,,hints ,,on ,,driving4 ,illustration3 ,,curricle4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,hints ,,on ,,driving ,,by ,,captain ,c4 ,,morley ,,knight1 ,r4,a4 ,,illustrated ,,by ,g4 ,h4 ,a4 ,,white1 ,,royal ,,artillery ,illustration3 ,publisher's ,logo ,,london ,,george ,,bell ,,sons1 ,,york ,,st41 ,,covent ,,garden #aijb ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,first ,published1 ,july1 #ahid4 ,second ,edition1 revised1 ,dec41 #ahid4 ,reprinted #aijb4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,to ,,major-,,general ,,albert ,,williams1 ,r4,a4 ,,in sincere admiration for his devotion to every kind of sport1 and as a mark of appreciation of his encouragement and kindly advice in all sporting matters connected with the ,royal ,regiment of ,artillery1 this little ,handbook on ,driving is respectfully dedicated by one who has had the honour and privilege of serving under his command4 ,,woolwich1 #ahid4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,preface ,,to ,,the ,,second ,,edition4 ,,the favourable reception given by the press and the public to the first edition of 8,hints on ,driving10 which has run out in a little over three months1 gives me hopes that a reprint of it will also be acceptable4 ,for this edition the sheets have been carefully revised throughout1 and some additions have been made1 many of which have been suggested to me during a short period of service in ,india4 ,several new illustrations have also been added4 ,general ,albert ,williams1 who has kindly interested himself in this work1 has given me permission to insert the following letter3 8,,my ,,dear ,,morley ,,knight1 8,i have heard with pleasure that a second edition of your book on ,driving is about to be published1 and feel sure that it will be as well appreciated as the first has been4 ,the book is full of valuable information most useful to beginners1 and many professed coachmen might read it with advantage4 ,the latter1 like doctors1 differ on many points1 but ,i feel sure all good coachmen will be glad to know that your endeavours to instruct in the art of ,driving have been so well received1 and will welcome the new edition1 the success of which ,i shall look forward to with confidence4 8,yours very truly1 8,,albert ,h4 ,,williams40 ,i have also to thank ,his ,grace the ,duke of ,beaufort1 ,k4,g41 for his kindly advice1 and the numerous hints and corrections which ,i have endeavoured to incorporate in this volume4 ,c4 ,m4 ,k4 ,nov41 #ahid4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,contents4 ,,page ,,introduction #a ,,chap4 ,i4 ,,harness #e ,,ii4 ,,driving--,,single ,,harness #bc ,,iii4 ,,driving--,,double ,,harness #de ,,iv4 ,,curricle ,,and ,,cape-,,cart #eh ,v4 ,,driving ,,four ,,horses--,,position ,,of #ge ,,coachman ,,vi4 ,,four ,,horses--,,the ,,reins #hb ,,vii4 ,,four-,,in-,,hand--,,the ,,whip #aja ,,viii4 ,,four-,,in-,,hand4 ,,starting--,,pulling #aai ,,up--,,turning ,,ix4 ,,four-,,in-,,hand4 ,,various ,,useful #aca ,,hints--,,what ,,spare ,,articles ,,to ,,carry1 ,,etc4 ,x4 ,,tandem ,,driving #afa ,,xi4 ,,tandem ,,harness #ahg ,,xii4 ,,breaking ,,to ,,harness #aig ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,list ,,of ,,illustrations4 ,,fig4 ,,page ,,curricle ,frontispiece #a4 ,,single ,,harness ,,on ,,horse #a #b4 ,,single ,,harness--,,position ,,of ,,the #bd ,,hands #c4 ,,single ,,harness--,,right ,,hand ,,in ,,wrong #bg ,,position #d4 ,,shortening ,,reins #ca #e4 ,,shortening ,,reins ,,by ,,sliding ,,left #cc ,,hand ,,up ,,to ,,right #f4 ,,dog-,,cart #ch #g4 ,,double ,,harness ,,on ,,horse #dd #h4 ,,coupling ,,reins ,,properly #di ,,fitted--,,horses' ,,heads ,,straight #i4 ,,coupling ,,reins ,,of ,,equal ,,length #ea #aj4 ,,off-,,side ,,coupling ,,rein ,,fitted ,,for #ec ,,horse ,,which ,,pokes ,,his ,,nose1 ,,near ,,coupling ,,rein ,,fitted ,,for ,,horse ,,which ,,carries ,,head ,,in ,,chest #aa4 ,,pole ,,fitted ,,with ,,spring ,,for #fa ,,curricle #ab4 ,,curricle ,,bar ,,and ,,roller ,,bolts #fc #ac4 ,,cape-,,cart ,,harness #fi #ad4 ,,springing ,a ,,hill #gd #ae4 ,,practising ,,driving ,,with ,,the ,,weights #gg #af4 ,,four ,,weights ,,and ,,pulleys ,,for #gh ,,practising ,,driving #ag4 ,,four-,,in-,,hand--,,how ,,to ,,hold ,,reins #hc #ah4 ,,steadying ,,team ,,with ,,right ,,hand #hi #ai4 ,,how ,,loop ,,should ,,be ,,taken ,,up #ij #bj4 ,,looping ,,near-,,lead ,,rein ,,under ,,thumb #ia #ba4 ,,looping ,,off-,,lead ,,rein ,,under ,,thumb #ib #bb4 ,,looping ,,off-,,lead ,,rein ,,under ,,first #ic ,,finger #bc4 ,,right ,,hand ,,on ,,off-,,side ,,reins ,,to #ie ,,prevent ,,wheelers ,,cutting ,,corner #bd4 ,,opposition ,,point ,,to ,,the ,,right #ig #be4 ,,opposition ,,point ,,to ,,the ,,left #ii #bf4 ,,result ,,of ,,holding ,,whip ,,in ,,wrong #ajc ,,position #bg4 ,,preparing ,,to ,,catch ,,thong #aje #bh4 ,,thong ,,caught ,,up ,,before ,,loop ,,has #ajg ,,been ,,taken ,,off #bi4 ,,taking ,,off ,,loop #ajh #cj4 ,,securing ,,lash ,,by ,,twisting ,,it ,,round #aaj ,,handle ,,of ,,whip #ca4 ,,bringing ,,back ,,thong ,,of ,,whip ,,after #aae ,,hitting ,a ,,leader #cb4 ,,taking ,,leaders' ,,reins ,,out ,,of ,,left #acg ,,hand ,,with ,,right ,,hand #cc4 ,,right ,,hand ,,assisting ,,left 7,,on ,,three #aea ,,reins ,,only7 #cd4 ,,tandem ,,without ,,bars #afj #ce4 ,,tandem--,,position ,,of ,,right ,,hand ,,on #afe ,,reins #cf4 ,,tandem--,,turning ,,to ,,the ,,left #afi #cg4 ,,tandem--,,turning ,,to ,,the ,,right #aga #ch4 ,,tandem ,,with ,,bars #ahf #ci4 ,,longeing ,,with ,,long ,,reins #aif #dj4 ,a ,,break ,,by ,,holland ,,and ,,holland #bji ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #a4--,,single ,,harness ,,on ,,horse4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,hints ,,on ,,driving4 ,,introduction4 ,,in the following pages an attempt has been made to explain to beginners the rudimentary principles and niceties of driving4 ,in most treatises on this subject the minute details have been entirely omitted1 the writer taking for granted that the reader has previously acquired some practical knowledge of harnessing and driving4 ,it is of course impossible to describe in a short essay every method of handling the ribbons1 for well-known authorities even of the present day differ on so many points1 that to discuss all would take too long4 ,nevertheless1 as nothing has been considered too trifling to be explained1 it is hoped that these hints may be especially useful to those who may not have been able to obtain any previous experience1 and have not a thoroughly competent tutor at hand to teach them4 ,the difficulties which have to be overcome are so numerous that they cannot all be discussed in detail1 for one of the greatest charms of driving consists in the ever-varying and complicated problems which are being constantly placed before the driver to solve--problems which must be solved at once without hesitation--and in no sport or pastime does the old saw1 8,he who hesitates is lost10 more frequently prove true than in that of driving4 ,thus1 though it happens that the same result may be obtained in a variety of ways by the practised hand1 these notes being especially intended for the instruction of beginners1 the author has endeavoured to solve1 in the most simple and lucid manner1 those problems only which are most likely to puzzle the novice4 ,after all1 there is no way of learning to drive so instructive as sitting on the box seat beside a first-class coachman1 and carefully watching the movements of his hands4 ,the novice is always tempted to confine his attention to the horses1 and so omits to notice the manipulation of the reins at the critical moment4 ,this omission on his part should be carefully avoided1 as the crisis is over in so short a space of time that it is most important to keep the attention fixed almost entirely on the driver's hands1 and carefully to commit to memory every detail of the handling of the ribbons4 ,in this work no new theories on the art of driving have been advanced1 but many very old ones have been specially emphasized by repetition--a course which has been considered justifiable on account of their great importance4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,i ,,harness4 ,,it is often said by those who have little or no experience1 that four horses steady themselves1 and require therefore little skill in driving4 ,this is a very great error1 and a man who is keen to learn should make it his first aim to drive one horse well1 and having thoroughly mastered this accomplishment1 he should then proceed to handle a pair4 ,in driving the great aim is to get the horses going well together1 and all doing their fair share of work without taking more out of the driver than is absolutely necessary4 ,in order to arrive at this it is essential to have the horses properly bitted1 rightly coupled1 comfortably poled up1 and the harness fitted correctly4 ,to begin at the beginning1 it is first of all ,sidenote3 ,fitting of harness4 ,the collar4 necessary to see that the harness fits the horse4 ,the collar is a very important point4 ,this should lie flat on the horse's shoulders1 so as to give sufficient room for the fingers to pass between it and the horse's neck at the sides1 and the flat of the hand should be able to pass freely between the lower part of the collar and the horse's neck4 ,before putting the collar on1 it ought to be widened by lateral pressure with the knee1 so as not to hurt the horse's eyes while passing over his head4 ,sidenote3 ,sore shoulders4 ,if the horse's shoulders should get rubbed1 the best