292 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



opens, when he rams the steel into place, and rubs 

 the bridle over the crown, drag'ging the ears through 

 very harshly, and leaving the foretop straggling 

 about anyhow. 



Harness should be removed in the same gentle 

 way : the bridle carefully taken off, after loosening 

 curb-chain, etc., the hames removed, and the collar 

 stretched a little before displacing, the saddle un- 

 girthed, the tail lifted, and the crupper gently drawn 

 over it, and not, as too often seen, roughly dragged 

 away by hauling at the pad. A horse's valet should 

 be as gentle-handed as though he were garbing a 

 most particiilarly irascible master. 



The operations of saddling and bridling the rid- 

 ing horse are accomplished as quietly. The groom 

 approaches from the off side, the girths folded under 

 the saddle skirt, or over the seat, the stirrups run up 

 on their leathers. He lays the saddle quietly in place, 

 well back of the shoulder — about a hand's length 

 — and, drawing down the girths, goes round to the 

 near side to buckle them in place, leaving them a 

 hole or two looser than their " working point " if 



