CARE OF HARNESS. 449 



horses never look well unless the horses, the harness, 

 and the coach are well cared for ; this being the case, 

 owners of four-horse coaches, besides driving them, 

 should give an eye to the proper treatment of their 

 possessions. It is not absolutely necessary to clean 

 harness, as is the case with carriages, after each time 

 of using ; if there be no mud and only a little dust 

 upon the harness, it will be sufficient if the dull leather 

 is well brushed with composition, and the patent 

 leather and buckles, terrets, and other mountings are 

 dusted with a dry rag ; but any parts that show signs 

 of sweat from the horse must be wiped with a wet 

 sponge, especially the insides of the collars, the pads, 

 and the girths. After this, the patent leather should 

 be rubbed over with a greasy rag dipped in neat's- 

 foot oil. Should the harness be muddy, each part 

 must be taken separately and washed, great care being 

 taken with the patent leather, which must be dried 

 with a soft chamois leather ; the dull leather must also 

 be wiped, but with another chamois leather, after 

 which it must be blacked. 



In cleaning the mountings of brass or silver plate, 

 leather guards should be used to protect the patent 

 leather upon which the brass or silver-plated furniture 

 is mounted ; in some stables a piece of flannel moistened 

 with lemon-juice is used to clean brass mountings. 

 Three brushes are necessary in cleaning harness : a 

 hard brush to remove the dirt, a soft brush to apply 

 the blacking, and a hard brush for polishing. When 

 the blacking has been applied it should be left exposed 

 to the air to dry ; as soon as it acquires a dull or bluish 

 tint, it is ready to be polished ; when It has been 

 polished a little, then some beeswax may be applied, in 

 order to render it waterproof ; it will then become so 



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