remedy is to apply plenty of sweet oil4 ,this prevents the skin getting hard and the hair coming off4 ,salt water should never be used4 ,sidenote3 ,hames4 ,the hames should fit the groove in the collar1 which should be well recessed1 correctly all round and be buckled up tightly1 otherwise in double harness they are very liable to be pulled out when going down hill1 or when pulling up suddenly4 ,sidenote3 ,hames straps4 ,to prevent this1 a small strap may be buckled round the bottom of the collar over the hame links4 ,with a pair1 the hames straps should be buckled on so that the ends point inwards4 ,the traces should be of such a length that ,sidenote3 ,the traces4 the backband will lie on about the middle of the pad when the horse is in draught2 the horse will then not be drawing the cart by the backband4 ,care should be taken that the tugs are in front of the stops on the shaft1 or a bad accident may occur owing to the cart running on to the horse's quarters4 ,sidenote3 ,the reins4 ,the width of the reins may vary from seven-eighths of an inch to an inch and a quarter1 according to the length of the driver's fingers1 but about one inch will be found the most suitable width for general purposes4 ,the reins should not be too thick1 or they will always be hard and stiff1 while1 on the other hand1 if they are very thin1 they will be uncomfortably soft in wet weather4 ,sidenote3 ,backband4 ,in a two-wheeled cart the backband ought to be long enough to allow the shafts to hang level4 ,there ought always to be a little weight on the shafts1 as nothing looks so vulgar as shafts pointing up to the skies1 with all the weight on the belly-band4 ,sidenote3 ,shafts and balance of cart4 ,it must be borne in mind that by letting down the shafts the balance of the cart can be very considerably altered4 ,this alteration is often useful when there are four people in the cart1 as few dog-carts balance well with this number1 the weight being nearly always on the belly-band4 ,few owners thoroughly appreciate what misery their friends undergo when made to occupy a back seat under these conditions1 as they so rarely try it themselves4 ,the belly-band should not hang down ,sidenote3 ,belly-band4 quite loose1 but1 while allowing a little play of the shafts1 should be tight enough to prevent them from tipping up to any extent4 ,sidenote3 ,girth of pad4 ,the pad as well as the crupper should be buckled up pretty tight if there are any steep hills to go down1 and a breeching is not used2 otherwise the pad will slip forward and gall the horse's withers4 ,sore withers give a great deal of trouble and are difficult to cure4 ,another result of the pad slipping forward is chafing of the horse's elbows4 ,on some horses the only way to prevent it is to fasten the girth back to the shaft on each side by means of straps4 ,this plan is frequently used in hansoms in ,london4 ,the pad itself should be well stuffed off the back1 particularly with high-withered horses4 ,sidenote3 ,the blinkers4 ,the blinkers should be so fitted that the horse's eyes come almost in the middle of them1 while the headstall should be tight enough to prevent the blinkers from bulging out when pressure is put on the bit1 and thus enabling the horse to see behind him2 but they should be fitted so as not to turn inwards and almost touch the eyes4 ,sidenote3 ,horse's comfort reflected in manner of going4 ,this is a point which is very often little attended to1 but one which makes a considerable difference to the horse's comfort1 and is naturally reflected in his manner of going4 ,the throat-lash should not be fastened too ,sidenote3 ,throat-lash4 tight2 if it is1 it will half choke the horse4 ,it should be loose enough to allow three fingers to be passed between it and the horse's throat4 ,the nose-band should admit of the breadth ,sidenote3 ,nose-band4 of two fingers between it and the horse's jaw4 ,sidenote3 ,bitting4 ,bitting is all a matter of common sense and practice4 ,the reins must be altered up or down the bit until the adjustment most comfortable for the horse has been discovered4 ,but even then a great deal will depend on ,sidenote3 ,hands4 what is generally known as 8,hands40 ,this really unknown quantity1 consisting as it does of complete sympathy between the horse and his driver1 though born and not made1 can be improved to some extent by teaching and practice4 ,this gift has been defined as 8not using more force on the reins than the exigencies of the occasion render absolutely necessary40 ,as a general rule the bit should lie flat in the horse's mouth about one inch above the tusks4 ,sidenote3 ,curb-chain4 ,the curb-chain must not be too tight1 and there ought to be room for at least two fingers to be placed between it and the horse's jaw4 ,if a horse is at all inclined to be a puller1 an ignorant groom will very often fix it as tight as he can1 with the probable result that the horse will jib or pull all the harder4 ,in the latter case he will be likely to get a sore under the jaw4 ,the best remedy for this is to fix a piece of leather on the chain1 so that the latter does not rub on the sore place4 ,if a horse bores to the near side1 putting the rein down lower on the off than on the near side will very often make him go straight1 and vice vers4 ,some horses pull with very sharp bits1 and will not do so with a snaffle1 while others do just the contrary4 ,a double-ring snaffle covered with leather or made of indiarubber is useful for very light-mouthed horses4 ,sidenote3 ,use of a net4 ,a net usually stops horses pulling for a time1 but it is doubtful whether it has a permanent effect2 so that it is better to leave it off occasionally4 ,sidenote3 ,bearing-rein4 ,if a horse is inclined to put his head down1 and bore1 a bearing-rein will prevent him from doing so2 but it must not be too tight4 ,there are many horses that would be undrivable without one1 as it keeps their heads in the proper position1 and thus takes the weight off the driver's hand4 ,when driving a young horse or a bad kicker it is always advisable to have a loose one on1 as it will prevent him from becoming unmanageable by putting his head between his legs4 ,the ,american pattern1 which passes from the bearing-rein hook on the pad over the top of the horse's head1 through a keeper on the headpiece between his ears1 down to the bridoon is very useful for a hard puller4 ,the correct adjustment of a bearing-rein requires a certain amount of practice1 as when the horse is standing still it always appears much tighter than it really is4 ,sidenote3 ,bitting of a pulling horse4 ,sometimes a very hard puller1 especially in a team1 can be driven with a big ,liverpool bit hanging loose in his mouth and with the reins fixed to a bridoon2 a bearing-rein can also be fitted on this bridoon if required4 ,a martingale will prove effective in the case of horses who pull owing to their habit of star-gazing4 ,sometimes a horse pulls by getting hold of the cheek of the bit with his lip4 ,this can be met with the elbow-bit1 which is an improvement on the ,liverpool bit1 as1 by having a bend in it1 the cheek is so far back that the horse cannot reach it with his lips or tongue4 ,the reason that this bit is not more generally used is that many people consider it unsightly4 ,indiarubber-covered bits1 especially those with a double bar1 also answer very well with some pulling horses1 the effect then being to make the bit work on a different part of the mouth from that to which they are accustomed4 ,a double bar can easily be improvised by sewing a piece of leather1 like a lip-strap1 only larger1 across the top of an ordinary bit1 just below the end of the headpiece4 ,an inveterate puller may in time get used to any bit1 in which case frequent change is the only remedy4 ,sidenote3 ,every horse's mouth has a key4 ,in fact there is a key to almost every horse's mouth if it can only be found1 and it is well worth taking considerable trouble to find it2 though frequently much patience and many experiments will be required before a successful result is obtained1 and the man who has to drive many horses must have a large assortment of bits4 ,sidenote3 ,martingale4 ,a martingale is excellent for a horse that carries his head in the air1 and also very effective for one that rears4 ,it should be so adjusted as to keep the nose about in line with the withers1 and is generally fixed to the nose-band1 but may be attached to the bit1 and when so attached it is better to use a half-moon snaffle1 or one without a joint in it1 as this greatly reduces the chances of the corners of the horse's mouth getting sore4 ,circular pieces of leather1 called cheek leathers1 are also very useful in this respect with ordinary bits1 as they keep the corners ,sidenote3 ,corners of mouth sore4 of the horse's mouth from being pinched by the cheeks1 and also prevent to a certain extent his getting hold of them with his lips4 ,for a horse that has only one side to ,sidenote3 ,one-sided mouth4 his mouth1 it often answers to have a few tacks put on the inside of the piece of leather1 which effectually stops him from leaning his head out to that side4 ,these pieces have a round hole in the middle1 which fits the bar of the bit1 and a slit from this hole to the outside1 so that they can be put on and taken off quite easily4 ,sidenote3 ,kicking-strap4 ,kicking-straps can be used either in single or double harness4 ,in the former the strap passes up from one of the shafts through a loop in the crupper1 and down to the other shaft4 ,in double harness