RESTRAINTS. 137 



being commonly made of rope, its constant or frequent use 

 produces a depression across the nose, or baldness, or a sore. 

 The head-piece being always of the same length, can not be 

 altered to suit the horse ; it is often too long, it falls back upon 

 the neck two or three inches behind the ears, and if the horse 

 happens at this time to hang back, his neck receives a twist 

 from which it does not always recover. A long head-piece 

 permits the nose-band to fall upon the nostrils, and if the 

 shank be strained the horse is choked. The halter is not a 

 proper article for tying up the horse ; it may be employed to 

 lead him to the door, to the shoeing forge, or to exercise, or 

 to tie him to the door while he is being dressed, but it should 

 have no other uses. 



When taken out with a halter, a cinch, that is, a coil of the 

 halter shank, is sometimes placed in the mouth to act as a 

 bit, and give the man more command over the horse. He is 

 often tied up with this cinch in his mouth, and if he happens 

 to throw any strain upon the shank, his tongue is severely in- 

 jured ; I have repeatedly seen it cut through, and the horse 

 thrown off his feed, unable to eat for two or three weeks. 

 When the cinch remains an hour or two thus tightened around 

 the tongue and the jaw, a large portion, two or three inches, 

 of the tongue mortifies and has to be removed, or it falls off. 

 When the horse must be tied up with a halter, see that the 

 head-piece be close behind his ears : cast a knot on the shank 

 to prevent the nose-band from running ; keep it clear of the 

 nostrils, and never tie the horse with a cinch in his mouth. 



The Collar is made of leather. The nose-band should be 

 sufficiently wide to let the horse open his mouth to more than 

 its full extent. The head-piece has a buckle, by which it 

 can be lengthened or shortened according to the size of the 

 horse's head. When adjusted, the nose-band should be four 

 inches clear of the nostrils ; among valuable horses this is 

 the article almost invariably used for tying up ; it is usually 

 termed a stall collar. [In America the word collar is not 

 used in this sense. Leather head or halter is the term.] 



The Neck-Strap is much used in the stables of hard-work- 

 ing horses, those employed in public conveyances. It is 

 merely a leather band, two inches broad and a yard long, hav- 

 ing an iron D or triangle for attaching a rope or chain, and a 

 buckle for uniting the ends. It is preferred to the halter be- 

 cause it is cheaper, and for many horses more secure : when 

 sufficiently tight no horse can cast it ; but it permits him to 

 turn half round in his stall, which is an inconvenience. 



12* 



