50 THE HORSE. 



SADDLE AND HARNESS GALLS. 



It is highly important that the harness should be 

 properly adjusted, leaving room under the bearing 

 hook of the saddle, and bet^yeen the latter and the 

 wither, to put in one finger easily, when the saddle 

 is pressed hard down to the horse's back ; otherwise 

 the nut of the hook may press upon the back-bone, 

 which will most probably produce a sore back ; even 

 should he not be thrown down and bi-eak his knees 

 into the bargain. Slight pressure in this part is often 

 the cause of stumbling. Care should be taken that 

 the pannel stuffing be kept soft and smooth, which 

 may readily be done by causing it every now and 

 then to be dried by the fire, or in the sun, and then 

 beat with a stick. These ixiinute directions to some 

 may appear trifiing, but those who have been plagued 

 with a horse ^v'ith a sore back for some months, toge- 

 ther with the repeated chargers for fresh stuffing, &e. 

 &c., will not be unthankful for the knowledge of a 

 preventive. Neither should the saddle press on the 

 back-bone at the hind part, or eurtle, as this would 

 occasion the hoi'se to drop behind, and sometimes to 

 lame him. It is better to have a collar rather small 

 than large. A large collar is sure to wring the horse^s 

 neck; a small one never will. Should a horse, how- 

 ever, have a swelled back, the place should by all 

 means be bathed for some time with moderately hot 

 water, and the pannel-stuffing diied and beat as 

 above directed. It would be well to bathe the 

 shoulders with alum and cold water, till the swelling 

 Bubside ; and as the sv.^elling is occasioned either 

 from the inside of the collar being dirty, or fiom 

 being too large, let the inside be well washed, or the 

 collar altered as circumstances may require. 



The collar should always be what saddlers call 

 false lined with baked horse hair, which will rendei 



