"strip down its center, it may cause discomfort. It is also best if it has some ""give"" to it, which makes it more comfortable for the horse. Many riders also choose a girth that allows for extra elbow room, so the horse is not restricted as his leg moves backward. To measure for a girth, the saddle with a pad should be placed on the horse. A measuring tape is then used to measure from the middle hole of the billet on one side, under the horse's belly, to the middle billet on the other side. If a girth is"
"side, placed at varying heights, usually with a crupper to prevent the surcingle from sliding forward. A bridle is also part of a bitting rig, with side reins and rings or small pulleys on either side of the browband to accommodate an overcheck. Some variations use pulleys and leverage on side reins to create a given ""headset."" Other designs add straps resembling breeching on the hindquarters to encourage engagement of the horse's rear end. The use of only a surcingle and side reins, a common component in basic horse training across all equestrian disciplines, is not usually considered a ""bitting"
"Egyptian hieroglyphs are believed to depict hobbles. Hobble (device) A hobble (also, and perhaps earlier, hopple) or spancel is a device which prevents or limits the locomotion of a animal, by tethering one or more legs. Although hobbles are most commonly used on horses, they are sometimes used also on other animals. On dogs, they are used especially during force-fetch training to limit the movement of a dog's front paws when training it to stay still. They are made from leather, rope, or synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene. There are various designs for breeding, casting, and mounting horses."
"Ungulate Ungulates (pronounced ) are any members of a diverse group of primarily large mammals that includes odd-toed ungulates such as horses and rhinoceroses, and even-toed ungulates such as cattle, pigs, giraffes, camels, deer, and hippopotamuses. Most terrestrial ungulates use the tips of their toes, usually hoofed, to sustain their whole body weight while moving. The term means, roughly, ""being hoofed"" or ""hoofed animal"". As a descriptive term, ""ungulate"" normally excludes cetaceans (whales, dolphins, porpoises), as they do not possess most of the typical morphological characteristics of ungulates, but recent discoveries indicate that they are descended from early artiodactyls. Ungulates"
"or even toss another vaulter in the air. Judging is based on technique, performance, form, difficulty, balance, security, and consideration of the horse; the horse is also scored, taking up 25% of the total score. Vaulting horses are not saddled but wear a surcingle (or a roller) and a thick back pad. The surcingle has special handles which aid the vaulter in performing certain moves as well as leather loops called ""cossack stirrups"". The horse wears a bridle and side reins. The lunge line is usually attached to the inside bit ring. Vaulting horses typically move on the left rein"
"tree porcupines, green tree pythons, emerald tree boas, chameleons, silky anteaters, spider monkeys, and possums, use prehensile tails to grasp branches. In the spider monkey and crested gecko, the tip of the tail has either a bare patch or adhesive pad, which provide increased friction. Claws can be used to interact with rough substrates and re-orient the direction of forces the animal applies. This is what allows squirrels to climb tree trunks that are so large as to be essentially flat, from the perspective of such a small animal. However, claws can interfere with an animal's ability to grasp very"
"wrap too far around and prick the animal's own paw. Frictional gripping is used by primates, relying upon hairless fingertips. Squeezing the branch between the fingertips generates frictional force that holds the animal's hand to the branch. However, this type of grip depends upon the angle of the frictional force, thus upon the diameter of the branch, with larger branches resulting in reduced gripping ability. To control descent, especially down large diameter branches, some arboreal animals such as squirrels have evolved highly mobile ankle joints that permit rotating the foot into a 'reversed' posture. This allows the claws to hook"
"runs between the horse's front legs and attaches to the girth. They keep the saddle from sliding back or sideways. They are usually seen in demanding, fast-paced sports. They are crucial pieces of safety equipment for English riding activities requiring jumping, such as eventing, show jumping, polo, and fox hunting. They are also seen in Western riding events, particularly in rodeo, reining and cutting, where it is particularly important to prevent a saddle from shifting. They may also be worn in other horse show classes for decorative purposes. A martingale is a piece of equipment that keeps a horse from"
