826 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



should always be raised on the neck in the position it 

 occupies during draught. 



Breast harness is sometimes used as a substitute for a 

 collar and in some countries it is employed to the exclusion 

 of collars. A horse is more liable to gall with breast 

 harness than a collar, yet it is frequently a useful method 

 to apply, especially when the collar has galled the shoulders. 



It should never be used without a swingle-tree, so as to 

 reduce as much as possible the sawing motion which breast 

 harness produces. 



Injuries from this form of harness are very common, 

 and the pad requires to be carefully fitted and frequently 

 inspected ; there must be no stitching showing on the 

 surface next the skin, or galling will certainly occur. The 

 neck-supporting strap of breast harness should be quite 

 slack, otherwise when in draught the weight is brought 

 on to the neck, and galling results. 



The Fitting of Bits is extremely important, especially 

 with young animals, the mouths of which are naturally 

 very tender. A horse with a good mouth and manners 

 requires nothing but a snaffle, and this may be plain, hinged, 

 twisted, single ring, or double ring, depending upon the 

 horse and whether for saddle or draught. 



With most saddle horses a double bridle is used, viz., 

 a snaffle and bit, and the best combination of these is seen 

 in a Pelham. 



Whatever is placed in the horse's mouth should not be 

 fitted too high nor too low, but a position between the 

 corner incisor and first molar selected, and this position is 

 the one which does not wrinkle the skin at the angle of the 

 mouth. The curb should lie in the groove under the chin, 

 a loose curb may be of no use and unable to act, a tight 

 one may cause an accident, and under any circumstances 

 is unnecessary. The curb should be capable of exercising 

 pressure without a strain on the head stall ; nothing more 

 than this is required with the majority of horses. 



The injuries inflicted by bits occur at the angles of the 

 mouth, on the rami of the lower jaw in front of the first 



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