354 The Dook of the Horse. 



when the collar fits, if the traces are attached too low they will draw the collar away from the 

 upper part of the shoulders. When this is found to be the case, the obvious remedy is to shift 

 the point of '"draught" until an even bearing is obtained. Ignorant people "adopt two remedies, 

 one of which partly conceals, whilst the other aggravates instead of curing the error. The first 

 is to curve the upper part of the collar backwards ; this, if not carried to excess, is harmless. 

 The other is to lead a strap back from near the top of the collar to the trace buckle, which 

 practically converts the front end of the trace into a fork whose points are attached to the 

 hames, opposite to the two movable ends of the shoulder-blades, so that in fact the play of this 

 bone is effectually checked at both ends alternately. The trace, as before observed, should be 

 attached as nearly as possible opposite to the immovable part of the shoulder-blade — that is, 

 to the centre of the shoulder-blade, which is about an inch higher than the hame-hooks of the 

 majority of wholesale-made collars." 



The best modern collars and hames are constructed in this manner. When, from any 

 peculiarity in a horse's make, there is a difficulty in fitting him with a collar that will not gall 

 him, resort may be had to what is known in the trade as the "Bencraft" hames, by which the 

 point of traction {'draught") can be shifted to suit the shoulders of the horse or the height of 

 carriage wheels. 



But this contrivance has such an awkward appearance that it is by no means generally 

 adopted, although it has been before the public many years. Indeed, there is no more con- 

 servative trade than that of harness-makers, perhaps because all the metal parts of this work 

 are made every year in Stafibrdsliire, by tens of thousands, from fixed patterns. 



Various modes are adopted of attaching the traces to the hames, as may be seen in any 

 harness-maker's shop. One of the best is a French invention, little known in England. A 

 hammer-head is fi.xed to each side of the hames ; at the end of each trace is a metal loop or 

 slot, of a shape which will pass over the hammer-head sideways, and be retained safely when 

 pulled straight. 



The advantages of this plan are considerable : amongst others, the trace plays easily ; the 

 collar, with the hames loosely strapped to it, can be passed over the horse's head without the 

 encumbrance of the traces ; one of a hot pair of horses may be loosed from his traces by one 

 person without leaving his head. 



All young horses new to harness, and all fat horses that have not been in harness for 

 some time, arc liable to chafe under the collar. This must be attended to at once; they must 

 be rested, if stuffing the collar or altering the draught of the traces will not remove unequal 

 pressure, and the galled parts bathed with cold salt and water or some astringent lotion. If 

 this is neglected, a permanent blemish may be created in a few hours. If for some reason it 

 is absolutely necessary to keep the horse at work, where the carriage is light, a breast collar 

 may be used, although that contrivance, from its passing directly over the " movable articulation 

 of the point of the shoulder," is the very worst for drawing heavy weights. 



In a stable where young or green horses are being trained to liarness, the better plan is 

 to have a number of the cheap straw collars of different sizes, so that there may be no need 

 of using a leather one that does not fit. Many a valuable horse has been spoiled to save the 

 cost of a new leather collar. The collar that fits a horse fat from grass will become loose and 

 gall him as he fines down into condition. 



The traces of the harness for private carriages are generally encumbered with a huge buckle 

 for shortening and lengthening them. This buckle, in single harness, is often inconveniently 

 near the shafts, where it can with difficulty be unbuckled in case any alteration is requisite ; 



