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horse, to protect you from being crippled or kill- 

 ed. When the horse makes any attempt to get his 

 head down to kick, the overcheck punishes him so 

 severely in the mouth that he gives up the kicking 

 notion. Bad kickers that have been kicking all 

 their lives will still try to kick if they are checked 

 up high and you must be on your guard against 

 them. They will soon stop it, though, if they arc 

 checked up high enough. 



Many people condemn the overcheck even 

 when driving the horse to a light buggy, claiming 

 it is cruel. With a light buggy on good roads the 

 overcheck may be used to protect the horse from 

 stumbling. If he is not checked too high a horse 

 gets used to the overcheck and doesn't mind it at 

 all. The overcheck is used on a horse the same 

 way as a collar is used on a man. When he wisher: 

 to be well dressed he puts a collar on. The over- 

 check is also a necessity in driving fast horses to 

 assist you in steadying them. It prevents them 

 from working their heads up and down and get- 

 ting into a lope. It is almost impossible to drive 

 them fast in a pace or trot without having their 

 heads checked up. 



The overcheck should never be used on work- 

 ing horses. A horse drawing a heavily loaded 

 wagon must have his head free. With the head 

 checked up the horse is punished and cannot do as 

 much work. Imagine yourself at hard labor with 

 a high standing collar on and with one hand tied. 



The overcheck must not be used on heavy 

 roads, as the horse must have his head free in this 

 case as well. 



Horses wearing collars must not have the 

 overcheck, for it punishes them severely, because 

 the collar is broad and heavy, causing pressure on 

 overcheck bit when the horse starts, as the traces 



