Hints on Driving Horses (Harness, Carriage, Etc). Captain C. Morley Knight
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driver’s hand. When driving a young horse or a bad kicker it is always advisable to have a loose one on, as it will prevent him from becoming unmanageable by putting his head between his legs. The American pattern, which passes from the bearing-rein hook on the pad over the top of the horse’s head, through a keeper on the headpiece between his ears, down to the bridoon is very useful for a hard puller.
The correct adjustment of a bearing-rein requires a certain amount of practice, as when the horse is standing still it always appears much tighter than it really is.
Bitting of a pulling horse.
Sometimes a very hard puller, especially in a team, can be driven with a big Liverpool bit hanging loose in his mouth and with the reins fixed to a bridoon; a bearing-rein can also be fitted on this bridoon if required.
A martingale will prove effective in the case of horses who pull owing to their habit of star-gazing.
Sometimes a horse pulls by getting hold of the cheek of the bit with his lip. This can be met with the elbow-bit, which is an improvement on the Liverpool bit, as, by having a bend in it, the cheek is so far back that the horse cannot reach it with his lips or tongue. The reason that this bit is not more generally used is that many people consider it unsightly.
Indiarubber-covered bits, especially those with a double bar, also answer very well with some pulling horses, the effect then being to make the bit work on a different part of the mouth from that to which they are accustomed.
A double bar can easily be improvised by sewing a piece of leather, like a lip-strap, only larger, across the top of an ordinary bit, just below the end of the headpiece.
An inveterate puller may in time get used to any bit, in which case frequent change is the only remedy.
Every horse’s mouth has a key.
In fact there is a key to almost every horse’s mouth if it can only be found, and it is well worth taking considerable trouble to find it; though frequently much patience and many experiments will be required before a successful result is obtained, and the man who has to drive many horses must have a large assortment of bits.
Martingale.
A martingale is excellent for a horse that carries his head in the air, and also very effective for one that rears. It should be so adjusted as to keep the nose about in line with the withers, and is generally fixed to the nose-band, but may be attached to the bit, and when so attached it is better to use a half-moon snaffle, or one without a joint in it, as this greatly reduces the chances of the corners of the horse’s mouth getting sore.
Cheek leathers.
Corners of mouth sore.
Circular pieces of leather, called cheek leathers, are also very useful in this respect with ordinary bits, as they keep the corners of the horse’s mouth from being pinched by the cheeks, and also prevent to a certain extent his getting hold of them with his lips.
One-sided mouth.
For a horse that has only one side to his mouth, it often answers to have a few tacks put on the inside of the piece of leather, which effectually stops him from leaning his head out to that side.
These pieces have a round hole in the middle, which fits the bar of the bit, and a slit from this hole to the outside, so that they can be put on and taken off quite easily.
Kicking-strap
Kicking-straps can be used either in single or double harness. In the former the strap passes up from one of the shafts through a loop in the crupper, and down to the other shaft. In double harness two straps are required. These are fixed to the pad, from which they run parallel to the crupper down to the splinter bar. They are connected by a short strap across the loins. Kicking-straps should be so adjusted that there should be plenty of room for the movement of the horse’s quarters, as if he breaks into a canter they are liable to catch his quarters and so make him kick. A good rule is to allow a hand’s breadth between the horse’s back and this strap.
Fitting of breeching.
A breeching is a necessity in a hilly country, more especially with a two-wheeled cart, when a brake is of no use. It should hang about a foot below the upper part of the dock, and have about four to six inches’ play when the horse is in the collar.
Three kinds of breeching.
There are three kinds of breechings for a dog-cart.
The first starts from the tug on one end of the backband, and goes right round the horse’s quarters to the tug on the other.
The second buckles to loops on each shaft, these loops being placed half way between the stops and the front of the cart.
Brown’s patent.
The third consists of a broad strap, which is stretched fairly taut across the shafts about six or eight inches from the front of the cart. This one is always ready and requires no adjustment, looks neat, and answers admirably. It is known as Brown’s patent.
The first method is better than the second, because it does not require any extra loops on the shafts, which tend to weaken them considerably, and also it does not take any of the paint off.
Breeching rubbing the horse.
If a horse’s quarters should get rubbed by the breeching, the best plan to prevent any further damage is to have a large piece of sheepskin sewn round the strap, with the hair next the horse.
Crupper.
The crupper ought to be fitted so that there is room for the breadth of the hand, or about four inches, between it and the horse’s back, when the pad is in the right place. Great care should be taken that all the hairs of the tail are passed through the crupper.
Breast harness.
Breast harness can very often be substituted for collars with great advantage, especially when the horses’ necks get wrung by the latter.
This method of draught also obviates the necessity of keeping a large number of collars to fit all sorts of horses, while another advantage is, that you are able to use breechings to the best advantage in double harness.
The breast strap should be made of a strong leather strap, about three inches wide, and padded inside so that the hard edges do not touch the skin.
For double harness a ring must be sewn into the middle for the purpose of attaching the pole chains.
The breast strap is held up by a light strap passing over the horse’s withers, and the breeching, by a similar strap, passing over the croup. A crupper can be used, but is not necessary.
The breast straps should lie flat, and be kept well above the point of the shoulders. They must be carefully adjusted, the usual fault being that they are placed too low. Each end of the breast strap has a buckle, into which both the trace and the end of the breeching are fastened. Of course it is impossible to get as much work out of a horse with breast harness as with collars.
Whip.
Always hang whip up.
The whip should be as light as possible, and well balanced, the thong being about half the length of the stick. The points should always be of leather, as these are much the best in wet weather. A whip should never be allowed to stand in a corner or up against a wall, as it will very quickly warp in that position. It should always be kept hung up, either on a reel or by a string to a nail in the wall.
Before leaving the subject of harness, a word on the general appearance and neatness of turn-out will not be out of place. Straps ought to be shortened to fit the horse, and be no longer than absolutely necessary.
To prevent any ends flapping about, keepers must be tight, and fitted so as to be within an inch or two of the points of the straps. Nothing catches the eye more quickly, or looks more slovenly, than the ends of the traces sticking out a foot beyond the keepers, or a belly-band strap dangling loose underneath the horse.
When buying harness go to a really good maker: cheap clumsy harness never pays.