Although I have described in the foregoing pages, a variety of special appliances; still it is well to draw attention to the fact that the whole system of breaking can be carried out with gear which can be improvised without difficulty. We can make a standing martingale with a piece of doubled cord, knotted near the centre to form a loop for the girth to pass through; while the free ends are connected to the rings of the snaffle: or the cord, or strap may be attached to the ring of the breast-plate, in front of the chest; or, as mentioned on page 182, a cord may connect the rings of the standing martingale to those of the snaffle. A stirrup-leather will serve as a leg-strap (see Figs. 14 and 16, pages 101 and 102). Ropes will do for driving reins; a saddle, for a driving-pad (see Figs. 43 and 44, page 185). A head-stall, strong roller, couple of iron rings, crupper, stirrup-leather, pair of knee-caps, and a strong cord, are all that is required for making a horse lie down. An ordinary rope will serve to form a twitch. Any stable rug will do for blindfolding the horse. No special rope is needed for forming a halter, or for noosing a fore-leg. For lifting up a hind-leg, all that we require is a stout cord for the tail, and a stirrup-iron and leather, with which to make a hobble (see Fig. 34, page 144). For driving on foot, we would, of course, want a heavy smooth snaffle. I need hardly say, that a person who wished to go in thoroughly for breaking, ought to provide himself with a driving-pad, or pair of cross-trees, specially made (see Figs. 40 and 41, page 168). Either of these could be made for five-and-twenty shillings. The strait-jacket (see Fig. 25, page 122) is not a necessity.