two straps are required4 ,these are fixed to the pad1 from which they run parallel to the crupper down to the splinter bar4 ,they are connected by a short strap across the loins4 ,kicking-straps should be so adjusted that there should be plenty of room for the movement of the horse's quarters1 as if he breaks into a canter they are liable to catch his quarters and so make him kick4 ,a good rule is to allow a hand's breadth between the horse's back and this strap4 ,sidenote3 ,fitting of breeching4 ,a breeching is a necessity in a hilly country1 more especially with a two-wheeled cart1 when a brake is of no use4 ,it should hang about a foot below the upper part of the dock1 and have about four to six inches' play when the horse is in the collar4 ,sidenote3 ,three kinds of breeching4 ,there are three kinds of breechings for a dog-cart4 ,the first starts from the tug on one end of the backband1 and goes right round the horse's quarters to the tug on the other4 ,the second buckles to loops on each shaft1 these loops being placed half way between the stops and the front of the cart4 ,sidenote3 ,brown's patent4 ,the third consists of a broad strap1 which is stretched fairly taut across the shafts about six or eight inches from the front of the cart4 ,this one is always ready and requires no adjustment1 looks neat1 and answers admirably4 ,it is known as ,brown's patent4 ,the first method is better than the second1 because it does not require any extra loops on the shafts1 which tend to weaken them considerably1 and also it does not take any of the paint off4 ,sidenote3 ,breeching rubbing the horse4 ,if a horse's quarters should get rubbed by the breeching1 the best plan to prevent any further damage is to have a large piece of sheepskin sewn round the strap1 with the hair next the horse4 ,sidenote3 ,crupper4 ,the crupper ought to be fitted so that there is room for the breadth of the hand1 or about four inches1 between it and the horse's back1 when the pad is in the right place4 ,great care should be taken that all the hairs of the tail are passed through the crupper4 ,sidenote3 ,breast harness4 ,breast harness can very often be substituted for collars with great advantage1 especially when the horses' necks get wrung by the latter4 ,this method of draught also obviates the necessity of keeping a large number of collars to fit all sorts of horses1 while another advantage is1 that you are able to use breechings to the best advantage in double harness4 ,the breast strap should be made of a strong leather strap1 about three inches wide1 and padded inside so that the hard edges do not touch the skin4 ,for double harness a ring must be sewn into the middle for the purpose of attaching the pole chains4 ,the breast strap is held up by a light strap passing over the horse's withers1 and the breeching1 by a similar strap1 passing over the croup4 ,a crupper can be used1 but is not necessary4 ,the breast straps should lie flat1 and be kept well above the point of the shoulders4 ,they must be carefully adjusted1 the usual fault being that they are placed too low4 ,each end of the breast strap has a buckle1 into which both the trace and the end of the breeching are fastened4 ,of course it is impossible to get as much work out of a horse with breast harness as with collars4 ,sidenote3 ,whip4 ,the whip should be as light as possible1 and well balanced1 the thong being about half the length of the stick4 ,the points should always be of leather1 as these are much the best in wet weather4 ,sidenote3 ,always hang whip up4 ,a whip should never be allowed to stand in a corner or up against a wall1 as it will very quickly warp in that position4 ,it should always be kept hung up1 either on a reel or by a string to a nail in the wall4 ,before leaving the subject of harness1 a word on the general appearance and neatness of turn-out will not be out of place4 ,straps ought to be shortened to fit the horse1 and be no longer than absolutely necessary4 ,to prevent any ends flapping about1 keepers must be tight1 and fitted so as to be within an inch or two of the points of the straps4 ,nothing catches the eye more quickly1 or looks more slovenly1 than the ends of the traces sticking out a foot beyond the keepers1 or a belly-band strap dangling loose underneath the horse4 ,when buying harness go to a really good maker3 cheap clumsy harness never pays4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,ii ,,driving--,,single ,,harness4 ,sidenote3 ,the start4 ,before starting1 always have a good look round1 and see that all the harness is put on correctly2 then go to the off side of the horse and take the reins in the right hand1 the near rein under the forefinger and the off rein under the third finger4 ,sidenote3 ,getting into dog-cart4 ,get up into the cart and sit down immediately2 now transfer the reins into the left hand1 the near rein over the forefinger1 and the off rein under the middle finger4 ,thus you have two fingers between the reins 7fig4 #b74 ,the reason for this is that it gives much more scope ,sidenote3 ,how to hold reins4 for play of the wrist on the horse's mouth than if you only have one finger between the reins4 ,the thumb should point straight to the right1 and the forefinger be held well out1 pointing to the right rear4 ,this will keep the near rein close up to the knuckle1 and the horse may easily be moved across the road to either the left or right by turning the back of the hand up or down respectively4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #b4--,,single ,,harness--,,position ,,of ,,the ,,hands4 ,sidenote3 ,sit well up4 ,sit well up2 nothing looks so bad as to see the driver leaning forward over the reins4 ,finally1 take the whip in the right hand at ,sidenote3 ,how to start4 the place where it balances most comfortably1 and you are ready to start4 ,then give the horse the office to start by feeling his mouth gently and speaking to him2 if he does not respond touch him gently with the whip4 ,the moment he starts drop the hand slightly2 jibbing is often caused by neglect of the latter precaution4 ,sidenote3 ,elbows must be close to sides4 ,keep your elbows close to your sides1 with the points almost touching the hips4 ,the wrists should be well bent1 as by this means you are enabled to keep a perfectly steady bearing on the horse's mouth without any jerking4 ,this is a very important point4 ,sidenote3 ,fore arm horizontal4 ,the fore arm should be horizontal1 and the fingers from two to four inches from the centre of the body1 with the knuckles to the front4 ,sidenote3 ,lower fingers to grip the reins4 ,the thumb must not be pressed down on the rein1 except when a loop is taken up to turn a corner to the right or left 7see fig4 #bc71 ,sidenote3 ,how to turn4 when the right hand is available for shortening the other rein to prevent the horse turning too rapidly1 or else to use the whip to bring him round4 ,the fingers which should grip the reins1 7so tightly that they should never slip71 are the three lower ones4 ,the forefinger should be held as in fig4 #b4 ,sidenote3 ,whip not to be used when hand on reins4 ,never keep a large amount of slack of the off rein in your right hand 7fig4 #c71 as then you cannot use the whip2 and remember never to hit the horse while the right hand is holding a rein4 ,the reason for this is obvious1 because if you do try to hit him when you have the off rein in the right hand1 you must slack that rein off1 and the horse immediately dashes away to the left4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #c4--,,single ,,harness--,,right ,,hand ,,in ,,wrong ,,position4 ,sidenote3 ,never move reins in left hand4 ,it cannot be too strongly impressed on the beginner1 that whether the right hand is on the reins or not1 they should always be of the same length in the hand1 and never be allowed to slip4 ,the right hand should never on any account take the off rein out of the left hand4 ,it is the first and most important law of driving1 that the reins1 as held in the left hand1 should be of such a length as to keep the horse straight1 and should remain at that length1 whether the right hand is being used on one or other of them or not4 ,no coachman who drives with a rein in each hand can be said to know his business1 and yet it is one of the commonest things to be seen in ,london4 ,sidenote3 ,do not job horse's mouth4 ,never use the whip on the horse unnecessarily1 and never job him in the mouth except to punish him for doing something wrong4 ,nevertheless1 for a horse which is inclined to kick1 jobbing is very useful when applied at the right time1 more especially if accompanied by a sharp hit with the whip over his ears4 ,sidenote3 ,never hit a shier4 ,the whip should never be used on a shier1 it will only frighten him1 and confirm him in the habit1 which is caused by nervousness and not by vice4 ,encourage him rather by ,sidenote3 ,use the voice4 speaking to him1 as there is nothing a horse learns to understand quicker than his master's voice4 ,do not flap the reins on his back either to start him or to make him increase his pace4 ,sidenote3 ,pace should be steady4 ,learn to drive at a steady and even pace4 ,from eight to nine miles an hour will usually be found most suitable to average horses1 but do not on any account drive sometimes at six miles and sometimes at ten4 ,nothing tires a horse so much as constantly changing the pace4 ,sidenote3 ,start slow4 ,it is usually better to start a little slower1 especially if you have a long way to go4 ,once fairly started1 keep