Anti-switching Appliance 267 



follows : Secure a piece of leather about five inches 

 wide and about as long as the tail-bone. At one 

 end of this attach a crupper, at the other sew a bag 

 sufficiently large to hold two pounds of shot, and 

 about four inches apart near the middle attach two 

 short straps at right angles to the broad leather band 

 to buckle about the tail. Fill the bag with shot, 

 suspend it under the tail and buckle the crupper to 

 the back-band and the small straps about the tail- 



FiG. 79. — Anti-switching appliance, in the form of crupper and breeching. 



bone, and you have an appliance that cannot be 

 seen, as well as one that will prevent the horse from 

 switching his tail. Still another plan for preventing 

 the horse from catching the lines with his tail is to 

 gather part of the hair a little above the end of the 

 tail-bone, extend toward the tug on either side and 

 tie securely by means of a string. Thus by drawing 

 the tail down tight the animal is unable to switch it. 

 Some prefer to take a strap, attach it to the hip-strap, 

 pass it around the quarters, and secure the tail to it 

 (Fig. 80). This arrangement is objected to because 

 it is exposed to view, although it is very efficient in 

 preventing the animal from switching his tail. Now 



