Why a Horse Should he Reined 329 



pressure into the collar. The overdraw check-rein is 

 also very hard on the horse's back and front limbs 

 in descending a grade. When drawn too tight it 

 holds the head and neck in such an unnatural posi- 

 tion that they soon become numbed and the horse is 

 seen to toss his head from side to side and to take 

 other characteristic attitudes in search of relief. 



After the horse has become thoroughly familiar 

 with the uses of the bit, he should always be reined 

 mildly. Without the rein he is likely to become 

 careless in his habits, shambling in his gait and to 

 yield to the temptation to eat grass when standing. 

 When the horse lowers his head and neck, the lines, 

 collar or breast harness slip down and he is likely to 

 become tangled in the harness and may get into 

 difficulty. 



THE LINES 



The arrangement of the lines adds much to the 

 appearance of the turnout and to the comfort of the 

 horsed The spread line should be so adjusted as to 

 enable the horse to travel straight to the front. It 

 is a common practice in the cities to lengthen the 

 spread lines so that the horses in a team travel wide 

 apart or are well spread. This spreading, if carried 

 to excess, may be objectionable, and under certain 

 conditions should be avoided. Driving horses, 

 whether in training or subsequently, should never 

 be spread so wide apart that they cannot travel 