your eyes well fixed in front of you1 and watch exactly what other vehicles are doing1 so that you may never have to pull up suddenly4 ,you should be able to see from a distance whether you can get through or not1 and if you see that you cannot1 begin to slow down at once4 ,sidenote3 ,jerky pace very bad4 ,never increase your pace1 or check it1 suddenly4 ,nothing is more uncomfortable for the passengers or more wearying to the horse4 ,it is far better for the beginner to slow down at once1 if he is not sure of getting through a tight place1 than to go fast up to it1 and then have to pull up quite suddenly1 if he can pull up at all4 ,this cannot always be done at the last moment1 and an accident is the result4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening reins4 ,as a rule1 when it is necessary to pull up in a hurry1 the reins cannot be shortened except by throwing up the hands1 which1 to say the least of it1 looks very unbusinesslike4 ,the proper course to pursue is to catch hold of the reins with the first finger and thumb of the right hand just behind the left1 and shorten them as much as necessary by pulling them through 7fig4 #d74 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #d4--,,shortening ,,reins4 ,it is far better on such an occasion to have the reins rather too short than too long1 but if only a small amount of shortening is required the right hand can be placed on the reins in front of the left and the left hand slid up to the right 7fig4 #e74 ,sidenote3 ,signal with whip to carriage behind4 ,when driving in a town1 it is the rule to swing the whip stick round once or twice as an indication to the drivers of vehicles behind you that you are going to slow down or turn a corner4 ,sidenote3 ,turn corners carefully4 ,before coming to the turn the pace must always be checked1 particularly in a town1 where the streets are generally slippery and there is nearly always a curbstone4 ,many an accident occurs daily through corners being negotiated carelessly4 ,this advice appears almost superfluous1 but the reader will find that to drive1 even fairly broken horses1 collectedly round sharp turns requires great care and precaution4 ,sidenote3 ,starting a jibber4 ,in conclusion1 it is worth pointing out1 that a horse which is inclined to jib1 may often be started either by turning him to one side with the rein1 or if this fails1 by getting some one to push him over4 ,the reason is that he is thus made to move before the pull comes on his shoulders4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #e4--,,shortening ,,reins ,,by ,,sliding ,,left ,,hand ,,up ,,to ,,right4 ,sidenote3 ,fit of gloves4 ,the fit of the gloves may seem a very trivial matter to the uninitiated1 but it is not considered such by the expert coachman4 ,any one attempting to drive with tight 8masher0 gloves will find his hand cramped in a very short time4 ,all his power is taken up in trying to keep his hand shut and wrestling with his gloves1 and not as it should be in holding the reins tight4 ,it is difficult in fact to have them too large4 ,they should be made of dogskin1 and when new1 at least one inch longer than the fingers1 and rather larger1 also very loose indeed across the palm of the hand and wrist4 ,they will very soon shrink down and become the right size1 after the hand has got damp in them once or twice4 ,it is a good plan to punch a few round holes in the back of the gloves to keep the hand cool4 ,the leather should be hard and tough1 but not too thick4 ,strapping inside is apt to make gloves clumsy and very awkward for driving1 especially with four reins4 ,sidenote3 ,woollen gloves4 ,woollen gloves should always be carried1 as they are the most comfortable in wet weather1 and the reins do not slip through them4 ,sidenote3 ,carriage rugs4 ,never drive without a rug or apron of some kind4 ,a light cloth or cotton one may be used in summer1 but for the winter it is far better to have a thick one of box cloth warmly lined4 ,when choosing an apron1 remember to get one with a ,v-shaped piece let in at the top2 this adds greatly to one's comfort if there are two people in the cart1 as it allows of the sides being tucked under1 and thus keeps out both cold and wet very much better than one without the ,v let into it4 ,sidenote3 ,hints on building dog-cart4 ,a dog-cart is the handiest of two-wheeled carts for all-round purposes1 and therefore the one in most general use2 so that a few hints on the selection or building of such a vehicle may be of use to those who have not had much practical experience in that line4 ,at the same time ,i would strongly recommend that when buying a carriage of any kind professional advice should1 if possible1 be obtained1 since no one without experience can possibly find out faulty workmanship or detect defects in the material4 ,the following would be built for horses about #ae4b in height3-- ,sidenote3 ,height of wheels4 ,the wheels should be fairly high1 say about five feet1 as this enables the horse to pull the cart over any small obstruction with greater ease than with low wheels4 ,sidenote3 ,track of wheels4 ,the track should be from five to five feet three inches wide4 ,this gives plenty of room inside1 and makes the cart less likely to upset4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #f4--;,,dog-,,cart4 ,sidenote3 ,bent shafts4 ,bent shafts are the most convenient for driving horses of different heights1 and should be pivoted on the front part of the cart and adjustable behind4 ,a cart so constructed will easily admit of horses from #ad4b to #af hands being driven in the same vehicle4 ,sidenote3 ,body of cart should be wide and low4 ,the body should be as wide as possible1 because nothing is more uncomfortable than being cramped on a narrow seat4 ,it also ought to be low on the axle1 thus rendering the cart far more safe and also more comfortable4 ,a fixed body is better than one that moves backwards and forwards on the shafts1 because it always remains the same distance from the horse1 and enables the cart to be built lighter4 ,sidenote3 ,seat of cart4 ,the seat should be low enough to prevent the driver from feeling he is in want of a footstool or that he is half standing1 and should slide in a groove out of which it cannot come if the horse falls down4 ,many men have been thrown out and had bad accidents simply because of the seat coming away4 ,it is moreover more comfortable if slightly below the top of the sides of the cart4 ,the back and front seats should be so arranged that the cart will balance equally well with one person or four--a result which can be arrived at by having the seats to slide backwards and forwards when more than two people are in the cart4 ,sidenote3 ,heath's patent seat the best4 ,i consider ,heath's patent the best for this purpose2 it is very light and effective4 ,sidenote3 ,adjustable foot-rest necessary4 ,if the seat is a sliding one1 the driver must have an adjustable foot-rest1 and this can easily be managed by having about half-a-dozen pairs of holes in the floor of the cart for the foot-rest to fit into4 ,it should be a plain board covered with indiarubber to prevent the feet slipping1 and tilted at an incline which will keep the feet at right angles to the legs4 ,sidenote3 ,bar foot-rest dangerous4 ,a bar foot-rest is most dangerous1 as the feet may be easily caught under it in getting out of the cart4 ,sidenote3 ,position of lamps4 ,the lamps should be fixed between the wheels and the sides of the cart1 care being taken that there is plenty of room for them1 so that should they get bent by any accident they will not interfere with the wheels4 ,this position is much the best for tandem driving2 in any other position they are continually catching the lash of the whip1 and are consequently a perpetual source of annoyance4 ,sidenote3 ,best trace attachment4 ,the best system of draught for a dog-cart is that in which the traces are attached to a swingle-tree1 from the centre of which two chains pass down to loops fixed to the axle close to the inside of the wheels4 ,sidenote3 ,swingle-tree4 ,the swingle-tree is held up by two straps which pass through metal loops in the front part of the cart4 ,these straps should be pretty strong2 were they to break1 the bar would fall on the horse's hocks and cause an accident4 ,sidenote3 ,chains on swingle-tree not to be too long4 ,be careful that the chains are not too long1 and that the pull is really on them1 and not as is frequently the case entirely on the straps4 ,in the latter case of course the swingle-tree ceases to be of any use4 ,sidenote3 ,advantages of swingle-tree attachment4 ,the swingle-tree attachment enables the horse to pull directly from the axle-tree by means of the chains1 and in this way the best line of draught is obtained2 moreover a certain amount of play is given to the horses' shoulders and the chance of their galling is less than with the ordinary method4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,iii ,,driving--,,double ,,harness4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #g4--;,,double ,,harness ,,on ,,horse4 ,,to drive a pair well1 that is1 to be able to put-to and drive any two horses1 is not such an easy thing as at first sight it may appear to the uninitiated4 ,to drive a pair of good goers thoroughly accustomed to their work1 and harnessed up in the right manner1 is such a very simple matter that the merest tyro ought to be able to compete with it1 with fair success4 ,but when he has two entirely different and unknown animals to take