The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1898-09-17
Head aear 81 the Her,s.

Head Gear 81 tho Horse.
The matter Of harness Is Of no small
Importance, and this should be we'll
lifted and well-made. Some people will
try to make one harness ft several
horses Of varying sizes and imagine
that they are having equal success with
each. The bad adjustment Of the head
stall alone is a thing that makes 9 horse
look uncomfortable, even il he is not.
really so. The straps must be adjusted
so that the bit will fit naturally in the
mouth and will rest easily. # it is too
short It will push up the flesh in a
manner that makes the animal appear
ridiculous, and if too long the straps
will be sagging and have an untidy
look. This is a little thing, but one
that has much to do with the COM
fort of the animal and Of the driver.
The question of binders was large
ly disposed of some time ago. Their
use was begun with the idea that the
horse was easily scared, but it is now
realized that it is better to educate the
horse than to attempt to protect him
against all possible fright. Some one
has justly said that there is no more
reason for using binders on the car
riage horse than, there is on the horse
that we put under the saddle. It is the
experience Of horsemen that if a horse
is accustomed to go without binders
he will do better and 80 better without
them. They are really no protection,
even to skittish horse, as the skittish
horse never SHES at what he under
stands. They also cause discomfort
and blindness by retaining the dust
and heat. In a hot day even binders
may keep off the moving air to an ex-
tent that will prove uncomfortable to
the animal. It is the advice of train
ers that if a horse has been accustomed
to binders it is not best to leave them
off at once, but to use faring binders
for a time.
Then comes the check rein, that
abomination that is still being used in
some quarters, but which is fast fall
ing into disrepute. The idea that a
horses nose must be. pointing to the
stars so that he will appear stylish is
no longer tolerated by humane horse
men. If a check rein is used at all it
should never be made short and Tight
1t is sure to tire the neck of the horse
and will sometimes make it stiff. It
also tends to destroy all elasticity
There is another reason why the check
rein should not be used: If a horse
stumbles and is about to fall he nat
urally puts his head down, and this
helps him to recover his position, but If
he must keep his head up it often hap
pens that he is unable to save him.
self from falling. There is no doubt
that the check rein has been the cause
Of many fall and the breaking of
many carriage, to say nothing of the
injury of it's occupants. Some hold to
the absurd belief that a check rein
helps to hold the animal up, but one
writer says that you might just as we'll
expect man to save himself from fall
ing by Tightening his suspenders as for
horse to be saved from falling by a
tight check rein. a One writer says:
"One of the most prevalent abuses, one
that causes the greatest torture, one
that diminishes the value and shortens
the lives of more horses than any 9TH
er, is, perhaps, the use of over-checks
tightly drawn during long intervals,
and at times when the horse most needs
freedom for the full exercise of his
lungs, nerves and muscles of the neck
and head. Any thoughtful person that
examines the anatomical structure OF
the head and neck of the horse must
be impressed with the great strain upon
these nerves and muscles required by
nature, even when their normal liberty
and freedom are undisturbed or per-
turbed by artificial devices. That over
checking is often the initial cause oil
Inflammation of the muscles, and even
of the brain, there is no doubt. If this
be true can it be doubted that this hab.
it of tight overwhelming Cor tight rein.
ing), as practiced by many persons, Of
ten contributes to the virulence of spi.
nal meningitis, neuralgia, rheuma
tism, thumps, apoplexy and paralysis