The Work Horse 267 
harness, it should be thoroughly repaired in all parts, 
and if this is done, but little trouble will occur during the 
year, except for the occasional breakage. A home re- 
pairing kit consisting of a sewing outfit, riveting machine, 
together with leather snaps and buckles will enable the 
average man to repair most of his harness at home. 
In the fitting of the harness, the most important point 
is to see that the collar fits correctly. If the collar is too 
short, it cuts the wind, throws the pressure too high on the 
shoulder, and causes sores on the top of the neck. On 
the other hand, if it is too long, it throws the pressure a 
little low, and causesa bruising of the shoulder points, and 
may also cause a bruising of the withers by pulling back 
too far on the top of the neck. If the collar is too narrow, 
it will pinch the neck, irritating the shoulder, and will also 
throw the pressure too far in on the shoulder. On the 
other hand, if it is too wide, it will throw the pressure too 
far out on the side of the shoulder, causing the collar to 
slip back and forth and make sores. The usual difficulty 
in fitting the collar is that it is bought to fit when the 
horse is in good condition before going to work, and as 
soon as the fat is gone, the collar is too loose. Therefore, 
special care must be taken in fitting horses to see that they 
are snug, but still do not pinch in any place. If the collar 
does not set to the horse’s neck, it is very often satis- 
factory to soak it overnight, then place it upon the 
neck, fitting it closely with the hames and let it mold itself 
to the horse’s neck. This will usually cause a very satis- 
factory fit if the collar is the right size. 
If it is necessary to use collar or sweat pads, it should be 
to change the fit of the collar or to change the general seat 
of the pressure, as collar pads are usually hot and soft, 
and stick to the skin, causing irritation which would not 