in hand1 it is quite another question4 ,sidenote3 ,belly-bands4 ,double harness is fitted exactly the same way as single1 except that the belly-bands should be slightly looser1 so as to admit two or three fingers between them and the girths4 ,we will suppose that the harness has been put on the horses and correctly fitted to them1 and that they are standing in the stable ready to be put-to2 then the correct way of bringing them out would be as follows3-- ,sidenote3 ,how to lead horse out of stable4 ,the traces having been placed across his back1 the horse should be led out by the nose-band1 not by the rein or the bar of the bit1 otherwise the groom is very apt to job him in the mouth without intending to do so1 a performance to which he may object and run violently back1 or rear up and fall over4 ,great care should be exercised when leading out of the stable4 ,it not infrequently happens that horses hit their hips against the walls1 which is liable to chip them1 and cause lameness1 besides teaching them the extremely bad habit of rushing out of the stable-door4 ,sidenote3 ,hooking in alongside of pole4 ,bring the horse carefully up alongside of the pole1 so that he does not hit either the pole or the bar1 and at once insert the hook of the pole chain into the ring of the kidney link of the hames1 to prevent his running back on to the splinter bar4 ,now place the outside trace on the roller bolt1 and afterwards fix the inside one4 ,the quicker the latter is done with uncertain horses or kickers the better1 as this operation renders it necessary to reach right over behind their quarters4 ,if only one horse is likely to kick1 he should be put in first1 to avoid this danger4 ,when taking out the exact reverse should always be adhered to4 ,sidenote3 ,polling up4 ,never pole up the horses too tightly1 as it is very uncomfortable for them1 more especially with a team1 when the pole is a heavy one1 because if the pole chains are tight the weight of the pole will be always resting on their necks4 ,see that the end of the hook on the chain is pointing downwards1 as otherwise a horse with a bar across the bottom of his bit may get caught in it4 ,sidenote3 ,pole pieces4 ,for ordinary pair work leather pole pieces are commonly used instead of chains4 ,they do not require so much cleaning1 and are much less trouble4 ,they must be made of strong leather and kept soft with dubbing or salad oil1 otherwise they may become rotten and dangerous4 ,sidenote3 ,adjustment of coupling reins4 ,the correct adjustment of the two short inside reins1 called coupling reins1 requires great care4 ,they should be so fitted that an even pressure is brought on both sides of the horses' mouths1 and in such a way also that both horses shall go straight and pull evenly on the traces 7fig4 #h74 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #h4--;,,coupling ,,reins ,,properly ,,fitted--,,horses' ,,heads ,,straight4 ,with a view to this the outer reins have a number of holes punched in them1 up and down which the buckles of the coupling reins can be shifted1 thus enabling them to be shortened or lengthened to suit each particular horse's mouth4 ,sidenote3 ,to prevent a horse carrying his head to one side4 ,for instance1 if the near horse carries his head to the near side1 the coupling rein on the off side should be taken up1 when his head will be straightened4 ,at the same time it must be borne in mind that if a coupling rein is let out the effect is also produced of shortening up the outer rein on the same side1 and thus bringing the horse on that side further back than the other4 ,sidenote3 ,to make horses which carry their heads in different ways pull level4 ,supposing we have two horses apparently well matched1 but that the near horse carries his head rather out to the front and has a light mouth1 while the off horse has a hard mouth and carries his head close in to his chest4 ,now to get this pair to pull equally on the traces we must obviously have the near horse's reins considerably longer than those of the off horse4 ,if they have been put to with the coupling reins of equal length1 both buckled in the centre holes1 there will then be three or four holes on each side of the buckles1 and the reins can either be let out or taken up 7fig4 #i74 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #i4--;,,coupling ,,reins ,,of ,,equal ,,length4 ,in this case we should begin by letting out the off side coupling rein two holes1 and taking up the near-side rein the same number 7fig4 #aj74 ,then as the near horse has a light mouth1 he should be put on the cheek1 and the hard-mouthed pulling off horse on the middle bar4 ,this fitting will probably suit the horses1 and the pull on all four traces will be even4 ,the reins will now be adjusted like those in fig4 #aj1 which shows how the near horse is able to hold his head well in front of the other1 while the collars are brought level4 ,sidenote3 ,coupling reins must not be too tight4 ,the most general fault is coupling up both reins too tightly1 which makes the horses carry their heads in towards the pole1 instead of going quite straight1 as they should do4 ,to prevent horses acquiring this habit1 it is a good plan occasionally to change their positions1 instead of always driving them on the same side of the pole4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aj4--,,off-,,side ,,coupling ,,rein ,,fitted ,,for ,,horse ,,which ,,pokes ,,his ,,nose1 ,,near ,,coupling ,,rein ,,fitted ,,for ,,horse ,,which ,,carries ,,head ,,in ,,chest4 ,this fault is very often to be seen in the leaders of a team1 keeping them close together1 and causing them to rub up against each other to such an extent that they sometimes chafe4 ,sidenote3 ,to alter length of rein without interfering with coupling rein4 ,it is a convenience1 particularly when breaking young horses1 to have more than one hole in the billets for buckling the reins on the bits1 so that a horse can be pulled back or let out a hole on either side without altering the coupling rein4 ,sidenote3 ,to prevent horses leaning against the pole4 ,horses in a pair sometimes get into the trick of leaning in against the pole1 particularly when going down hill4 ,it is a difficult habit to cure them of1 and perhaps the best preventive is a good cut with the whip when they first attempt it1 though a little furze or a bit of hedgehog skin on the pole is sometimes effective4 ,sidenote3 ,reins must not be allowed to slip4 ,the reins must never be allowed to slip through the fingers of the left hand1 nor under any circumstances should the off rein be taken ,sidenote3 ,right rein never be taken out of left hand4 out of the left hand in order to turn to the right or pull across the road4 ,the right hand should pull the rein towards the centre of the body1 and not out to the side to which you wish to go4 ,sidenote3 ,to prevent collar galling the wither4 ,sometimes a horse gets galled by the collar1 from being continually pulled up1 or from holding back down steep hills2 this can be remedied by having a tinned iron plate fitted on under the top of the collar1 without taking the horse out of work4 ,sidenote3 ,length of traces4 ,it will be found that traces usually stretch and become of unequal length2 when this occurs1 the shorter trace should be put on the inside1 and should be marked1 so that it shall not be put on the outside by mistake4 ,with some horses it will be found necessary to have the inside trace half a hole or even one hole shorter than the outer one1 so as to obtain an equal pressure on both sides of the collar4 ,sidenote3 ,bearing straps4 ,if bearing straps for the traces are used they should be just long enough to keep them in a straight line2 if longer1 they will jump up when the horse goes into his collar4 ,further instructions for his guidance in driving a pair the reader will find in the chapter on driving four horses4 ,breaks are so commonly used in ,india1 that a few hints may prove useful4 ,as a rule those in use are so low that the horses' quarters are in front of the footboard instead of being under it1 and the driver is consequently too far from his work4 ,in modern breaks the driving seat and boot are built almost exactly like those of a coach1 where the footboard is well over the horses' quarters4 ,that portion of the footboard which comes over the roller bolts should be about five feet from the ground1 which gives room for the horses underneath4 ,the inside seats should be at least six feet long1 so as to take four people comfortably on each side2 a second seat behind the driving seat as on a coach can be added1 and if necessary can be made removable4 ,this gives three extra seats looking to the front1 the occupants of which will not suffer so much from the dust as if they were inside4 ,the body can be hung on four elliptical springs1 with a cross spring on the hind axle1 or on two elliptical springs in front with two side springs and a cross spring behind4 ,the latter method is to be preferred4 ,sidenote3 ,break measurements4 ,the approximate dimensions are as follows 7see fig4 #dj73 height of body from ground1 #c ft4 #f in42 driving seat without cushions1 #g ft42 front wheels1 #c ft4 #b in42 hind wheels1 #d ft4 #f in42 length of pole1 #aj ft4 #f in42 weight about #ab cwt42 track1 #e ft4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,iv ,,curricle ,,and ,,cape-,,cart4 ,,when it is desired to drive a pair1 but owing to the expense1 lack of carriage accommodation1 or other reasons1 the purchase of an extra carriage is inconvenient1 