or doeskin, Venetian cloth, Bedford cord, Prussian twill, buckskin cloth, velvet cord, either white or drab, moleskin, drill and cantoon. For India and the colonies there are special materials, such as thin doeskin, kharki, and various twills. For every-day wear during the winter I prefer a mouse-coloured or grey very soft buckskin, substituting a doeskin of the same sad hue in the summer. These latter I especially commend to my friends in India.

Without suitable drawers, however, leathers of all sorts in

cold, wet weather sooner or later are apt to produce the pains and aches of Caliban, with various ills that flesh is heir to. These firms give particular attention to the make of these very necessary under-garments. They are of all the various stockinette materials in wool, cotton, or, preferably, of silk, and are made to fit every part of the leg accurately, so as avoid the possibility of wrinkles, and are fitted with a riding band of corded linen stiff enough to afford support to the loins. This band is a great comfort to the wearer, yet not stiff and unyielding like stays. Breeches or knickerbocker breeches of the drab velvet cord always look well, and are comfortable wear. A Queensland colonist strongly recommends Tautz's twill. It matters little whether boots or leggings are worn. Patent leather or

brown leather Butcher-boots look well, but I prefer the Newmarket; whatever make they may be, the reader will do well to see that they fit close without pressure at the top where they join or overlap the breeches, and that there is sufficient room in the foot. Gloves should be easy; those manufactured by Messrs. T. P. Lee and Co., of Duke Street, Bloomsbury, are to be recommended.

CHAPTER X.

HINTS ON BUYING.

"What is the cause of the sudden coolness between Tom Jones and Susie Brown?" "Tom sold her father a horse."

NINETY-NINE men out of every hundred who can ride or drive a horse fairly well, consider themselves fully competent to purchase him. Now, though even riding and driving