Head ropes may be conveniently fastened to the head collar by having a strap and buckle like that represented at A in the annexed illustration attached to the end of each rope, if the other end is finished, as shown at B. One head rope left on when the horse is equipped for marching forms a convenient head-collar rope, which can be coiled up and secured as shown at [p. 37].
The Cape hunters usually secure their horses during a temporary halt by the use of the knee halter. The manner of adjusting this is shown at A in the following illustration. In Australia, the hook hobbles, figured at [p. 33], are adjusted as at B in the illustration below.
CAPE KNEE HALTER AND AUSTRALIAN HOBBLES.
It is a common practice in the army to stretch a long rope between a number of posts, and then secure the horses to it at intervals by fastening the ends of the head-collar chains. We have seen mule trains in India fastened in a similar manner to a long cord stretched out on the ground. Although space is economised by the adoption of these plans, they lead to an endless number of serious accidents from kicks, bites, and stake wounds from the splintered posts. The addition in weight to the present scale of military horse equipment may be, perhaps, urged as a reason why the head and heel ropes of India have not been universally adopted by the troops of this country. The result of our experience is that the very slight addition which is made to the burden by the strapping on of a pair of light strong head and heel ropes to the rear of the saddle is a mere mite in the balance when compared with the constantly recurring and serious evils we have just referred to.
INDIAN HEAD AND HEEL ROPES.