268 Western Live-stock Management 



be the case with a properly fitting collar. The pad, if 

 used, should be long enough to come within two or three 

 inches of meeting at the bottom of the collar, otherwise 

 it will irritate the points of the shoulder and make them 

 sore. The top pad should be hard and firm, and not of 

 soft leather that will wrinkle and irritate the neck. 



The remainder of the harness should be fitted as care- 

 fully as the collar, although it is easier to secure a good 

 fit. However, many farmers will work with the back 

 band six inches out of place, or with hold back straps that 

 hang down so low that the horse will stick his feet through 

 them at every opportunity. In the fitting of single driving 

 harness, it is especially necessary that they be neat and 

 well kept. The appearance of the horses is greatly en- 

 hanced by well-fitting harness. Everything should set 

 snug, but not so that it will bind on any place. 



THE HORSE AT WORK 



One of the common ailments of horses at work is sore 

 shoulders. Sores on the points of the shoulders are caused 

 by the collar usually being too wide or too long. The 

 remedy is to put on a different collar or use a pad. The 

 sore may be treated with gall cures, of which many are 

 sold by harness-makers and druggists, and usually are 

 fairly satisfactory. A remedy which is largely used is 

 air-slaked lime or flowers of sulfur on the shoulders in 

 the morning and at noon, and occasionally sprinkled on 

 the shoulder while the horse is at work. This acts sim- 

 ilarly to talcum powder, and causes the collar to slip 

 easily, and not irritate the shoulder as it would normally. 

 Then at night, a treatment of the gall cure may be put 

 on if necessary, or the shoulder if in good condition may 