an ordinary dog-cart can be fitted with a pole and adapted for a pair of ponies or horses at a very small cost4 ,in such a case however the pole of the dog-cart1 having nothing to support it with the ordinary double harness1 would fall to the ground1 and it would therefore be necessary to adopt one of the two following methods of draught3-- ,sidenote3 ,curricle4 #a4 ,that known as ,curricle1 in which a bar passing from one horse to the other over the pads supports the pole by means of a strap or brace4 ,sidenote3 ,cape-cart4 #b4 ,the system employed in what is generally known as the ,cape-cart1 in which the supporting bar passes through a ring near the end of the pole1 and is held up by straps passing over the horses' necks4 ,the first of these systems is the smarter in appearance1 while the other is more suitable for rough work4 ,i will begin by discussing the ,curricle4 ,sidenote3 ,cost of curricle4 ,an ordinary dog-cart which has removable shafts can be fitted with the requisite gear1 including the curricle bar and the pole chains1 for about #aj4 ,the necessary alterations were made to my own dog-cart by ,messrs4 ,heath of ,aldershot1 who had originally built it1 but with no idea at the time it was made of having a pole eventually fitted to it4 ,i found that it worked admirably from the first1 and no subsequent alterations or repairs were necessary1 there being in fact nothing at all likely to get out of order4 ,sidenote3 ,how to fit dog-cart with a pole4 ,to adapt the cart for pole draught1 a large square iron loop must be fixed under the front of the cart1 and a smaller one under the centre4 ,the latter loop must be very strong and firmly fixed1 as it has to take the extreme end of the pole1 which at times puts on it a very great amount of strain4 ,an extra board will therefore probably have to be fitted right across the bottom of the cart1 the ordinary boarding of which the bottom of a dog-cart is usually made being too thin and flimsy to resist the strain which the pole loop will put on it4 ,should this loop tear out1 or the board to which it is fixed give way1 a very serious accident may occur4 ,the pole must of course fit both loops accurately1 and it must be secured in them by a bolt passing through it and preventing it from being drawn out4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #aa4--,,pole ,,fitted ,,with ,,spring ,,for ,,curricle4 ,underneath the pole at the point where the supporting strap will come there should be a strong spring 7fig4 #aa71 which will do away with much of the jar on the pole itself1 and also on the backs of the horses2 and if it is likely that a team of four will be driven1 the pole should be made with a hook at the end to take the swingle bars4 ,sidenote3 ,bars for attaching traces4 ,for the attachment of the traces two bars must be provided for1 and as the front of the cart will be too narrow for these to be fixed to it direct1 iron stays projecting about six inches to either side can be screwed on underneath each end of the front of the cart4 ,the bars can then be fixed to these stays by bolts passing through their centres4 ,the bars will then revolve on their centres and give the horses' shoulders plenty of play1 enabling them to do their work with much comfort4 ,to the dog-cart itself no other alterations are necessary4 ,the addition of the pole does not affect the balance to any appreciable extent4 ,sidenote3 ,difference between curricle and ordinary double harness4 ,with regard to the harness1 the chief difference between curricle and ordinary double harness is in the pads4 ,these must be strong and heavy1 and fitted with special roller bolts1 on which the steel curricle bar rests 7fig4 #ab74 ,they require to be heavy and strong1 because at times the pole will put a considerable weight on them1 more particularly when going down hill4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ab4--;,,curricle ,,bar ,,and ,,roller ,,bolts4 ,on each side they have a leather loop like those on a tandem pad1 and through these the traces are passed4 ,in the bolts on the top of the pads is pivoted a small steel roller4 ,the curricle bar rests on the rollers1 and by their action is enabled to work freely from side to side1 or from one horse towards the other1 without any friction or noise4 ,the rollers can be raised or lowered about a couple of inches1 so that should the horses be of unequal height the bar can be levelled by raising or dropping one end of it4 ,sidenote3 ,curricle bar4 ,the bar should be made of steel1 and must be long enough to give at least six inches play to the outside of each pad when the horses are standing square in their places4 ,it has a small screw at each end1 on which are screwed flat circular nuts to prevent the bar dropping out of the bolts and off the rollers4 ,these are put on immediately the bar has been passed through the bolts1 and are themselves secured and prevented from coming unscrewed by ,v-shaped steel ties1 which pass through slits at the extreme ends of the bar4 ,in the centre of the bar is a long-shaped loop or slit1 through which the brace or supporting strap is passed 7fig4 #ab74 ,sidenote3 ,supporting strap or brace4 ,this brace should be a strong leather strap about three inches wide4 ,it passes under the spring below the pole1 through the slit in the bar1 and is fastened by a large double buckle4 ,the traces are the same as for single harness4 ,sidenote3 ,how to prevent pole tipping up4 ,to prevent the pole from tipping up when the weight is on the back of the cart1 a light strap1 with a double buckle at each end of it1 can be fastened to the end of the girth-strap of one of the pads under the horse1 passed over the pole1 and again buckled at the other end to the other horse's girth-strap4 ,this is an effectual remedy for the tilting up of the pole1 even when a heavy man mounts suddenly on to the back seat4 ,in all other respects the harness is the same as ordinary double harness4 ,if the cart is fitted with a swingle bar for single harness1 the steel chains which connect the bar to the axle can perfectly well be used as pole chains1 in which case it would be unnecessary to purchase new ones4 ,ponies of fourteen hands or upwards1 which would look too small for a full-sized dog-cart in single harness1 and would be unable owing to its weight to draw it1 look extremely well and make little of the weight when driven as a pair1 and can thus be utilized in curricle when perhaps their services in harness would otherwise be lost4 ,a team of horses1 or better still of ponies1 can also be driven in the poled dog-cart1 provided that the pole has the hook referred to before at the end of it4 ,four horses look altogether too big1 and the team is too long for the short cart behind it2 but a team of ponies1 although they also look rather too long1 are very much better2 and the slight disadvantage of appearance is well counterbalanced by the pleasure of driving them1 and by the ease with which long distances can be covered without distress4 ,given a good1 comfortable1 roomy dog-cart and four fairly-trained ponies which are really fit1 and no more enjoyable way of travelling about a country can be found for two1 three1 or even four people4 ,the weight to be drawn is so small compared to the horse-power employed1 that all hills can be surmounted at a rapid pace1 and long distances can be covered in a single day1 without placing any undue strain on the cattle4 ,the bars1 though considerably lighter1 are exactly like the bars of a coach1 while the leaders' harness1 it is hardly necessary to remark1 is precisely the same4 ,sidenote3 ,cape-cart4 ,in the ,cape-cart1 about eighteen inches from the end of the pole1 comes a supporting bar or yoke1 sometimes called a bugle1 the use of which is to prevent the pole from falling to the ground4 ,this bar1 usually made of lance wood1 about an inch in diameter1 and five feet long1 can be attached to the pole in several ways1 but it is best so to arrange it that it can slide up and down the pole as well as from side to side4 ,perhaps the best and simplest attachment is obtained by passing a short strap with brass rings at each end of it round the pole1 and then putting the yoke through the rings4 ,the middle of the yoke ought to be covered with leather1 to prevent it being chafed by the pole4 ,though collars can be used1 breast harness is nearly always employed1 and is much to be preferred on account of the breeching being much more effective than with collars2 without a breeching the horses are apt to come back on to the splinter bar4 ,neither cruppers nor pads are essential4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ac4--;,,cape-,,cart ,,harness4 ,the breast harness is held up by straps which pass through the same pads as the yoke straps4 ,these latter are fixed near the middle of the yoke1 and pass through pads on the horses' withers to short buckling pieces attached near the outer ends of the bar4 ,sidenote3 ,makers of ,cape harness4 ,messrs4 ,atkinson and ,philipson of ,newcastle-on-,tyne make a speciality of this kind of harness4 ,a dog-cart can be adapted for the ,cape-cart draught in exactly the same manner as previously described for curricle2 the pole1 however1 should be rather longer4 ,advocates of the ,cape-cart claim the following advantages for it over the ,curricle3 that specially constructed heavy pads are not required1 and that should one horse fall1 there is very slight chance of his bringing down the other with him4 ,these two styles of draught are much used abroad1 