TRAINING FOR DRAUGHT. 251 



very considerably the amount of traction required r 

 although of course the weight of the vehicle is increased, 

 the reason being that the checks to the collar arising 

 from the inequalities of the ground, are greatly diminished. 

 This horse-saver has precisely the same effect, and there 

 seems to be no doubt, that by the use of both combined 

 the work of the horse can be done with a minimum of 

 inconvenience, and that where springs can not be used, 

 as in very heavy waggons, the horse-saver will go far to 

 supply the want of them. 



There is some difficulty about the bitting, as it i& 

 scarcely safe to trust to a very light bit with a young 

 horse the first time in harness, and anything that acts 

 very sharply or even decidedly is very likely to make 

 the animal appear to refuse the collar, when in reality 

 it is the bit he is afraid of. This proves how very 

 important it is, not only to pay great attention to- 

 the bitting of draught-horses making it under the 

 saddle as painless as possible but also to accustom 

 them to the action of the bit they are to be driven 

 in before putting them into harness ; and we fear 

 that all this is very much neglected, or very clumsily 

 attempted. 



Shortly after the appearance of the first edition of 

 this book the author received a very polite letter, 

 inquiring whether Seeger's running-reins could not be 

 used with harness, and especially for training young 

 horses. This is a very valuable suggestion, and appears 

 to afford a remedy for the difficulty we have just been 

 debating. In fact, by using a training-halter and the 

 running-reins combined, we can put a common snaffle 

 into a young horse's mouth without incurring the least 

 risk of his running away, as the halter prevents the 



