51/99

This breast strap, or martingale, from a horse harness comes from Beckford in Gloucestershire. It is made of leather and has five brasses attached to it. On a cart horse the breast strap is purely decorative. It hangs from the collar, between the horses’ forelegs, to the girth.

1 martingale: leather and metal; good condition

Citation in publication [H. J. Massingham, 'Country Relics' (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1939)] –'The Martingale, that went between the horse's forelegs with its row of brasses between the scalloped edges of the leather, came from Beckford in Gloucestershire...'. (p.81) [see also p.82), MERL list / description [Massingham Collection, October 1989] – 'ACC. NO.: 51/99 // NAME: BREAST STRAP// NEG NO.: 35/119 // STORAGE: P. Ex. [Permanent Exhibition] Harness', Originally recorded as 'martingale', crossed out on accession record and replaced with 'breast-strap' and AdLib record had 'bracket-strap'.

Metal, Leather