180 



KICKING. 



sides. The insides should be lined with soft, thin leather, 

 or buckskin, to prevent chafing the leg. If no Patent 

 Bridle is available, use a strong, well-fitting halter, with 

 the strap passing back between the legs over the belly- 

 band ; or it may be attached to the belly-band by a piece 

 of rubber. Next, take a strong hempen cord, not less than 

 five-eighths of an inch in diameter, firmly wound, or a good 

 piece of leather made round like a rein, run it through a 



Fig. 156. — Kicking-Straps as arranged for use. 



pulley or ring attached to the halter-strap a little back of 

 the belly-band, and extend to the rings of the foot-straps. 

 The point is to have the rig so regulated that the position 

 of the horse will be perfectly natural in traveling; but 

 should he run or kick, both legs coming back at once brings 

 the whole force directly upon the nose. The straps should 

 be kept on until the pain caused by the kicking makes the 

 horse so much afraid to kick that he will not repeat it. 



Sometimes the straps are connected with the bit so that 

 the horse will kick directly against the mouth. But this 



