The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-01-16
DRESSING THE TROTTERS.
improvements Which Have Helped Lover the
Recurd-The Multitude of Fixtures for
Ioniua Comtort and Convenience.

Y, many improvements IN the paSI thirty
E. years the records would not have been
u lowered to where they are now. Any
q horse-breeder or trainer will acknowl-
~ edge that, because the principal i'm
u proyements 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 compare
y son with the heavy and ungraceful
0 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,
servceable, light single harness can
now be made for Sc. 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, iubber 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 sos. For the last NAM
ed price we can make harness with
three inch saddle, rubber trimmings,
single leather traces sewed on the
breast-collar al one end, and the other
end lined eighteen inches, with three
holes to take up at the whiflletree :;
single leather breeching, with edges
beveled 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 bely-ba with roller
buckles, saddle lined with enameled
leather. The stitching is fine and
neat, in handsome designs, and the
loops are all hand-creased There
isn't an unnecessary part about it, and
it ought to satisfy any horseman. The
harness that Maud S. trots in cost
S125. 1t is light and fine, and was
specially made for her.
You can imagine that horse
when driven to his utmost speed must
have everything about him easy and I.
comfortable as possible. 1t is the
same as the best efforts of man who {
has bad-htting collar or rough
edged neck-band. 1t initiates him, {
and he is thinking more of the annoy I
ance than of his business. If horses e
glrth is too tight, or any other part o
,hates him, he can't trot as fast as he c
night. Sometimes the shaft-oirth e
lips over the saddle-girth. pinches Q,
he skin and pulls the hair. The u
lorse feels that, and he is worried. Sc
5y the way, the very latest improve o.
nent is saddle-girth and shaft-girth in Ia
me piece practical improvement, | az
mean, because the improvements in 81
ornaments, such as chains. buckles. Ell
buttons, and designs for monograms tie
nd the so-called handy attachments ot
re almost endless. For ornamental al
ion look at the four-in-hand position, az
coach, long-tug coach. &c
nth embossed work, coach, wagon tn
tie, rockaway, and carryall harness. to
hey are as different as the horses that Tn
,ear them. The tandem harness is he
lalner and neater, and the coupe and pc
og-cart harness are substantial and IN
eat. The village-cart harness is in ia
usset or black leather, trimmed with ur
lckel, silver, or brass, and the price ar
according to the amount of work DC
nd the quantity of the trimming, say Gu
'om S25 to 500. To my eyes the w
lost pleasing sight is a pair of sleek Sc
offers in a light double harness. CO
ach strap does its work, and is an aid FOL
tho horses. The best costs about OF
l75. The cheapest is S25. 1t has as
ads with timed trimmings; timed The
ngs In names, with timed buckles in In
e tug; small buckles japanned; Hat foe
mixer braces on the bride; round an
eck-rens; patent-leather collar and sci
'rd belly-band and martiDgale. des
"Ihe gentlemen seen driving fast she
rises through the park every pleas the
{ afternoon have suggested many pre-
provements. They know what is the
eded, and besides, they know how dot
tell us. Mr. Robert Bonner, for son
stance, has his own ideas about the by
lures for his horses. 1t isn't chance tax
tn him. If he wants piece of har- Gus
s. 1t must be so long or so short, or
md, or fiat, or wide, or narrow.
:. vanderbilt knows what he wants T
his horses but he doesn't come here wa,
nself. He sends Mr.. Phelps, who pur
scribes what Mr.. Vanderbilt desires plet
have. Mr. Frank Work is also a has
lctlcal horseman, who has valuable of a
as about fixtures for horses. And that
professional drivers-wel, what of
y don't know about fixture for who
tiers is hardly worth knowing" and
what was the cost of the highest. NOR
ced harness you have ever SEEM" mar
rive thousand dollars. 1t was in groo
! :l!.: during the centennial wife
loltlon. 1t was gold-mounted and hust
ched IN elaborate designs. 1t was bear
msy and awkward, and nobody him
nd buy it, In fact, 1 wouldn't belo
1t to sell for $1,000" sent
Bits have changed very much, be- err
=. mott
Indeed they have. A horses and
lth is one of the hardest parts of poye
70 ut, so to speak. Some of the poss
DIS were perfect Instruments of iv th
ure. The rubber-covered bits. stiff histo
hexlble,are highly approved. The owne
bits are made in dozen of shapes a pu
Tor all complaints, such as side