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HARNESS AND HARNESSING.

71

ing lightly on the plate of the mouth, not drawing the corners all out of shape and thereby torturing the poor beasts.

The inside or coupling rein is buckled into the noseband, buckle up, the point not being passed through the billet. The horse is led to his place by this coupling rein, to avoid touching the bit.

The fit of the collars is another most important point, and can not be too carefully attended to; they should not only be of proper length, but should also fit the horses' shoulders to a nicety. Each horse should have his own collar made for him. When the harness is put on, the collar should be stretched over the knee and put over the horse's head gently and comfortably to the animal. The hames, pad, etc., should be put on afterward. One often sees a groom forcing a tight collar over a horse's head with the hames buckled to it so that there is no yielding whatever. Is it to be wondered that those horses run back when the collars are held up before their faces?

The coachman has by this time returned, dressed, except as to his coat, hat, and gloves, and is wearing an apron to protect his immaculate white breeches. Leading his horses out by the noseband or coupling rein, he places them alongside the pole and buckles the coupling reins ; he then passes the near horse's

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