Man has used the strength of animals, notably oxen and horses, for transport for so long that their use as beasts of burden and drought and as riding animals is taken for granted. Now that enthusiasm for the innovations of the machine age has given way to concern about is shortcomings, people are looking with increased respect at the ingenuity with which our forebears used their limited material and technological resources, and the fascinating study of harness and saddlery reveals many examples where centuries-old solutions to practical problems have not been bettered to this day.