HARNESSING. 415 



the forelock under its front piece, and fitting the bridle 

 about the ears. Buckle the throat-lash long enough to 

 allow it to fall down against the cheeks. If you use a 

 check-rein, pass it over the terret hook of the saddle ; see 

 that it is not so short as to unnaturally confine tlie horse's 

 head. 



In putting the horse to the wagon^ if you are not sure that 

 he is well trained to stepping into the shafts, either have a 

 second person to hold up the shafts while you back him 

 into them, or stand him before them and raise them up so 

 as to draw them over his hips. Pass the shaft through the 

 near-side tug about 6 or 8 laches, and then go around to the 

 off-side and put the end of the other shaft through the tug 

 and the loop of the second girth, which is buckled through 

 it. Unfold the trace of the off-side and pass it first 

 under the tug, and then through the loop on the shaft, 

 fastening it, without a twist, to the whiffle-tree. Then 

 come back to the near-side and fasten the other trace; 

 after which unfold the holdback and pass it down be- 

 tween the horse and the trace, through the loop under the 

 shaft, and again over the top of the shaft, forward of the 

 loop, then down between the shaft and the trace, up again 

 outside of the shaft, and then between the shaft and the 

 turn which has been made over it, and back to the buckle. 

 Fasten the other holdback in the same manner, and adjust 

 the buckles of both so that when the horse is stand- 

 ing back squarely against the breeching, there shall be a 

 slack of 3 inches in each trace ; this will give him room 

 to work. See that the breeching is high enough^ — not more 

 than 12 or 14 inches below the setting on of the tail. Un- 

 fasten the second girth from the terret of the off-side, pass 

 it through the martingale loop, and buckle it aroaud the 

 shaft and through the tug on the near-side. Uncoil the 

 reins, pass them through the martingale rings and the ter- 