"Pet harness A pet harness is equipment consisting of straps that loop nearly around—that fasten together using snap-fit buckles—the torso of a companion animal, such as a dog, pig, goat, rabbit, ferret, rodent, or, occasionally, a cat. Also, pet harnesses specifically made to fit a parrot's anatomy are manufactured; see ""parrot harness"". They are most often used to simply restrain an animal, having a ring suitable for a leash to clip to, but dogs may also particularly wear them to assist to a person with a disability, haul a cart or sled, or pull a human being, such as in"
"Bitting rig A bitting rig or bitting harness is a training tool for horses that can teach a horse to accept a bridle and bit, and later assist a horse in developing the necessary musculature for a given equestrianism discipline. Generally used in conjunction with training on a longe line, it is most often seen in the training of Saddle seat horses, but also is used by some dressage trainers and as a tool to start horses in driving. A basic bitting rig consists of a surcingle (also known as a roller) that has a number of rings on either"
"cuticle, with the notable exception of Sminthuridae which exhibit a rudimentary, although fully functional, tracheal system. Most species have an abdominal, tail-like appendage, the furcula, that is folded beneath the body to be used for jumping when the animal is threatened. It is held under tension by a small structure called the retinaculum (or tenaculum) and when released, snaps against the substrate, flinging the springtail into the air. All of this takes place in as little as 18 milliseconds. Springtails also possess the ability to reduce their body size by as much as 30% through subsequent ecdyses (molting) if temperatures"
"Breeching (tack) Breeching ( ""britching"") is a strap around the haunches of a draft, pack or riding animal. Both under saddle and in harness, breeching engages when an animal slows down or travels downhill and is used to brake or stabilize a load. The breeching strap traces its roots back to the Chinese invented breast-strap or ""breastcollar"" harness developed during the Warring States (481–221 BC) era. The Chinese breast harness became known throughout Central Asia by the 7th century, introduced to Europe by the 8th century. The breeching strap would allow the horse to hold or brake the load as"
"it.” Pet harness A pet harness is equipment consisting of straps that loop nearly around—that fasten together using snap-fit buckles—the torso of a companion animal, such as a dog, pig, goat, rabbit, ferret, rodent, or, occasionally, a cat. Also, pet harnesses specifically made to fit a parrot's anatomy are manufactured; see ""parrot harness"". They are most often used to simply restrain an animal, having a ring suitable for a leash to clip to, but dogs may also particularly wear them to assist to a person with a disability, haul a cart or sled, or pull a human being, such as"
"surplus furbearers and especially for food collection. They are also widely used by subsistence and commercial hunters for bushmeat consumption and trade in African forest regions and in Cambodia. Snares are one of the simplest traps and are very effective. They are cheap to produce and easy to set in large numbers. A snare traps an animal around the neck or the body; a snare consists of a noose made usually by wire or a strong string. Snares are widely criticised by animal welfare groups for their cruelty. UK users of snares accept that over 40% of animals caught in"
"an animal that fought using high-speed impacts, much like the Dall sheep, rather than locking and twisting antlers the way modern moose combat. Their long legs and bone structure suggest an animal that was adapted to running at high speeds over rough terrain. ""Libralces"" existed until the middle Pleistocene epoch and were followed briefly by a species called ""Cervalces carnutorum"". The main differences between the two consisted of shortening of the horizontal bar in the antlers and broadening of the palmations, indicating a likely change from open plains to more forested environments, and skeletal changes that suggest an adaptation to"
"shafts from beneath. For display, a saddle pad may be placed beneath the saddle; historically in England a saddle pad, also called ""housing"" or ""saddle cloth"", was shaped to match the contour of the saddle, in the manner of an English numnah today. For heavy use, the saddle may be six or more inches long, front to back. For very light use, saddle and girth may be replaced by a surcingle. The harness saddle has at least two lines of evolution, both departures from the very ancient throat-and-girth harness . One line was developed as a refinement of that harness"
