The Kicking Strap. 357 



which sometimes leads to the rein getting under a horse's tail, upon which he tucks it in close 

 and often runs away kicking, while the driver is powerless. With the " Nichol's Crupper " the 

 horse could not put down his tail to hold the rein. 



Breeching is only required where a carriage is heavy, to assist in backing it. It may be 

 short, as shown in picture of state coach, and is then most effective, but if a kicking-strap is used, 

 then long breeching (see single harness illustration), of which it forms part, ought to be adopted. 



With a horse, and more particularly a mare, in single harness, traced up close until the 

 tail almost touches the splashboard, a kicking-strap is often ind'spcnsable, but it is useless 

 unless properly put on. 



It must be only just loose enough to allow the horse to trot without his back being chafed 

 by it, and it must be fastened to the shafts fjill tiuo incites behind the hip bones, that is, the 

 place where a loin strap, if used, would pass. An over-tight or over-loose kicking-strap, or 

 one passing in a direct line from shaft to shaft, is worse than useless — it may be irritating. 



The pad, and the parts attached to it, must always be put on the horse after the collar, 

 and before the bridle. 



After purchasing a harness-horse, it is important to fit it with the bits in which it will 

 travel most pleasantly ; for average harness horses the best is a Buxton bit, in which a port to 

 receive the tongue is not required, because it moves on the cheeks. For single harness some 

 horses go better in a Liverpool bit {a pompe). Others, again, that naturally carry their 

 heads well and have light mouths, travel best with a ring or other harness snaffle. If driven 

 with a curb or Buxton bit, experience will prove whether the reins must be buckled to the 

 cheek or the bars. It is of the utmost importance that the mouthpiece should fit the horse's 

 mouth. For instruction on this point see Chapter XIV., in which the subject of bits and bitting 

 is treated exhaustively, with extracts from Dwyer's book. 



HARNESS, r.ITS, AND BEARING-REINS. 



Harness horses, from bad bitting, sometimes acquire the habit of getting their tongues 

 over the mouthpiece, a trick which renders the whole action of the curb-bit uncertain. Old 

 horses are generally incurable ; with young horses the best plan is to ride or drive them for 

 some time with the snaffle, and then carefully fit them with a bit. 



" The unsightly trick of lolling out the tongue, common in carriage horses and circus 

 horses, is the direct consequence of tight bearing-reins and severe bits. The first step is to 

 remove the bearing-reins, and substitute a rational bit. If that fails, a fringe of leather or 

 hempen nose-bag may be attached to the noseband. The tickling sensation sometimes 

 induces the horse to draw back his tongue, but there is no certain cure. 



" Every horse goes best in a well-fitting bit. Enormous bits are constantly used in harness, 

 with cheeks nearly a foot long, weighing from two pounds and a half to two pou: Js fourteen 

 ounces, which are both cruel and mischievous, and are the result of a depraved, ignorant 

 taste. Large carriage horses frequently have large heads, but it is doubtful whether five per 

 cent, of the horses used in harness require bits of greater dimensions than if inches for the 

 upper and 35 inches for the lower cheek. 



" The cheeks may be curved and shaped into any fashion that pleases the eye, so long 

 as they are of the proper length. The lower portion of the cheek should never exceed in length 

 exactly the double of the upper portion. Even when the reins are habitually fastened into 

 a ring below the cheek, still the weight of the projecting arm must affect the Icvcrngc of the 

 whole instrument." 