the latter in ,india1 where it is known as 8,tonga10 the former in ,south ,africa1 whence it derives its name4 ,as far as utility goes there appears to be little between them4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ad4--,,springing ,a ,,hill4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,v ,,driving ,,four ,,horses--,,position ,,of ,,coachman4 ,,in order to learn to drive four horses as they should be driven1 it is necessary to begin by studying the rules and general principles of this most fascinating amusement4 ,to the lovers of this pastime nothing is more enjoyable than sitting behind a perfect and well-appointed team skilfully driven4 ,sidenote3 ,constant practice necessary4 ,it is most essential for one who would become a thoroughly efficient whip to have several years of constant practice1 and even when this has been obtained1 it will be found that there is still always something to learn4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #af4--;,,four ,,weights ,,and ,,pulleys ,,for ,,practising ,,driving4 ,sidenote3 ,practice with weights4 ,for driving1 like so many other accomplishments1 requires to be kept up1 or else the hand and eye will very soon be found to have lost their cunning1 and not only does one become slow and clumsy with the whip and reins1 but the arms and fingers soon tire4 ,in order to keep the hand in1 when not driving regularly1 an arrangement of weights and pulleys is a very convenient toy4 ,it requires a weight of about twenty pounds 7a cylinder of lead is very handy71 to which is attached a strong cord4 ,this passes over pulley ,p 7fig4 #ae71 fixed for convenience to the mantelpiece or other projection from the wall1 down to pulley ,p#a1 on the floor1 and then ends in a loop1 into which four straps can be fastened like reins4 ,then sitting in a comfortable chair1 the hands holding the straps like reins1 the weight can be kept working up and down 7four or five inches will be found quite sufficient7 for ten minutes or so4 ,another method1 which is rather more complicated1 but more useful for the beginner1 is shown in fig4 #af4 ,this1 while strengthening his arms and fingers1 enables him to acquire the art of looping and shortening the reins1 and in fact to practise all the tricks of ,sidenote3 ,arrangement of pulleys and weights4 the trade4 ,for this practice eight pulleys are required2 four are fixed on the wall1 about three or four feet from the ground and from three to six inches apart2 the other four are placed directly under these1 and fixed to the floor close up against the wall4 ,a strong cord is passed under each lower pulley first1 then over the pulley directly above1 the ends being fastened to weights of four or five pounds4 ,to the other ends of the cords are attached leather straps similar to ordinary reins4 ,thus you have four reins1 the two inner ones representing the wheelers1 the two outer ones the leaders4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ae4--,,practising ,,driving ,,with ,,the ,,weights4 ,sidenote3 ,weight on hands when driving four horses4 ,it has been found by trial that the approximate weight on the hands when driving a light team is about five pounds1 but the average weight may be taken as about ten or twelve pounds1 which will be much increased with a team of pullers2 while going down a steep hill the pressure will not infrequently exceed thirty-five pounds4 ,these pressures1 which ,i ascertained after many experiments1 will show the novice how all-important it is that he should be really fit1 and the muscles of his arms and fingers well developed1 before he can hope to be really master of a team of horses4 ,it is always advisable1 while practising with weights1 to hold a whip1 or stick to represent a whip1 in the right hand1 as by so doing you will very soon get into the way of using this hand correctly on the reins 7fig4 #ae74 ,sidenote3 ,muscle of thumb necessary for holding whip4 ,it is very important for the young driver to develop the muscle of the thumb2 otherwise it will be found extremely tiring to hold the whip properly for any considerable time1 more especially against a high wind4 ,messrs4 ,whippy and ,steggall have shown me a very neat arrangement of weights and pulleys which can be easily fitted up in any room1 and is well worth inspection4 ,sidenote3 ,position of body on driving seat4 ,when driving1 the body should be kept upright and square to the front1 but all stiffness should be avoided4 ,the driving seat should be low1 and about three or four inches higher at the back than in front1 so that the driver can sit down in a really comfortable position4 ,sidenote3 ,position of legs4 ,the ankles and knees should be just touching each other1 and the arms close to the sides1 the point of the elbows touching the hip bone4 ,sidenote3 ,position of arms4 ,the forearm should be about horizontal1 and the left hand from three to four inches from the centre of the body1 the back of the hand being turned towards the front and nearly vertical1 but inclined a little towards the horses4 ,sidenote3 ,position of left wrist4 ,the wrist must be bent slightly towards the body1 and on no account allowed to bend the other way4 ,this is far the best position for feeling the horses' mouths1 as the wrist then acts like a spring1 and a perfectly even pressure can be maintained4 ,sidenote3 ,leaning forward bad4 ,sit well back1 and do not lean forward over the reins in the attitude of a dairymaid on a milking-stool4 ,sidenote3 ,driver should sit well down4 ,the driver should on no account be half standing1 or merely leaning against the seat1 with unbent knees1 as1 in the event of a wheeler falling or shying up a bank1 he will inevitably be jerked off the coach4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,vi ,,four ,,horses--,,the ,,reins4 ,sidenote3 ,how to hold reins4 ,,the best way of holding the reins is to have the near lead over the left forefinger1 the off lead between the forefinger and the middle finger1 the near wheel between the same and under the off lead1 and the off wheel between the middle and the third finger 7fig4 #ag7 ,sidenote3 ,thumb and forefinger must not hold the reins4 4 ,the reins must be gripped firmly by the three lower fingers of the left hand1 so that they cannot possibly slip1 the thumb and forefinger never being used to hold the reins except when looping4 ,the thumb should invariably point to the right1 and the forefinger be held well out4 ,the near lead rein should pass over or close to the knuckle of the forefinger1 and not over the first or second joint4 ,the beginner will find that after a time the muscle at the base of the left thumb will develop wonderfully1 and that the reins will be held between this muscle and the lower fingers very firmly without any apparent effort4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ag4--;,,four-,,in-,,hand--,,how ,,to ,,hold ,,reins4 ,sidenote3 ,adjusting length of reins in hand4 ,there are various ways of adjusting the reins1 either by pulling them out or pushing them back from the front1 or by pulling them from behind1 or by taking out the lead reins4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening reins4 ,one general principle as to shortening the reins is to do it by putting the right hand in front of the left1 and pushing those required to be shortened through the left hand4 ,in doing this the thumb should never be used1 as it is fully occupied in holding the whip4 ,but the beginner will very often find it easier to shorten the reins from behind by pulling them through the left hand4 ,in this case the thumb and forefinger must be used4 ,i consider the following the easiest and most effective ways of adjusting the reins1 viz43-- ,sidenote3 ,to shorten all four reins4 ,all four reins can be shortened1 if much is required1 by pulling them through from behind1 but it is generally quicker and neater to hold the reins with right hand two or three inches in front of left 7the little and the third fingers over the off-side reins and middle finger between the near-side reins71 and then slide the left hand up to the right4 ,by this means a perfectly steady pressure is kept on the horses' mouths4 ,this movement is generally required when going down hill4 ,sidenote3 ,to shorten both wheel reins4 ,both wheel reins4--,it is better to shorten these by pulling them through from behind4 ,this is necessary when going down steep hills1 especially when the wheelers are loosely poled up1 so as to prevent the bars hitting the leaders' hocks4 ,sidenote3 ,to shorten both lead reins4 ,both lead reins4--,in order to shorten these take out both the leaders with the right hand 7the third and little fingers over off1 and first or middle finger over near-side rein72 you can then pass them back to your left hand the required length by letting them slide through the right hand the necessary amount4 ,to lengthen them1 simply pull them through from the front4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening near-lead rein4 ,the near lead4--,either push through from the front1 with the full of the right hand over the rein1 or take it right out of the left hand the same way and replace it the proper length4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening off lead rein4 ,the off lead4--,push through from the front4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening near wheel4 ,the near wheel4--,this rein will be found the most difficult of all to keep in its right place and to shorten4 ,it constantly slips when the horses pull1 and