What on earth?

Ok, went to riding club yesterday. Sonnett's hurt his leg(again) for the second time in 2 weeks. So I was put on a white pony named Prince.
He is gorgeous! I fell in love with him...
But when I went to tack up He had these weird connecter things on his reins which connected to the saddle. Someone put them on for me, but I was wondering...What are they for??
http://horseloversoutlet.com/library/PattysBlueSet.JPG
Here's a picture I found on google.
I hope you understand which bit I mean. If not I can borrow this image and draw a read circle around where the connecter things are....I really want to know what they do...

I can't get the link to work.

It works for me....I'll upload it on tinypic...
http://i39.tinypic.com/2r41ky1.jpg

Its a breastplate with running martingale attached. The breastplate part helps keep the saddle from slipping back and the martingale prevents the horse from throwing its head higher than how tight it is set ie if you hold the reins with a contact with the way it is set in the picture, can you see how the reins will pull the head down if the horse tries to pull its head up? Gives the rider some leverage and in my opinion I think they are set a little tight, at least for an english set up, endurance might be different.

Yeah running martingale.. kinda a harsh bit to be using with a martingale tho.

It is a Kimberwick bit and normally I would agree with you, however I do not see a curb chain attachment on this particular bit. Without the chain it becomes a much milder bit.

I just enlarged the photo on my comp and yes there is a chain :)
Its just hard to see due to the horse being the same colour as the chain :P

You may be right there.

One does not or should not put a running martingale on any rein that is attached to a curb bit. Unfortunately I do know some top International riders that do it but it does not make it right.

Here is another picture...this looks more like it
http://www.sustainabledressage.com/t...gale_parts.jpg

It has the rings around the reins bit. That's what was on prince's....

it's a running martingale. :)
they are very common.