58 HARNESSING. 



side, to produce a sore on the neck, under the collar of 

 the horse that happens to be on the side of the shortest 

 trace. — See "Jibbing," page 87. 



The buckles of all traces and back-bands ought to be 

 provided with detached pieces of leather cut square the 

 width of those straps, and placed under the buckles the 

 tongues of which pass through these bits of leather ; the 

 straps, thus protected from being cut by the buckles, 

 will wear nearly thrice as long as otherwise, and there 

 is nothing unsightly in the arrangement. 



In all cases draught-horses should be placed close to 

 their work — i.e., the traces should meet as short as will 

 just allow of the animals going down an inclination at 

 a brisk pace without coining in contact with the car- 

 riage ; the britching for single, and the pole-chains for 

 double harness, being tightened in proportion, to keep 

 the carriage from running on them down-hill. 



For Pole-Chains and Swinging-Bars, see page 73. 



The Karnes. — In order to divide the draught or 

 pressure of the traces on the shoulders a little, the 

 hames might be furnished with scroll draught eyes; 

 this, however, has become unfashionable from being 

 much used by cabmen, and for rough draught. 



Hames Top- Straps. — Care should be taken that 

 these are perfectly sound and strong, especially in 

 double harness, where the strain of stopping and back- 

 ing the carriage of necessity comes upon them. 



Britching and Kicking- Strap. — It is better in single 

 harness to have the britching made with side-straps 

 attached to the buckle or tug of the bach-band, and 

 not to pass over the shaft (confined there by a loop or 

 staple as is usual). These side-straps can be tightened 

 or loosened according to the size of the animal, and if 



