414 HARNESS. 



over the head, of course, without these precautions. Kow 

 tie your horse securely, and fit the collar to its place, that 

 it may become warm before work commences. Examine 

 the hames to see that neither the strap at the top nor the 

 connecting links of the traces are twisted; then put them 

 over the collar, and buckle them at the bottom. If fast- 

 ened by an iron at the bottom, they should not be unfast. 

 ened at the top, but the iron may be put in its place while 

 they are over the horse's neck, and then they may be put 

 in their place on the collar and drawn up at the top. In 

 either case they should be drawn snugly to their place, 

 without being made so tight as to press the collar too tight- 

 ly against the neck. Take the body of the harness from 

 its peg, hold the saddle in the left hand, and with the 

 i-ight properly adjust the various parts ; then, taking hold 

 of the back -strap near the supporting strap of the breeching, 

 place the whole quietly on the horse's back. Standing by 

 the side of the horse's hip, raise the tail with the left hand, 

 and, with the right, put the crupper in its place under the 

 tail, being careful to free it from the hairs of the tail. 

 Buckle the crupper to the back-strap, and then draw the 

 saddle forward to its place ; the back-strap should be short 

 enough to keep it well back of the withers. Pass the girth, 

 which holds the saddle, through the loop of the martingale, 

 and fasten it pretty tightly, leaving the other girth buckled 

 to the terret on the off-side of the saddle. Now adjust the 

 parts of the bridle, hang its head-piece over the thumb of 

 the left hand, and remove the horse's halter, slipping the 

 right hand over the top of his head and holding him by 

 the forelock. Take the top of the bridle in the fore finger 

 of the right hand — the others still retainir.g their hold of 

 the f 3relock — and with the left insert the bit in his mouth, 

 drawing it quickly to its place, and passing the head-piece 

 over the horse's ears. Now arrange the bridle, drawing 



