ii88 Rural School Leaflet 



Fitting the collar. — Fitting the collar is not only of much importance, 

 but it is also a rather difficult task. The collar is very stiff, firm, and slow 

 to adjust itself to the shoulders. A good way to adjust the collar is as 

 follows: Choose the most perfectly fitting collar available, wrap it round 

 and round with a moist cloth, and let this wrapping remain overnight. 

 In the morning put the collar on the horse and work him moderately through 

 the day. After having been moistened in this way, the collar will adjust 

 itself to every inequality of the shoulder, and the horse will seldom be 

 troubled with soreness. 



Fitting the crupper. — An ill-fitting crupper is a common cause of sore 

 tail, and a horse with a sore tail is often difficult to manage. This sore- 

 ness is often caused by having the backstrap too short, thus drawing the 

 crupper up tight against the tail, which soon becomes abraded. In order 

 to avoid this condition, the backstrap should be the proper length, in 

 which case there will be little likelihood that it will make the tail sore. 



Care of the harness. — The harness should receive proper care as this will 

 increase its period of usefulness and also lessen the likelihood of its in- 

 juring the horse. The bearing parts should be kept scrupulously clean 

 at all times, particularly the collar, the saddle, and the crupper. It is 

 is not possible to prevent sore shoiilders, a sore back, and a sore tail, if 

 these parts are permitted to become dirty. Because of sweat and dandruff 

 the body beneath these parts should be carefully cleaned immediately 

 after the harness is removed. 



Harnessing and hitching. — Properly speaking the operations of fitting 

 the bridle, the collar, and the crupper are included under the subject of 

 harnessing, but it is clear that once these parts are properly adjusted, 

 the harness may be put on and taken off an indefinite nirmber of times. 

 Usually the term harnessing is used in connection with the term hitching 

 to designate the operation of putting the harness on a horse and fastening 

 the horse to a vehicle. 



In all the operations of harnessing, saddling, or handling a horse, the 

 work should be done from the left side, and the harness should be placed 

 on the animal gently but firmly. It should never be thrown on in such 

 a way as to annoy, frighten, or injure the animal. 



No specific rules can be given for harnessing a horse. The practice 

 will vary under different conditions. If the horse is to be harnessed 

 before it is taken from the stall, the following method is generally used. 

 The collar is put on and fastened; the back pad is adjusted; the crupper 

 and the girth are fastened. Care should be taken that tlie latter passes 

 through the martingale. Lastly the bridle is put on ; the checkrein and the 

 top of the bridle should be taken in the right hand, and the bit in the left 

 hand. If the bridle is Hfted up over the horse's head, and the bit brought 



