OR, The Turn Out. 73 



scaly tails we see about the region of the dock ; so much so 

 that some tails that have been thus neglected, have the 

 appearance of a number of permanent sores and running 

 wounds underneath, which is caused by the horse pressing 

 and keeping down the tail when the saddle is unbuckled and 

 dragged off, with all its surroundings, at a moment's notice ; 

 and very often the behind part of the steed is pulled half 

 across the stall. Before the saddle is taken off altogether, 

 after loosening the girth, the reins should be cleared of the 

 harness and hung up, not doubled or twisted in any way, but 

 suspended as nearly straight as possible. 



The Hames follow in due course, being unbuckled whilst 

 upon the horse's neck and then removed. They should never 

 remain upon the collar, to be taken off at the same time, and 

 left upon it ; this method is a strong illustration of want of 

 feeling for the horse. It may be considered a saving of time 

 and easy enough to take old and wide collars off the neck 

 with the hames attached, but the quickness of the business, 

 if done quickly at all, is chiefly owing to the extreme 

 anxiety of the horse to wriggle through the infliction, and 

 get it over. It is usual on taking the hames off to examine 

 the top and bottom straps, as they are an important item in 

 the set, and it is necessary to see that the punch holes are 

 all sound. The advantage of taking the hames off before 

 the bridle is that the collar can be moved a few inches up 

 the neck, relieving the same of the weight, which is to the 

 horse, during the brief moment of removing the bridle, as 

 great a luxury and equally refreshing as the easing of the 

 saddle and dock before taking off altogether. Good fitting 

 hames should not reach the top of the harness collar. 



The Bridle should first be unbuckled at the throat-band, 

 and even then it should not be pulled down, but lifted off 

 with the two hands, the fingers being placed under the head- 

 strap of the bridle behind the horse's ears ; the top part 

 being brought to the front allows the bit to fall from the 

 mouth without danger to the teeth. The bridle should never 

 under any circumstances be taken off, or the bit be taken 

 out of the mouth while the animal is in the shafts ; many 

 serious accidents have been known to come about owing 

 entirely to this practice. An instance recently came under 

 the writer's notice where a pony and trap had been left at a 

 public house door with the bridle hanging upon the points 

 of the shafts, and a feed of corn in a bucket upon a trestle 

 before it. The pony was startled by a boy coming round 



