144 MANUAL OF FARM ANIMALS 



better without them. If the horse works better with blinds on 

 the bridle, use them ; if he works better with the open bridle, 

 discontinue the blinds. If blinds are used, they should be firmly 

 adjusted to the bridle so they cannot swing back and forth. 

 Both should be of the same height on the horse's head, as it is 

 very unsightly as well as annoying to the horse to have one 

 placed low and the other high on the face. 



Center-pieces, ear-bobs, and tassels. — It is said that such fix- 

 tures add to the appearance of the turnout. While fashion and 

 custom seem to demand a certain amount of unnecessary fixtures 

 to worry and annoy the horse, the use of them cannot be too 

 strongly condemned. 



The check-rein. — The check-rein should be properly adjusted. 

 In common practice there are two methods of checking the horse's 

 head — by means of the side-rein and by the over-check rein. 

 The former is used more often on work horses, the latter on driv- 

 ing horses. The side-rein is used with and without check hooks 

 at the throat-latch. This rein is not so effective in compelling 

 the animal to hold his head up, but is much more comfortable to 

 the horse and enables him to handle himself more efficiently. 

 Horses checked with the side-rein are not so likely to stumble 

 as those with the over-check rein, and will pull a much heavier 

 load. This is because they have more liberty with the head, 

 thereby enabling them to see the ground immediately in front 

 and to lower the head and thus throw more power into the collar. 



The over-check rein was devised for trotting horses, but has 

 become so popular that it is used almost exclusively for driving 

 horses. Originally it was used on the track where the surface 

 is as smooth as a floor, and was employed only for short periods. 

 To-day it is used on roads of all sorts and for indefinite periods. 

 There are many strong objections to its use if drawn too tightly, — 

 as is the tendency. It holds the horse's head in such position 

 that he is unable to see the ground immediately in front of him, 

 so that he is very likely to stumble. It also holds the head 



