St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1869-11-05
The Breast Collar.

The question as to which is the best for
general use, the breast Dutch) or the
round collar has long been under discus
sion, and Of these some Journals have
taken the position that the breast collar
i the best, supporting the claims on the
theory, that TIE gals and injuries to tho
horse caused by the round collar prove
stat there is some radical defect in that
style. That there is some ground for
objection no one will dispute but the
trouble lies in the failure of the collar TO
properly fit the neck and breast of the
horse \ horse will gall quite as easily
in wearing the breast collar, and in o
worse place.
No doubt the breast collar was the fist
kind ever used, and that the round was
Il later invention. For draft horse
there Is a doubt which 10 the most pref
cradle, and until very recently the fact
was not disputed that properly fitting
round collar enabled the horse to draw q
larger load and with more ease than the
other style.
The direct line of draft is st the shoukies
iuint, four or five Inche. from tie under side
i the neck thus the round collar brings
,ho weight against the part where tho
greatest amount OF strength can be a.
ertei, and ditiuse. it around the neck,
enabling the horse to throw his weight
on the collar to assist him IN starting as
ell Is drawing the load. On tho other
hand, the breast collar being four or five
inches below the line of draft the horse
loses all this extra purchase, and all the
pressure coming on such a mail surface,
causes greater tendency to gall besides,
he pain from the narrow strap makes
him hesitate to make second attempt
to start, after experiencing the sharp
pressure from his first attempt with a
heavy load.
In purchasing a new collar we should
advise that considerable care be taken in
Letting one which fits the horse that is
TO wear it this will be found great
-aving i'll both the patience and endur-
ancc of the horse as well az the comforo
of the driver; for instance some hoBes
are much fuller up near the top Of the
>huulder-blade than others q collar for
this kind of horse should be msds much
thinner near the top than for one with a
thin shoulder, otherwise too much weight
comes against that part and Causes him
to shrink from the pain inflicted; again,
a collar that is too large should not Le
used, because it will never become fned
to the neck.
The names should also have the Same
care a. the collar iu the matter Of fitting
well, for, if they are too straight, on q
thick, round nccked horse, there will be
the same objection as in bad fitting collar
Cause too much pressure against the
Top Of the shoulder blade. If the collar
l. made to fit The neck, the hames being ot
the right shape will cause the collar to
press evenly on all parts, and be easy Tor
the horse.
The plan adopted in the West, and
which, we are assured by men who have
/ been long in the collar business does moi
iniure the collar the least, is to dip it If
+ water until the leather is therougly wet,
T. then put it on the horse, secure thC
. hames firmly, keeping it there untllit be
} comes dry-it is all the better if heavy
loads are drawn, as that causes tho col
+ lar to be more evenly fitted to the neck
} and shoulder; if possible it should bt
kept on from four to five hours, wher
it will be perfectly dry and retain the
same shape ever aiterward, and ss It Ii
exactly fitted to the. form Oh inc neck VIII
: never produce chates or sores on the
= horses neck.
, The breast collar, however, also ha'
fits advantages but these are all In case'
where little or no draft is required anc
linht harness Is used, such as trotting o.
road harness. There is no country
( where the trotter draws so little by th'
collar a5 here; this is owing to the light
I ness OF the ,rotting or road wagon, Whlct
. often weighs as low a 90 and seldom eX
, cccds l25 pounds-the latter being con
sidered rather heavy for trotter anoth
cr and the principal reason is that th'
i American trotter is trained to tau
+ rein. and the entire load is drawn by thu
=. mouth, the horse hardly bringing an,
strain on the harness or collar there IS nj
pressure against the shoulder, and tn
h whole movement, even when making tn
y longest strides, is as free as though ther
l. was no collar.