442 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



must be made as light and easy as possible for the 

 horse, at the same time to be sufficiently strong to 

 secure perfect safety. By bearing this fact in mind 

 we shall best contribute to the animal's comfort. 



A writer on harness says: ''Japanned leather is 

 best known as ' Patent leather' ; it is made from spe- 

 cially selected hides, tanned with more than ordinary 

 care ; after being tanned the hide is split, some hides 

 yielding two or three splits, according to the thick- 

 ness of the leather. In the manufacture of patent 

 leather there are many processes of an extremely 

 delicate nature, chief amongst which is the application 

 of varnish, to receive which the leather is stretched 

 out tightly on a board. The quality of patent leather 

 is dependent upon the state of the atmosphere when 

 japanning ; this should only be done during cold 

 weather, otherwise it will crack on exposure to cold. 



" Leather that has been tanned with chemicals is 

 usually red in colour, but it may be bleached to resemble 

 tanning with oak bark : when chemicals are used, the 

 natural strength of the hide is usually destroyed in the 

 tanning pit, and though such leather is cheaper than 

 that which has been oak-tanned, it is nothing like so 

 stronor or so durable." 



Furniture is a name applied to the metal founda- 

 tions of harness ; this includes hames, terrets, rings, 

 buckles, saddles, and the metal foundation of 

 blinkers. The mountings may either be plated or 

 brass, according to the taste of the owner. In my 

 opinion brass looks best, and plated mountings are 

 objectionable owing to their cost ; if of brass they 

 should be made solid. Nickel mountings are coming 

 into use. 



The hames and kidney links, when the mountings 



