154 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM. 



bearinaf-bit to run through. These are called 

 bridoon hangers, the rein being made round at 

 this portion of its length for the purpose of allowing 

 it to run freely and smoothly. A driving headstall 

 is fitted on the horse in the same manner as that 

 of an ordinary bridle. All harness buckles should 

 be of plain metal, and never covered with leather. 

 As I have before remarked, the metals generally 

 used for this purpose are either brass or plated, or, 

 in rare cases, silver. Brass harness, to my way of 

 thinking, looks smarter and better than plated, is 

 more easily cleaned, and wears better, but this is a 

 matter of choice. It is certainly more generally 

 used, and I may here remark that all harness 

 furniture should be (save for the crests or mono- 

 grams on the saddle and blinkers) as plain, light; 

 and simple as possible, of smooth metal, and not 

 one bit more of it used than is absolutely necessary. 

 A metal browband is quite admissible for harness, 

 but it should not be too elaborate. The metal 

 browband is often sewn on to patent leather, but I 

 do not think such an arrangement looks as well as 

 the plain open links of the metal, and the latter is 

 cooler, and quite as strong as is necessary. The 

 old-fashioned driving-bits were made with a bar 

 which connected the ends of the shanks of the bit, 

 but these are now discarded, and rioditlv so, since 



