The bearing rein, called a check-rein in Black Beauty, is a piece of tack that runs from the horse's back, over the head, and attaches at the bit. It's function is to hold the horse's head at a fixed position to prevent the horse from lowering its head. During the Victorian era, the era in which Anna Sewell lived and set her novel, members of society, especially of high society, used the bearing rein to such an extreme that the horse's neck was pulled to nearly a right angle, forcing the horse's chin up and creating an unnatural curve in the neck. Victorians found this curve to be very elegant; hence, in the Victorian era, the only purpose of the bearing reign was to fulfill a fashion trend.
When Black Beauty and Ginger are sold to the Earl of W-- of Earlshall Park, we see Lady W-- refer to the fashionableness of the bearing reign and state her position that her carriage horses absolutely must have raised heads in the following:
York, you must put those horses' heads higher; they are not fit to be seen. (Ch. 22)
Yet, used to such an extreme as the Victorians used it, the bearing reign put a great deal of strain on the horses' backs and legs, especially when pulling heavy loads and going up hill. They also made breathing very difficult. Beauty describes his ailments in the following:
Besides this, there was pressure on my windpipe, which often made my breathing very uncomfortable; when I returned from my work my neck and chest were strained and painful, my mouth and tongue tender, and I felt worn and depressed. (Ch. 23)
Today, the bearing reign, now called the overcheck, is used in training and in some equestrian riding activities. It can be useful in that it can prevent a horse from bucking or grazing. However, there is still a great risk in using the overcheck incorrectly, which will still cause injury to the horse's back, neck, and mouth.
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