"than horses, making it likely that the saddle will slide forward when going downhill with a rider. However, a crupper is more commonly used on riding animals in general. An animal is often trained in harness with breeching before being hitched to a vehicle. Breeching (tack) Breeching ( ""britching"") is a strap around the haunches of a draft, pack or riding animal. Both under saddle and in harness, breeching engages when an animal slows down or travels downhill and is used to brake or stabilize a load. The breeching strap traces its roots back to the Chinese invented breast-strap or"
"Ridgling A ridgling (also spelled ridgeling), or rig, is a cryptorchid; a male animal with one or both testicles undescended, usually describing a ram, bull, or male horse, but cryptorchidism also can be an issue in dogs and cats. Because the heat inside the body is too high for sperm to survive, an undescended testicle is non-functional. The condition is most often discussed in the horse world, as the health behavioral issues surrounding adult males with the condition are of concern to owners and handlers of such animals. Although the rate that testicles descend varies between individual animals, horses over"
"type of grip depends upon the angle of the frictional force, thus upon the diameter of the branch, with larger branches resulting in reduced gripping ability. Animals other than primates that use gripping in climbing include the chameleon, which has mitten-like grasping feet, and many birds that grip branches in perching or moving about. To control descent, especially down large diameter branches, some arboreal animals such as squirrels have evolved highly mobile ankle joints that permit rotating the foot into a 'reversed' posture. This allows the claws to hook into the rough surface of the bark, opposing the force of"
"up-and-down motion with the tail fin, called the fluke, which is used for propulsion, while the pectoral fins together with the entire tail section provide directional control. All modern cetaceans still retain their digits despite the external appearance suggesting otherwise. Most ungulates have developed reduced canine teeth and specialized molars, including bunodont (low, rounded cusps) and hypsodont (high crowned) teeth. The development of hypsodonty has been of particular interest as this adaptation was strongly associated with the spread of grasslands during the Miocene about 25 million years. As forest biomes declined, grasslands spread, opening new niches for mammals. Many ungulates"
"Hobble (device) A hobble (also, and perhaps earlier, hopple) or spancel is a device which prevents or limits the locomotion of a animal, by tethering one or more legs. Although hobbles are most commonly used on horses, they are sometimes used also on other animals. On dogs, they are used especially during force-fetch training to limit the movement of a dog's front paws when training it to stay still. They are made from leather, rope, or synthetic materials such as nylon or neoprene. There are various designs for breeding, casting, and mounting horses. ""Western""-style horse hobbles are tied around the"
"neck. The design of the prong collar incorporates a chain loop connecting the ends of the prong series, such that it has a limited circumference (a ""martingale""), unlike choke chains, which do not have a limit on how far they can constrict on a dog's neck. The leash attaches to this chain section. This section commonly has a swivel at the point of attachment to lessen the twisting and possible tangling of the leash. The limited traction of the martingale chain combined with the angle of the prongs prevents the prongs moving close enough to pinch. The collar is designed"
"Nose ring (animal) A nose ring is a ring made of metal designed to be installed through the nasal septum of pigs (to prevent them from rooting) as well as domestic cattle, usually bulls. In pigs, nose rings are alternatively pierced through the rim of the nose. Nose rings are often required for bulls when exhibited at agricultural shows. There is a clip-on ring design used for controlling and directing cattle for handling. Nose rings are used to encourage the weaning of young calves by discouraging them from suckling. Historically, the use of nose rings for controlling animals dates to"
"and involved a wide variety of martingale and breastplate type straps in front of the shoulder and between the forelegs, all attached to a saddle and girth. This line is documented in Byzantium in the 10th century and Khmer in the 12th century, and occurs today in Japanese plough harnesses and Indian tongas. The other line, far more successful, evolved in China from ancient withers-straps that originally were used with a breastplate-and-breeching harness without a girth. This was the Han departure from the throat-and-girth harness. A minority of 2nd century Han art shows this new breastplate-and-breeching harness with a girth"
