HARNESS AND HARNESSING.
THERE are many nice distinctions which go toward making a harness effective and appropriate to its purpose.
In heavy harness such a trifle as the shape of a buckle gives character to the whole. The horseshoe buckle, for example, should properly be used on all harnesses which are intended purely for sporting driving-namely, the tandem, four-in-hand road, dogcart, exercising gig, etc. This class of harness is made of single leather throughout, or of double leather plainly stitched ; it is furnished with what is called a ring draught on the hames, and requires the use of suitable bits-namely, the plain or ring snaffle, elbow cheek, Hanoverian Pelham, or Liverpool. The collars are straight and much more heavily padded than those for dress use. They may be either plain black, patent, or brown leather, or patent leather with brown leather fronts.
Having mentioned the sporting bits, it may be well to state that a Buxton or gig bit with bridoon in a
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