The collar needs to be fitted to the individual horse by adjusting the padding, so they are not used in battlefield situations where the loss of a draught horse cannot be rectified simply by finding a spare horse. The other type is the breast harness, which is easily adaptable to any horse. As its name implies, it is a substantial item which fits round the horse’s breast, with straps to hold it in place over the neck just before the wither, and to connect it to the traces. In some cases, where the ‘driver’ rides, further straps may connect from the traces to a crupper. The harness is kept in
...more
