FORE GEAR OR LEADER HARNESS.
The bridle and collar for a fore gear or leader harness must be made
in the way described in the previous chapters, and will require no
further explanation here.
The back-band A (Fig. 102), long crupper F, and belly-band D, still
need description, however. Cut the crupper from good leather 3 ft.
8 in. long and 5 in. wide, and make a split 9 in. long at the light
end and another, 7 in. long, at the tail end, leaving the points of
the slits in front of the full width, merely cutting a little out of
the corners. Narrow the points at the tail end gradually to about 1⅛
in., and cut a little from the sides of each slit. A piece of leather
must be cut to line a foot or so of the tail end, and a piece of soft
leather 16 in. by 3½ in. for a dock. Damp the dock well and turn down
both edges in such a manner as to overlap deeply along the centre,
the ends having been previously shaved thin.
Now bring both ends together, making both sides meet flat, but not
with the flat sides together; then, taking hold of the piece on the
flat in the centre, turn the lower edge inwards and upwards, still
keeping the points together with the other hand. Nail each point to
a board and keep all parts in shape until dry, when the dock will be
firm. Edge, crease, and black the body, making two rows all round,
rubbing the edges well and hot-creasing the lines. At the tail end
prick the second line as far as the double runs; if the dock is dry,
put it between the lining and body at each end of the slit. Tack it
down around the lining, and stitch.
A few egg-shaped stitches can be put inside the outer stitches
through the body and points of the dock to keep the last in place;
trim the edges, and black, rub, and tallow them, and do the same
inside the edges of the slits.
Cut two chapes to hold the buckles in front for fastening the crupper
to the collar straps; bend the chapes down about 4 in., shave one end
and point the other. Cut a hole for the buckle and prepare the chapes
for stitching; then, having two loops ready, about 1½ in. wide, tack
them in their places, keeping the outside of the buckle exactly level
with the end of each slit and the chapes right in the centre. Stitch
them down, put a cross stitch on each side of the buckle, and shape
and crease the loops. Now cut the crupper lay 1 ft. 3 in. by 3 in.,
and turn it down for about 1 ft. at the good end; shave the end of
the short turn thin, and round the other end; then edge, crease, and
black the lay.
Cut two hip straps H (Fig. 102) 2 ft. by 1½ in., and turn them down
for 3 in. at the heavy end; then shave the turn down, point the
buckle end, and crease and black the straps. Attach them to a 3-in.
japanned or tinned dee, one strap on each side; stitch four rows in
the double of each, and rub and finish the edge. Prepare two more
straps in the same manner, each 2 ft. 10 in. by 1¼ in., and stitch
them in the middle round part of the dee between the two other
straps. These are the carrier straps L (Fig. 102) for the stretcher;
the hip straps are for carrying the traces.
The straight part of the dee is now put in the bend of the lay and
placed on the centre of the crupper body at the same distance from
each side, the extreme point of the dee being within 8 in. from the
points of the tail slits. Tack down and stitch two rows ¼ in. apart
all round, eight per inch, with three-cord thread; then stitch the
lay coarse, or spot it across just to the dee. Some makers put a pad
under the crupper as with the cart-saddle crupper, running it from
the end of the tail slit to 1 in. beyond the point of the lay.
Hip-strap tugs K, must be made to buckle to the hip straps running
from the dee, and for hooking in the traces. Having a pair of 1½-in.
hip-strap chains (Figs. 103 and 104), cut the tugs 10 in. by 1½ in.;
bend them so that the points meet in the centre, and cut a hole for
the buckle in one end. Stitch the points together and put in two
narrow loops, one to be used to hide the joint, or have one single
broad loop for the same purpose. Place a safe underneath the same as
on the bridgeband fore tugs, but stitch it instead of nailing.
[Illustration: Fig. 102.—Set of Leader Gear.]
