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The Horse's Clothes 287 



back-strap to the pad, which it seizes and arranges 

 carefully in place just in the swell of the withers; 

 and when so placed, the left hand seeks the girth, and 

 it is buckled just tightly enough to keep the pad in 

 place. Great care must always be taken that the 

 back-strap is loose, and it should always lie easily 

 along the backbone, and never be strained tightly 

 under the tail. More accidents from horses thus tor- 

 tured come to pass than from any other cause, be- 

 cause even the most gentle will kick if thus painfully 

 accoutred, and especially going down hill. The 

 crupper itself must always be large, thick, and well- 

 padded ; the pad girth broad, and also better if 

 padded ; and the belly-band should always be con- 

 fined by loops placed upon this pad girth, that it 

 may not pinch the horse, as it will if separate. The 

 crupper is really unnecessary, and serves no purpose 

 at all, save that if the animal gets the tail over the 

 reins the thick crupper prevents that appendage from 

 shutting down upon them too firmly. This, however, 

 no horse would do did we take the trouble to edu- 

 cate him to allow his tail to be quietly lifted by the 



