OR, The Turn Out. 59 



It is very important that the shafts should always be 

 elevated and drawn to the horse, and never left upon the 

 ground for backing the horse between them. 



It is a common practice to throw the cushions, rugs, and 

 mats into the vehicle from a distance, and vice vend; many 

 serious accidents have arisen therefrom — a simple crack 

 of the whip, and — " Who'd have thought it P* 



The same methodical system as above suggested should be 

 adopted in taking the horse out of the shafts as in putting him 

 in. Some may say after a journey — '*0h! the horse is tired ! 

 — he's quiet enough now — make haste ! — hurry up ! — have 

 him out as quick as possible;" but it must be remembered, 

 that the horse has a great love for home, and is as anxious 

 to get into his stable as he was for a run when brought out 

 fresh. Many a shaft has been broken at the stable door, and 

 many a set of harness partly ripped from the animal's back, 

 through the tugs, &c., catching the latch or other impediment 

 on or near the door in the hurry of the horse to reach his 

 stall. 



In attaching your horse, always consider the kind or class 

 of vehicle it is about to draw, so that you may either add to or 

 dispense with the parts of harness that may be or may not bo 

 required, or appear necessary; for instance, if the conveyance 

 be a four-wheeler, then the breech-band should not be 

 dispensed with, on account of the weight and forward 

 pressure down hill, which the breech-band will assist in 

 resisting, both as regards the horse and the brake, when the 

 latter is used. But if a gig, light dog-cart, or any vehicle 

 where the occupants do not exceed two in number, the 

 kicking strap, or even the kicking strap tugs alone, will 

 be sufficient, the last items being simply to carry the 

 traces. 



The traces should always be buckled perfectly true and 

 alike in length on either side; to be careless or "makeshift" 

 in this matter means torture for the horse and personal 

 risks. When an odd trace is spliced, or a new buckle end 

 (say sixteen inches long) is put on to the trace, as is often 

 the case, care should be taken that both sides are attended to 

 at the same time, and that the punch holes shall be found or 

 made to correspond exactly; this is out of consideration 

 for the part that bears the pressure or pain, viz., the 

 horse's shoulder. 



D 2 



