CARE OF SADDLERY AND HARNESS. 229 



it remains limp, for if it is held to the fire long enough, all wet 

 leather becomes hard and stiff. A very little oil or suet will suf- 

 fice, if it is used as soon as the leather is nearly dry, after each 

 wetting, but when leather has been left for days in a dry place 

 after being thoroughly wet, it becomes so stiff that nothing but a 

 good soaking with oil will restore its pliability, and even with this 

 it remains stiff to a certain extent, unless it is very slightly damped, 

 in conjunction with the use of the oil. Vegetable oils, with the 

 single exception of castor oil, are too much inclined to become 

 hard to suit leather, and none but the latter should ever be em- 

 ployed. Its nauseous smell is an objection to it, but otherwise it 

 will answer the purpose almost as well as neat's-foot. Horse-fat, 

 if used carefully, and in very small quantities, is a capital applica- 

 tion, but one liberal dressing with it spoils the look of leather, 

 giving it a sodden appearance, which it never recovers. 



To MAKE SADDLERY AND HARNESS LOOK WELL to the eye, 



several receipts, and directions for using them, are necessary j in- 

 cluding the following, for avoiding injury from chemical decom- 

 position : 



(1.) Do not allow brass or plated furniture to be within reach 

 of the air of the stable ; for the ammonia given off from the urine 

 will tarnish them. Gas, also, is prejudicial ; and if it is burned 

 in the harness-room, it should be contained within a glass chamber, 

 which has a ventilating shaft, so as to carry off the products of 

 combustion into the external air. Gas stoves are particularly pre- 

 judicial ; and, indeed, so are all stoves which allow the fumes 

 given off by the coals to pass into the room. 



(2.) As soon as possible after the harness is taken off, if the 

 weather is fine, take a leather, kept specially for the purpose, and 

 wipe off the dust ; sponging with a damp sponge those parts which 

 are soiled with sweat. If the traces, belly-band, &c., are splashed 

 with mud, wash them at once \ on no account soaking them in 

 water, or using more of it than is necessary. Dry them, as far as 

 possible, with the leathers. If the black dye with which the 

 leather is stained has come off to any serious extent, a little of a 

 solution of green copperas may be used, but this is not often neces- 

 sary. Unbuckle the bits from the bridle, put them in clean water 

 for a short time, then take them out, and remove every particle of 

 dirt from them. Dry with the leather, and rub a very little neat's- 

 foot oil on them. Before they are used again, they must be polished 

 with the dry leather, aided by a little silver sand, if they have 

 become at all rusty. The curb-chain will always want rubbing 

 loosely in the hand with a little silver sand, finishing with the 

 leather. 



BLACK HARNESS must be kept constantly polished by hand- 

 brushing it with some composition specially prepared for the pur- 

 20 



