THE MULE. 55 



that can be used on either horse or mule. Be careful, 

 however, tliat the crown-piece is not attached too tight. 

 Be careful, also, that it does not draw the sides of the 

 animal's mouth up into wrinkles, for the bit, working 

 against these, is sure to make the animal's mouth sore. 

 The mule's mouth is a very difficult part to heal, and 

 once it gets sore he becomes unfit for work. Your 

 bridle should be fitted well to the mule's head before 

 you attempt to work him in it. Leave your bearing- 

 line slack, so as to allow the mule the privilege of 

 learning to walk easy with harness on. It is too fre- 

 quently the case, that the eyes of mules that are worked 

 in the Government's service are injured by the blinds 

 being allowed to work too close to the eyes. This is 

 caused by the blind-stay being too tight, or perhaps not 

 split far enough up between the eyes and ears. This 

 stay should always be split high enough up to allow 

 the blinds to stand at least one inch and a half from 

 the eye. 



Another, and even more essential part of the har- 

 ness is the collar. More mules are maimed and even 

 ruined altogether by improperly fitting collars, than is 

 generally believed by quartermasters. It requires 

 more judgment to fit a collar properly on a mule than 

 it does to fit any other part of the harness. Get your 

 collar long enough to buckle the strap close up to tlie 

 last hole. Then examine the bottom, and see that there 

 be room enough between the mule's neck or wind-pipe 

 to lay your open hand in easily. This will leave a 

 space between the collar and the mule's neck of nearly 

 two inches. Aside from the creased neck, mules' necks 



