Harness and Harnessing. 



739 



flank and shanks are considered the rougher and poorer. The sides also 

 differ greatly with respect to weight and thickness, some being heavy, 

 some medium and others light. Then, again, they differ much in quality, 

 even when free from grub holes, cuts and the like; some are firm and 

 have much fibre, others are spongy and lacking in substance. It is 

 impossible to cut bridle stock of the right thickness out of the same side 

 that traces, lines and breeching straps are cut. In the harness factories 

 so much leather is used that the different grades can be utilized to 

 advantage. The neck, flank and shanks can be worked into brow 

 bands, nose straps, throat-latches and the like, where there is little or 

 no tension on the harness. 



Fig. 45 — The above diagram shows tn a general way where the various parts of 

 the harness are cut: l, lines, tie straps, reins; 2, traces, breast straps, breech- 

 ing; J, Itold-backs, martingales; 4, back-bands, hip a)ul shoulder straps, belly 

 bands; 5, check, crown, nose and brow bands of bridles and halters, hatne- 

 straps, throat- latclies; lays and miscellaneous parts. 



For repair work choose a medium to heavy side of leather. Take 

 a strip off the back in order to give a straight edge. When cutting 

 repair straps it is well lo know that in the manufacture of harness the 

 first straps cut are used for lines, tie straps and reins; the second for 

 traces, breast straps and breeching; the third for hold-back straps, 

 back-bands, hip and shoulder straps; and, that the neck, flank and 

 shank are cut into those pieces which do not bear much weight, such 

 as head-stalls for bridles and halters, throat-latches, hame-strings and 

 the like. Occasionally the shanks are cut crosswise; in this way one 

 may get straps that will not stretch. 