"Breastplate (tack) A breastplate (used interchangeably with breastcollar, breaststrap and breastgirth) is a piece of riding equipment used on horses. Its purpose is to keep the saddle or harness from sliding back. On riding horses, it is most helpful on horses with large shoulders and a flat ribcage. It is also a safety feature, especially on cross-country, should a rider's girth or billets break, as he will have enough time to stop the horse and dismount before the saddle slipped off the animal's back or underneath its belly. The breastplate is used on both English and Western saddles. When used"
"Swingletree A swingletree (British Isles) or singletree (North America) is a wooden or metal bar used to balance the pull of a draught horse or other draught animal when pulling a vehicle. It is a kind of whippletree, and the term is also used sometimes for other whippletrees. It is a horizontal bar, attached or suspended in the middle, and able to hinge fore-and-aft in a horizontal plane. The traces (the straps by which the animal pulls) attach to its ends, and the vehicle is pulled from its middle. The centre of the swingletree may be bolted directly to the"
"to wearing bustles to protect themselves from the goat. A bustle is a type of framework used to expand the fullness or support the drapery of the back of a woman's dress, occurring predominantly in the mid-to-late 19th century. <poem> Mister Patrick McGinty, an Irishman of note, Came into a fortune, so bought himself a goat. Said he, ""Sure, of goat's milk I mean to have my fill!"" But when he got his Nanny home, he found it was a Bill.</poem> Paddy McGinty's Goat ""Paddy McGinty's Goat"" is a comic song written in 1917 by English songwriters Bert Lee and"
"slip collars when tightened. Prong collars (also called 'pinch collars') are a series of chain links with blunted open ends turned towards the dog's neck. The design of the prong collar is such that it has a limited circumference unlike slip collars which do not have a limit on how far they can constrict on a dog's neck. The limited traction of the martingale chain combined with the angle of the prongs prevents the prongs moving close enough to pinch. The collar is designed to prevent the dog from pulling by applying pressure at each point against the dog's neck."
"the dawn of recorded human civilization. They were used in ancient Sumer and are seen on the Standard of Ur, where they were used on both bovines and equines. The nose ring assists the handler to control a dangerous animal with minimal risk of injury or disruption by exerting stress on one of the most sensitive parts of the animal, the nose. Bulls, especially, are powerful and sometimes unpredictable animals which, if uncontrolled, can kill or severely injure a human handler. Control of the bull may be done by holding the ring by hand, looping a piece of rope through"
"of equestrian vaulting. While a surcingle and side reins are considered classical training tools, the use of the full bitting rig is controversial in some circles. The basic debate is whether the use of the overcheck or any other rein setup other than the classic side rein is unnatural and develops incorrect musculature in the neck, back, and hindquarters. Like any tool, a bitting rig can be overused, leading to soreness and fatigue in the horse, and in some cases, improper use may teach a horse to lean on the bit and develop a hard mouth rather than relaxing and"
"saddle at all times, except to make fitting adjustments. The latigo on the near (left) side is attached to the saddle at all times, but the loose end is used to secure the saddle for riding by running it through the left cinch ring one or more times, back through the saddle's dee ring, and then finally buckled or knotted when tight. It is loosened and removed from the cinch to take off the saddle. A girth should first and foremost spread pressure evenly over the entire area. If it is too narrow, or if it has a narrow reinforcing"
"trees). Many arboreal species, such as tree porcupines, [[silky anteater]]s, spider monkeys, and [[Phalangeriformes|possums]], use [[prehensile tail]]s to grasp branches. In the spider monkey, the tip of the tail has either a bare patch or adhesive pad, which provides increased friction. Claws can be used to interact with rough substrates and reorient the direction of forces the animal applies. This is what allows [[squirrel]]s to climb tree trunks that are so large to be essentially flat from the perspective of such a small animal. However, claws can interfere with an animal's ability to grasp very small branches, as they may"
"to appear larger, and acts as a visual warning to other animals. Raised hackles are used by grey wolves as a dominance behavior, by moose preparing to attack, and by cats and striped hyena which are fearful or threatened. The process by which the hair is raised is called piloerection. The contraction of the arrector pili muscle associated with each hair follicle causes the hair to become erect. Hackles Hackles are the erectile plumage or hair in the neck area of some birds and mammals. In birds, the hackle is the group of feathers found along the back and side"