2o8 ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



" wither pads" are undoubtedly excellent, though, of course, they cannot 

 prevent injury when the full strain comes on the neck. In the Belgian 

 system of pole draught, the strain of going down hill or pulling up is not 

 imparted to the collar but to the breeching, which by being carried all 

 round the horse and attached to the pole chains, throws the strain on to 

 a part calculated to take it, viz., the hind quarters. 



Injury No. 2 is almost invariably due to a tight collar, especially 

 in horses with very fleshy necks ; the remedy is simple— remove 

 some of the stuffing or stretch the collar. In stretching a collar 

 it should be borne in mind that there is a risk of damaging it, especially 

 at the throat. It is no use stretchmg a collar without altering the hames, 

 if these are too straight the collar will continue to pinch. 



Injury No. 3 is practically always due to a loose collar, viz., one too 

 wide ; it is a very common gall and frequently occurs under the point of 

 draught, viz., the attachment of the hames ; it is a difficult injury at 

 times to deal with. The remedy is to plug the collar and so make it 

 narrower ; all movement in the collar is to be stopped according to the 

 directions previously given. Sometimes injuries occur at this part which 

 appears to be well behind the collar when the latter is fitted ; in these 

 cases generally very much too wide, and if pulled over towards the 

 injury will be found to touch it. 



Injury No. 4 is caused by a loose or a tight collar ; the whole neck for 

 about five inches is very tender, and the appearance of the collar is 

 indicative of the cause. The remedy is to make it narrower with strips 

 of numnah, or wider by wetting it and stretching it on a block. We 

 should not forget that stretching a collar shortens it. 



Injury No. 5 occurs just above the shoulder joint, and is almost 

 invariably due to the raw-edge of the after-wale touching the skin. 

 Such collars are generally old, and the stuffing having settled down 

 allows the after-wale to cut into the skin, though this may not be 

 apparent until the horse is tested in draught, when it can at once be seen. 

 At other times the cause of the injury can be determined by simply 

 pressing the collar on to the shoulder, when the after-wale may be seen 

 to touch. The remedy is either to re-stuff the collar, or, if there is no 

 time for this, to cut off the edge of the after-wale close up to the lacing. 



Sometimes an injury occurs in the region of No. 5, but above the 



edge of the after-wale. This is due to the friction of a wide collar, and 



the remedy is to deal with it as in No. 3. 



The nature The nature of collar alterations. — It will be observed that the 



^^Z;"^'^*" alterations of a collar resolve themselves into making it narrower or 



rions^' making it wider. We have made no mention of chambering a collar or 



