214 



OLD WEST SURREY 



had a pretty running ornament of barley, incised with a 

 small gouge in the surface of the leather. A red woollen 

 fringe hung inside the hood all round ; sometimes it came 

 only a little way down, but generally was so long as to hide 

 the bells completely. The two spikes passed down the two 

 sides of the collar along the names. 



The original use of bells on the harness was to give 

 notice in the narrow lanes, so that a carter hearing a 

 distant team, could either wait before entering the lane, or 

 draw to the side in good time at some wider part. 



There is a legend of two carters who purposely ignored 

 the warning, met in the middle of a narrow lane, and fought 

 the matter out. How* the battle ended and how the 

 teams and waggons were got out remains unrecorded in local 

 history. 



Ear-caps were prettily braided in gay colours, edged with 

 brightly-coloured tufts, and tied in place with worsted ribbon 



to match. Manes were plaited and 

 tied with ribbons also matching ; 

 and then Prince and Smiler, Dragon 

 and Champion ; or Diamond, Violet, 

 Punch and Jolly, as the case might 

 be, tossing their heads to make 

 their pretty music, and pawing the 

 ground to show their eagerness, 

 went proudly on their townward 

 way. 



Ear-Caps 



Some of the older harness was needlessly heavy, but it 

 seems a pity that the great upstanding flaps that stood up 

 above the collar, that looked so handsome and were such a 

 comforting protection to the horse's withers when turned 

 down in wet weather, should now be so little used. 



