CHAPTER XXXIX 

 HARNESSING THE HORSE 



The various parts of the harness should be properly 

 adjusted, as a perfectly fitted harness adds much to the 

 horse's comfort and increases his usefulness. The horse 

 not only accomplishes his work by means of the harness, 

 but receives much of his information concerning our 

 wishes by it as well. Thus unequal pressure due to 

 poorly fitting harness is likely to abrade the parts and 

 leave the impression with the horse that we are punishing 

 him, which may provoke vicious habits. This is em- 

 phasized by the fact that a sore mouth produced by a 

 poorly fitted bit or bridle often excites the horse to 

 running away ; a sore neck or shoulders, the result of an 

 ill-fitting collar, often induces the horse to balking ; and 

 a sore tail, produced by an improperly adjusted crupper, 

 often provokes the horse to kicking. Since not only the 

 usefulness of the horse, but his safety as well, depends 

 so largely upon the adjustment of the harness, much 

 careful consideration should be given to the harnessing 

 of the horse. 



Bridle and check rein. — Since the bridle and bit is our 

 main reliance for conveying orders to the horse's mind 

 for execution, it is important that it be properly adjusted 

 so as to retain the natural sensitiveness of the mouth. A 

 responsive mouth contributes to the efficiency and safety 

 of the horse. A good mouth — one with sensitive bars — 

 is natural to the horse. "Tender," "hard," and all kinds 

 of "spoiled" mouths result from improper training and 

 handling. When we recall the extreme tenderness of the 

 horse's mouth, the cruel manner in which it is often fitted 

 and the pain resulting from the sores thus produced, we 

 can appreciate why a horse may lag behind until the parts 