In the next place make the tugs for the stretcher carrier strap M
(Fig. 102), and a strap 1¼ in. by 1 ft. 2 in., and in the last bend
a chape, and cut a hole for the buckle. Stitch the buckle on with a
loop and make a running loop and a hole 1 in. from the point of the
strap.
When placing the carrier straps in position, fix a loop on each end
of the stretcher and nail the ends of the latter, leaving space for
the strap to pass. Run the strap down through this loop, the runner
loop having previously been put on the strap; then pass it through
the runner loop to the buckle, where it is fastened. Secure the
carrier straps to the same buckle over the carrier straps, bringing
their points down into the loop. Keep the runner loop down by the
stretcher to tighten the tug and to produce a neat finish.
The hip straps must now be buckled in the tug buckles, the hook
fastened to chain traces, and the collar straps buckled in the
fore-slit buckles. Whether the dock is put under the tail is
optional, because the hip straps, when fastened in the dee, suffice
to keep the crupper in place.
The back-band A, to carry the traces, is the next part of the harness
to be made. It must measure about 4 ft. 4 in. from tip to tip,
including the terminal chains or the eye, to which the traces are
hooked. If pipe, the leather must be made 6 ft. 4 in. by 5 in. Mark
a cross-line 1 ft. from each extremity, and another 6 in. from each
line, so that there will be 3 ft. 4 in. between the two middle marks.
A piece of lining is required for the part between the two lines at
each end; this should be of the same width as the back-band and 1 ft.
3 in. long. Shave thin both tips of the lining and also the ends of
the turn-in of the back-band; crease, black, and rub the back-band,
the crease being made from the extreme lines right along. Prick the
piece from the outer cross-line at each end as far as the double will
run, making five rows with two on each side; then put the lining
under the space between the two lines so that it is 6 in. over one
and 3 in. over the other.
A narrow piece, shaved at the inner edge and about 6 in. long, is now
placed on both ends at each side of the 6-in. space to strengthen
the eye. Stitch the four rows in the 6-in. space, between the two
lines, with three-cord thread, eight per inch; turn the edges of this
part and black and rub them. Now turn down the ends, bringing the
cross-lines dividing the eye exactly opposite each other; flatten
the eye so as to bring the parts with the lines close together, and
tack it in this position. Take two 1-in. dees and place a piece of
leather inside them, on the flat side, for about half their width.
Put both on each side of the back-band, one in each end between the
double close to the eye and low enough to stitch through the piece of
leather inside, when stitching the outer row.
[Illustration:
Fig. 103. Fig. 104.
Figs. 103 and 104.—Hip-strap Chains.]
The dees must be tacked down as well as the double; fasten it right
along both sides. The four rows at both ends and sides are stitched
to the top of the double from the cross rows. If desired, a fancy
wave or pattern can be made instead of the two inner lines of
stitching. Then stitch or spot with lace across the back-band along
the cross-lines near the eye; open out the last by placing a thick
piece of wood, etc., inside.
Two straps must be cut 10 in. by ¾ in., a buckle and loop being
adjusted to one end, and four or five punch holes made at the other
for the dee fixed at the side of the back-band to pass through a
link in the trace, and thus secure the back-band.
Some harness-makers line back-bands from one end to the other and
stitch them; others line the inner part of the eye with sole leather,
and place a safe under the eye. This safe is about 1 in. wider at the
bottom, and narrows down to the same width as the back-band at the
top; the lower corners are rounded, and then it is stitched in from
the eye upwards.
For the belly-band D, a pair of 3-in. chains is required, and the
leather must be cut 3 ft. 4 in. by 3 in. Turn in 4 in. at the ends,
and shave, edge, black, and crease them; then put the leather into
the openings in the chains, stitch four rows along the double part,
and spot or stitch across near the chain.
The set of shaft and chain gear, as described in Chapters V. to
VIII., is now complete. The chains are attached to the shaft harness
or jambles to pull from the shaft, while the leader harness has only
a hook for hitching the chain traces.