CHAPTER IX 

 HARNESSING THE COLT 



In harnessing the colt for the first time or sub- 

 sequently, it is important that the various parts of 

 the harness should be properly adjusted, as a perfectly 

 fitted harness adds much to the animal's comfort, 

 efficiency and future usefulness. The young horse's 

 skin is very tender, and unequal pressure due to 

 -poorly fitting harness is likely to abrade the parts. 

 This is well emphasized by the sore mouth, shoulders, 

 neck, back and tail produced by such harness. 

 These are the parts that come in contact with the 

 harness, and as they are very tender they are the 

 places likely first to become sore. As the poorly 

 fitting harness irritates these sores, they become a 

 source of much pain and may provoke vicious habits. 

 In this manner a severe bit may irritate the mouth 

 until the parts become numbed and the animal be 

 provoked to running away ; a poorly fitted collar 

 may produce a sore neck or shoulders and the horse 

 be provoked to balking; and a tightly drawn back- 

 strap may cause the crupper to abrade the tail and 

 the horse be provoked to kicking. As the comfort, 

 efficiency and future usefulness depend so largely 



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