The Northern Pacific farmer., 1885-03-26
DRESSING THE TROTTERs,
Improvements Which Have Helped Lower the
RecOrd-The Multitude Of Fixtures for
Enuino nd


Equine Comfort and Convenience.
improvements in horse fixtures
have almost reached their limit a
Chambers street saddler and harness
maker said, land If it were not for the
many improvements in the past thirty
years the records would not have been
lowered to where they are now. Any
horse-brecder or trainer will acknowl-
edge that, because the principal i'm
provements have been suggested by
practical breeders and expert trainers.
Without taking into account the great
improvements in road wagons and
sulkies, which for lightness and easy
running are very marvels in compari-
son with the heavy and ungraceful
vehicles of twenty-five years ago, the
Improvements in harness alone are
enough to slice off some of the records.
Besides, they are cheaper. A good.
scrviceab]e, light single harness can
now be made for SO. The trimmings
are, of course, tin plated, and the
stitching is plain. From that price
single harness run up into the hun
dreds, the nickel, lead, silver, and
gilt plating, rubber covering, line and
wave stitching, and quality of the
leather adding gradually to the cost.
II suppose the truck harness of to-
day is about as safe, strong, and per-
feet as is possible. The cost runs
from 500 up to $95. For the last NAM
ed price we can make a harness with
three inch saddle, rubber trimmings,
single leather traces sewed on the
breast-collar at one end, and the other
end lined eighteen inches, with three
holes to take up at the whiff1etrce {;
single leather breeching, with edges
bcveled and FURNISHED smooth and
rounded inside; breeching straps, with
edges rounded; fiat hip straps, with
edges rounded; patent check, with
check bit and half-check trotting
snaffle fine pad cloth under the sad.
die, flat reins with patent book billet at
the bit, wide belly-bands with roller
buckles, saddle lined with cnameled
leather. The stitching is fine and
neat, in handsome designs, and the
loops are all hand-crcased. There
isn't an unnecessary part about it, and
it ought to satisfy any horseman. The
harness that Maud S. trots in cost
1925. 1t is light and fine, and was
specially made for her.
"You can imagine that a horse
when driven to his utmost speed must
have everything about him easy and
comfortable as possible. 1t is the
same as the best efforts of a man who
has a bad-ftting collar or rough
edged neok-band. 1t irritates him,
and he is thinking more of the annoy
ance than of his business. If horses
girth is too tight, or az other part
chafes him, he can't trot as fast as he
might. Sometimes the shaft-eirth
slips over the saddlc-girth, pinches
the skin and pulls the hair. The
horse feels that, and he is worried.
BY the way, the very latest improve
ment is saddle-girth and shaft-girth in
one piece-practical improvement, l
mean, because the improvements in
ornaments, such as chains, buckles,
buttons, and designs for monograms
and the so-called handy attachments
are almost endless. For ornamental
ton look at the four-in-hand position,
four-in-hand coach, long-tug coach,
with embossed work, coach, wagon
cite, rockaway, and carryall harness.
They are as different as the horses that
wear them. The tandem harness is
palmer and neater, and the coupe and
dog-cart harness are substantial and
neat. The village-cart harness is in
russet or black leather, trimmed with
nickel, silver, or brass, and the price
is according to the amount of work
and the quantity of the trimming, say
from $25 to $l00. To my eyes the
most pleasing sight is pair of sleek
trotters in a light double harness.
Each strap does its work, and is an aid
to the horses. The best costs about
$175. The cheapest is 1925. 1t has
pads with timed trimmings; timed
rings in names, with timed buckles in
the tug; small buckles japanned; fiat
winker braces on the bridle; round
check-reins; patent-leather collar and
hard belly-band and martinga1e.
"The gentlemen seen driving fast
horses through the park every pleas.
ant afternoon have suggested many
improvements. They know what is
needed, and besides, they know how
to tell us. Mr.. Robert Bonner, for
instance, has his own ideas about the
fixtures for his horses. 1t isn't chance
with him. If he wants piece of har-
ness it must be so long or so short, or
round, or fiat, or wide, or narrow.
Mr.. Vanderbilt knows what he wants
for his horses but he doesn't come here
himself. He sends Mr.. Phelps, who
describes what Mr.. Vanderbilt desires
to have. Mr.. Frank Work is also a
practical horscman, who has valuable
ideas about fixtures for horses. And
the professional drivers-well, what
they don't know about fixture for
trotters is hardly worth knowing.'
:'What was the cost of the highest.
priced harness you have ever seen?"
give thousand dollars. 1t was in
Philadelphia during the centennial
exhibition. 1t was gold-mounted and
stitched in elaborate designs. It was
clumsy and awkward, and nobody
would buy it. In fact, I wouldn't
take it to sell for $1,000"
"Bits have changed very much, be-
lieve.'
"Indeed they have. A horses
luOuUu 10 OuC VI LuC pdCUS Ol
him to fit, so to speak. Some of the
old bits were perfect instruments of
torture. The rubber-covered bits, stiff
and flexible, are highly approved. The
steel bits are made in dozen of shapes
and for all complaints, such as side
pulling, Juggling, and tongue-lolling,
and are stiff, jointed, and flexible. The
boots for q valuable horse cost almost
as much as those for a man. The
quarter boot is to prevent injury by
over-reaching, the toe boot on the
hind foot to prevent the front foot cut
ting the hoof by striking back, and
the lawn boot is for walking on lawns,
pulling on over the shoes. The shin,
ankle, knee, hook, and grab boots have
been worked down, or up, as you
please, to a fine point. Besides, we
have soaking-boots for the hoofs, and
sleeping boots to prevent and cure
lunches under the front legs. Here is
a. boot To use on the hack Of the front