DO JSP T USE BEARING-REINS. 445 



horse's head with the hames on is a gross act of 

 cruelty ; the collar cannot yield when held fast by the 

 iron hames, and not only is a horse likely to lose his 

 eyesight, but he must suffer very much when a clumsy 

 groom is forcing a collar over his head in this manner. 



The shape of the pad is another matter which 

 deserves close attention. If a pad is not made on 

 a suitable tree, and stuffed to suit the shape of the 

 horse's back, so as to bear on the fleshy part of the 

 back and not on the spine, it causes the animal great 

 inconvenience and suffering. The pad should fit so 

 closely as not to roll about, and yet the belly-band 

 or girth should not be too tight. 



As regards the bridle, this Is one of the most 

 important details of the harness. Bridles can gene- 

 rally be made to fit various-sized heads by means 

 of letting out or taking up the straps a few holes, but 

 care should be taken that the blinkers do not chafe the 

 horse's eyebrows. 



No bearing-rein should be used on any account 

 whatever ; it is a most abominable practice. A horse, 

 if he be worth anything, and has good shoulders, will 

 hold his head well enough without any bearing-rein ; 

 and the whole position of the animal will be more 

 natural and more graceful, and he will be less likely to 

 fall, and, if he does fall, will be better able either ta 

 recover his balance or get up again. A horse, when 

 he starts a load or mounts a hill, when left to himself,, 

 lowers his head and throws his weight Into the collar^ 

 but if his head is held up in the air, he cannot employ 

 the same mechanical force. Even on descending a 

 hill a horse needs the free use of his head to act as a 

 counterbalance ; and it may be remarked by any one 

 who has observed a horse turned out in a field on 



