238 MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 



the rear hip straps until the breeching body is just below the point of 

 the buttock. The front hip strap should be so adjusted so as to allow as 

 far as possible a straight pull from the point of the buttocks through 

 the breeching body and side straps to the "D" ring of the martingale. 

 In other words the breeching body should be tilted until it is about in 

 the prolongation of the side straps. If the front hip straps are 

 shortened so as to make the breeching body hang horizontal, all the 

 strain in backing the carriage comes on the front hip straps, which are 

 very easily broken. The breeching body should not hang horizontally, 

 but should be tilted to the front as before explained. Side straps are 

 then shortened sufficiently for the carriage to be stopped by the point 

 of the horse's buttock against the breeching body and not by the top 

 of his neck against the collar as is commonly the case. 



The breeching should be carefully watched in draft to see that it does 

 not chafe the horse's buttock or the point of the stifle. As soon as any 

 chafing is noticed the side straps should be let out and gradually tight- 

 ened, as the skin is hardened. 



In adjusting the breeching and the side straps the starting point is 

 the martingale. The martingale cincha strap should be of such length 

 as to permit the "D" ring of the martingale to extend three or four 

 inches through the standing loop on the cincha. With this as a starting 

 point, adjust the side strap and breeching as indicated above. If this 

 is not done, or if the side straps are too long and the martingale cincha 

 strap is taken up too short, the "D" ring will be slipped forward 

 through the standing loop and tear it from the cincha. 



Final adjustment of harness must be made after the team has been 

 placed in draft. It is then the duty of officers and non-commissioned 

 officers and drivers constantly to watch the harness and to make or 

 have made such adjustments as are necessary. 



A good way of impressing upon beginners the importance of care- 

 fully adjusting the martingale, side straps and breeching is to hitch a 

 quiet team to a carriage with the martingale, cincha straps and side 

 straps too long and with the breeching hanging too loose, as is com- 

 monly seen. Have the carriage move down a gentle slope at a fast walk 

 or slow trot and suddenly stop, without putting on the brakes. Both 

 wheel horses will lift their heads in an effort to stop the carriage with 

 the tops of their necks by means of the collars, and the carriage will be 

 stopped without the breechings becoming tight. This is what causes 

 the sores on the tops of tli,e horse's neck, commonly known as a "collar 

 boil," which the ignorant driver would claim was caused from a hot 

 collar pad, particularly if the collar had been left in the sun. 



