A HORSE SPARER.

Oamaru Mail, Volume I, Issue 227, 13 January 1877, Page 2

A HORSE SPARER.

An improvement in harness is attracting considerable attention in Germany. It consists of tlie interposition of a number of Indiarnbber rings separated from eacli other by iron washers, packed in a cylindrical case, with a metallic rod fixed to the outside washer, and passing through the case. These cases are interposed between the traces and the trace-hooks, and form elastic pads between the horse and the weight to bo drawn. They are, in fact, reserved buffers, and should be very comfortable to the horse, while enabling him to apply his strength to the best advantage. In commencing to pull, a willing horse throws its weight into the collar with a sudden shock, Twisting its strength, and sometimes doing injury. With the now buffers, the initial effort of ' frorse will be less, and will progress crease. Tiie rougher the road

will be the percentage of advantage obtained. The improvement is everywhere deserving of a fair trial, and the addition is so simple that there need be no difficulty with any handy man in making it or getting it made for himself at the expense of about twenty shillings. Ido not know the precise details of construction, nor is it necessary to know them, as they may be varied, but I may point out that it must be essential that the indiarubber rings should be much .smaller than the cylindrical box into which they are packed, otherwise they will not have room to become flattened out when the strain is put upon them ; while the interposed iron-workers should be as large as is consistent with free motion. The inventor is M. Fehrmann, and he named the apparatus a Pferdeschouer, or horse-sparer. The invention should be a success, and if it is not I shall be sorry.