HARNESS 33S 



all that can be done is to be on the look-out for a trip, and then to 

 take the weight off the fore-quarter as much as possible by sitting well 

 back, at the same time using such an amount of sudden pressure on the 

 bit as to cause the horse to exert himself, without any attempt to keep up 

 the head by mechanical foi'ce, which is an impossibility. When laziness 

 is the cause, the stimulus of the spur or whip will suffice, and it often 

 happens that a horse is safe enough at his top pace while a slower one is 

 full of danger. In lameness of course the remedy is to wait till the foot or 

 feet are sound again. 



Cutting depends either upon the legs being set on too near together, or 

 on their joints not acting in a pi^oper hinge-like manner. Many horses cut 

 when in low condition, but are quite free from the defect when in flesh, and 

 in such cases it is only necessary to let them wear a boot until they have 

 had time enough to become fresh. Wherever horses " go close " care should 

 be taken that the shoes do not project beyond the hoof, and the clenches of 

 the nails should be carefully watched, the groom seeing that they are filed 

 down by the smith if they stand up at all above the level of the horn. 

 Cutting may take place either on the prominent part of the fetlock-joint, or 

 midway between it and the knee, or just below the latter, which is called 

 " speedy cutting," and is very apt to cause a fall. A boot should be fitted 

 to the leg in either case, and woi'n till the part is thoroughly healed and all 

 swelling has disappeared, when if any likely method of treatment has been 

 adopted the horse may be tried without it, but no journey should be under- 

 taken without one in the pocket in case it may be needed. A method of 

 shoeing, called a feather-edged shoe, will often prevent this bad habit as long 

 as it is adopted. 



HARNESS 



Harness should always be chosen of the best leather which can be procured, 

 and double stitched throughout. Inferior materials and workmanship are 

 dear at any price. There is no improvement in principle upon the old- 

 fashioned collar, and the buckle which has been in use ever since carriages 

 came into fashion is still the best. 



DRIVING A SINGLE HORSE 



The harness used in driving a single horse for general purposes is shown 

 in the annexed engraving, and this form will serve either for two or four 

 wheels. A complete set consists of three parts — 1st, the drawing part; 2nd, 

 that for holding up the shafts and backing the carriage ; and 3rd, that for 

 guiding the horse. 



The drawing part consists of the collar (a), which is an oval i-ing padded 

 so as to fit the horse's shoulders, to which two iron bars, called hames (c), 

 are buckled on each side of it by a strap at top and bottom, called the hame- 

 straps (d d). These pass through a flat eye at each end of the hames, and 

 draw the two tightly together. Towards the top of each hame is a ring 

 called the hame terret (e), intended to confine the rein in its place as it 



