328 Harnessing the Colt 



used by the old-time driver, Hiram Woodruff, on the 

 trotting horse Kimball Jackson, and it was formerly 

 known as the ''Kimball Jackson" check-rein. It 

 was devised to prevent that once famous trotter 

 from getting his head down when he made a break, 

 as he could not be brought back to a trot again with 

 his head down on his breast. The rein proved very 

 effective for trotting and pacing horses on the track 

 and its use became almost universal. 



Although the overdraw check-rein was devised for 

 trotting horses, it has become so popular that it is 

 used almost exclusively for driving horses. Though 

 originally devised for use on the track, where the sur- 

 face is as smooth as a floor, and for short periods of 

 time, at present it is used on roads of all kinds 

 and for indefinite periods of time. There are many 

 strong objections to its use on the driving horse, 

 especially if drawn too tight. It holds the horse's 

 head in such a position that he is unable to see the 

 ground immediately in front of him, so that he is very 

 likely to stumble on obstacles in the road. Further, 

 it holds the animal's head in such a direction that he 

 cannot pull efficiently. This is particularly true in 

 ascending a steep grade. The horse is unable to 

 lower his head, and hence can put little power into 

 the collar. The horse that is stalled when thus 

 reined can often pull the load if unreined or if the 

 driver will ride him, thus bringing forward the center 

 of gravity and enabling the animal to put more 



