TRAINING FOR DRAUGHT. 249 



But it is not alone in saving of power and the 

 diminishing of wear and tear, in starting vehicles from 

 a state of rest that this instrument can be' utilised. 

 There are few roads, however good, on which obstacles 

 to the smooth-running of the wheels of vehicles are not 

 encountered in the shape of ruts and stones, either 

 loose or embedded in, but projecting more or less from, 

 the surface. Whenever a wheel comes in contact with 

 one of these its progress is checked, more or less, 

 according to the depth or height of the rut or stone, 

 and this check is forthwith propagated to the collar, 

 causing a proportionate amount of pain and fatigue by 

 the sudden wrench it gives to the horse's neck and legs, 

 and this may be to a great extent avoided by the use 

 of the horse-saver. 



That these savings of power and fatigue may be really 

 effected is matter not of mere theory, but of actual 

 practical illustration. Careful experiments have been 

 instituted and carried out by several public bodies 

 interested in these matters in Germany and elsewhere. 

 The Imperial General Direction of Posts at Berlin, 

 made one series of experiments, the result of which 

 was a strong recommendation to its subordinate Posting 

 establishments to introduce this instrument. It has 

 been tried successfully by the Swiss Artillery, and the 

 Eoyal Veterinary Schools at Berlin and Munich have 

 reported that a very considerable amount of saving of 

 fatigue to the horses is attained by its use, and that it 

 prevents the development of certain morbid formations 

 on the horse's limbs, etc., to such an extent that a 

 three years' longer period of service may be expected 

 from them. And, what is of great value in training 

 horses to draught, it has been found that the animal 



