264 DRAUGHT AND HARNESS. 



down, etc. There is really no good reason why the 

 harness saddle or territ-pad should not be so construc- 

 ted as to keep its place sufficiently well as to afford a 

 counter-check for the bearing-rein when used mode- 

 rately, if only the girth be sufficiently tightened, to 

 which there can be no more objection than with a 

 riding saddle. Therefore so far as the bearing-rein is 

 concerned the crupper may be well dispensed with. 



Let us now enquire what can be done, to render all 

 reliance on the crupper, as a means of arresting the 

 progress of a vehicle, superfluous. Four-wheeled car- 

 riages with poles come first for consideration. Here 

 the vehicle is prevented from running forward too 

 rapidly, or brought to a standstill altogether by the 

 action of the pole-chains through the collars on the 

 horses' necks, unless a skid or brake be employed in 

 addition, of which more hereafter. One seldom, if 

 ever, sees 'Buss' horses afflicted with cruppers. Four- 

 wheeled carriages with shafts demand special notice, 

 including as they do the many varieties of pony car- 

 riages, so extensively used in this country and very fre- 

 quently driven by ladies. There can be no doubt that 

 the harness used for such vehicles should always be 

 furnished with a breeching which, when combined 

 with a kicking strap, may be made very neat to 

 look at, and renders the crupper quite unnecessary. 

 The great question to be determined is whether it 

 should be what is called a short or a long breeching, 

 that is to say, whether it is to act directly on-the shafts 

 or to be carried forward so as to act on the tugs, 

 when it is called a long breeching. In most vehicles 

 of this description the front carriage is made very low 

 for convenience of turning, and the shafts are conse- 

 quently more or less inclined to the horizon, according 



