A leather strap or band used to control or limit the movement of an animal, especially a horse.
Combination of 'check' (to restrain) and 'strap' (a narrow band). Used primarily in equestrian and carriage contexts since the 1700s to describe restraining equipment.
Checkstraps were the original safety feature for horses—they prevented a startled horse from rearing up and flipping backward when pulling a carriage down steep hills.
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