The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-12-17

The horse appreciates comfortable
fitting harness as much AZ he does q
properly-fitted shoe. The latter, when
set too tight, or with a nail driven into
or too near the sensitive tissues, produces
positive lameness. Under this condition
of things he is promptly taken to the
shop for relief But he may suffer nearly
or quite rs much from the chatting Of q
badly fitted collar or narrow belly
band, drawn too tight Or from check
rein shortened up SO as to form of itself
one of the severest punishments. Either
of these conditions will produce FESTIVE
ness in the dullest brute, and in the case
of an animal Of nervous temperament,
and having thin, sensitive skin, he is
liable to become frantic, the obtuse owner
or driver seldom approaching the origin
of the difficulty.
No greater evidence can be advanced
to establish horses entire submissive
ness than his willingness to pull against
the collar with a portion of the breast
surface denuded of its skin, and showing
the highest possible state of sensibility
The average horse will do this, shrink
ing at every step. A horse learns to
dread the approach of the master or
driver with harness in hand, If this has
previously been source of torment, or
even discomfort A horse properly han
died for period, in well-ftted harness,
then CHANGING to fall into the hands of a
bungler, will ut once detect the undue
tightness or looseness of the strap, and
will not settle down to his usual gait con-
tentedly, while the irregularity remains.
A c,,tr,fa1 hnroa ,,p1or p,taI,
tating influence, do from downright fear
what may be wrongly charged as vicious
ness. Heavy strokes of the whip may
fall upon the irritated beast only to be
followed by evil results.
Among the everyday torments to
which the horse is subjected, we will
enumerate the following: 1st Abraded
breast. I'd. Infamed back from defect
i've saddle or harness pad 3D.. Sore
mouth from too tight gag-rein, a severe
bit, or both. 4th. A sore tail from too
tight or ill-made crupper. 9Th. An
abrasion under the body, caused by too
tight or badlytitted belly-band. 9th.
Irritation of the eyes from binders
being strapped too close together, or on
the other hand are allowed to swing
around first striking one eye and then
the other. 7th. Ears chafed by the
brow band being placed too high, or 10y
metallic rosettes with q sharp outer rim,
the base of the ear pressing across this
at every motion. 9Th. The excessive
fatigue of all the structures of the neck
under the influence of the bearing rein.
The bearing rein, if made taut, and kept
80 for any considerable length of time, is
a source of great discomfort to all horses,
and an insufferable torment to many. A
taut rein can be used with entire pro-
priety on horses of fine easy up-carriage,
especially while in motion; but il the
muscles and bony structure of the neck
extend forward horizontally from an up
right shoulder, rather than striking out
from q slanting shoulder, then the most
intense suffering will be Inflicted by
straining the neck up to an angle entirely
unnatural to the animal, especially if this
strain be long kept up. To strain cul-
prit up by the thumbs, till only his toes
touch the ground, is certainly one of the
severest admissible punishments that can
be inflicted upon mortal. and the check
rein is undoubtedly akin to it, in its ex-
treme application.