Teamster Tip hosted by Mel Klein

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Tip #5

Over the years I've read several articles by Steve Bowers. He's passed on now, but one of the things I've really liked from him is his comments and thoughts on as he calls it "The Case of the Disappearing Stub Line". We in our neck of the woods call it the Cross line. What Steve talks about is that horse that falls, shoots forward or spooks and pulls the cross line through the upper hame ring. Now over the years I've used extra rings to keep that cross line from pulling through, but several years ago I changed all of my cross lines to 8 feet long. Most if not all of mine were 5 1/2 foot long and it just seems to make since to have that extra 21/2 feet of cross line. I've gotten some new horses the past year or so and the extra long cross line has really been nice. I would highly recomend those of you who are going to order new lines ask for 8 foot cross lines and if you can either order just new 8 footers for you current lines or take them to you harness guy and have him extend your current cross lines. I'm sure once you use them you will see the diffence.

Mel