i 9 4 



CH. XI 



CHAPTER XI 



HARNESS 



Harness. — The essential parts of the harness are 

 the bridle, bit, reins, collar, hames, and traces. All 

 other parts are accessory, and may be somewhat 

 varied, and, in some cases, omitted. 



Bridle. — The bridle shown in Fig. 84 is the usual 

 pattern of a coaching bridle. 



For a drag, the front should be a simple pat- 

 tern of chain ; for a public- 

 coach, patent leather, or 

 worsted, of the colours 

 of the 'coach, plaited 

 round the leather front. 

 Where the front joins 

 the bridle there should 

 be a plain metal boss, 

 preferably flat, with initial 

 or crest. On a drag har- 

 ness, these bosses should 

 be on the inner side as 

 well as on the outer side ; 

 on a public-coach they are 

 on the outer side only, 

 and serve to indicate the off side or near side bridle. 

 Ribbons or rosettes are out of place ; they belong to 