for beginners it is certainly the best plan to pull it through from behind4 ,it can also be done by lengthening out the off-lead rein from the front1 and then pushing both reins back together4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening off wheel4 ,the off wheel4--,push it through from the front with the right hand4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening centre reins4 ,t he two centre reins4--,always adjust them from the front4 ,if the leaders are not straight in front of you1 which will be found a very common occurrence1 but are running to the right1 they will generally come straight by pulling the two centre reins through the left hand from the front1 so as to lengthen them a little2 on the contrary1 if the leaders are running to the left1 push these two reins back so as to shorten them4 ,if1 however1 they are going to the right or left simply because you are holding the off or the near-lead rein too short1 let out this rein only1 just enough to bring the leaders square4 ,sidenote3 ,passing off across road4 ,the following are probably the easiest and most effective methods of passing off across the road1 or of turning to the right or left3-- #a4 ,to the left4--,turn the left-hand knuckles upwards1 and pass it across the body from left to right2 the horses will incline to the left1 the reins on that side being shortened4 ,to the right4--,pass the left hand down towards the left hip1 back of the hand to the front1 with the knuckle of the forefinger downwards and that of the little finger uppermost2 this shortens the right-hand reins and causes the team to incline in that direction4 ,the whip can be applied to the off wheeler in the first instance1 or the near one in the second1 in front of the pad1 if the horses do not cross rapidly enough4 #b4 ,to the left4--,with the right hand seize the near-lead and wheel reins under the lower fingers2 then either pull those reins up towards the centre of the body1 which will shorten them1 or allow the left hand to go slightly to the front1 which will slack off the right reins1 or better still1 combine both these motions1 the result being the same in each case1 that the team will go to the left4 ,to the right4--,take hold of the off-lead and wheel reins with the lower fingers of the right hand1 and treat them in the same way as described for the left reins1 when the team will go to the right4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ah4--,,steadying ,,team ,,with ,,right ,,hand4 ,the latter of the two methods is by far the best and the one most usually employed1 the other only being possible with very perfectly broken teams1 as obviously only very little pressure can be put on4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ai4--;,,how ,,loop ,,should ,,be ,,taken ,,up4 ,sidenote3 ,to steady the team4 ,in order to steady the horses or to ease the left hand1 the right hand may be placed in front of the other over all the four reins 7fig4 #ah71 but it is generally preferable to have the hand on only three reins for steadying purposes1 the third and little fingers being over the off reins and the upper fingers over only one of the near reins4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bj4--,,looping ,,near-,,lead ,,rein ,,under ,,thumb4 ,sidenote3 ,the point or loop4 ,it will now be necessary to explain the term 8point0 or 8loop40 ,the point is made by taking hold of either the near or the off-lead reins under the little and third fingers of the right hand 7not with the forefinger and thumb71 and placing it six inches or more 7according to the inclination of the turn71 ,sidenote3 ,loop under thumb4 in advance of the left1 and then bringing it back so as to form a loop under the left thumb 7figs4 #bj1 #ba71 which must press the rein firmly down on the forefinger4 ,as a rule never move the left hand forward while doing this4 ,the off-lead rein can also be looped under the first finger in turning to the right 7fig4 #bb74 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ba4--,,looping ,,off-,,lead ,,rein ,,under ,,thumb4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bb4--,,looping ,,off-,,lead ,,rein ,,under ,,first ,,finger4 ,turning to either side can be done as follows3 ,by pointing the near leader to turn to the left 7fig4 #bj71 or the off leader to turn to the right 7fig4 #ba72 or1 by pointing both the near-lead and the near-wheel reins together to go to the left1 and similarly both the off-side reins together to go to the right1 at the same time striking the opposite wheeler with the whip in front of the pad after the point has been made1 if the horses are required to move in either direction very quickly2 or1 by passing the near-wheel rein round the left thumb1 and then looping the off-lead under the forefinger 7fig4 #bb71 it will be found that the horses will get more easily round a very sharp and ,sidenote3 ,turning an awkward corner4 awkward corner to the right1 especially going down hill4 ,in a like manner1 by looping the off-wheel rein under the forefinger of the left hand1 and then pointing the near leader under the thumb1 any difficult turn to the left can be negotiated with perfect safety4 ,this method will often be found quicker and better than passing the off-wheel rein under the thumb4 ,sidenote3 ,meaning of opposition point4 ,this looping up of the wheeler's rein on the opposite side to which you are about to turn may be termed the 8,opposition point40 ,this device for preventing the wheelers from cutting the corners will be found most useful with horses that have been driven a great deal in the wheel1 because they soon learn to recognize the indication given to the leaders by the shortening of the lead rein passing along close to their heads4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bc4--,,right ,,hand ,,on ,,off-,,side ,,reins ,,to ,,prevent ,,wheelers ,,cutting ,,corner4 ,very often1 when the wheelers are boring to one side going down hill1 and the whip is required1 it is useful to loop up the wheeler's rein on the opposite side to which they are boring1 before using the whip4 ,sidenote3 ,do not lean forward when looping4 ,be careful1 when stretching out the right hand in order to take up the lead rein to loop it1 not to lean the body forward1 as it looks very bad1 and almost invariably shows that the left hand is holding the reins too short and is too far away from the body4 ,it is a common fault with beginners to stretch out the left hand when looping1 thus taking up a larger loop than would be necessary1 if the left hand had a proper hold of the horses' heads4 ,the loop once made should not be allowed to slip until the turn is completed4 ,sidenote3 ,prevent wheelers cutting corners4 ,the right hand1 having once caught up the loop1 and given the leaders the office which way to turn1 is then free to be used in any of the following ways3 to seize both the off-side reins1 if turning to the left1 to prevent the wheelers from going too quickly round the corner 7fig4 #bc72 to assist them1 if not turning sharply enough1 by catching hold of the near-side reins2 to do just the opposite if turning to the right2 or finally to use the whip on either of the wheelers1 by hitting the outside one to make them come round more quickly1 or the inside one to prevent them cutting the corner4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bd4--,,opposition ,,point ,,to ,,the ,,right4 ,sidenote3 ,looping a second time1 when first loop not enough4 ,more than one point can be made1 if a large enough loop has not been taken up at first1 but usually one point is sufficient1 enough rein being taken up the first time to complete the turn4 ,sometimes at a very sharp corner two points are necessary1 as you may find that the first one is not bringing the leaders round fast enough4 ,sidenote3 ,opposition point to right4 ,the opposition point to the right is made by putting the near-wheel rein round the left thumb1 passing it from inside from right to left1 and then making the point with the off-lead rein under the forefinger 7fig4 #bd74 ,when once round1 first let go the point of the leader1 and then that of the near wheeler4 ,sidenote3 ,opposition point to left4 ,conversely1 the opposition point to the left is made by putting the off-wheel rein under the forefinger of the left hand1 and then pointing the near-lead rein under the thumb 7fig4 #be74 ,in order to avoid having two reins looped up under the thumb1 it seems better to use the forefinger for one of the loops and the thumb for the other2 in this manner either loop can be let go separately4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #be4--,,opposition ,,point ,,to ,,the ,,left4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening reins going down hill4 ,it should hardly ever be necessary to shorten the lead reins when going down hill1 as the mere fact of the wheelers coming back out of draught to hold back the coach will make you shorten up the reins enough to bring the leaders out of draught at the same time4 ,if anything1 it will be found necessary to shorten the wheel reins1 more especially if the hill is very steep and the wheelers are loosely poled up4 ,sidenote3 ,leaders out of draught going down hill4 ,going down hill the leaders should just carry the bars1 and nothing more4 ,they should not put any strain at all on the pole1 for by doing so they obviously tend to counteract the efforts of the wheelers to keep back the coach4 ,in order to carry the bars the traces should be slack1 but not slack enough to let the whole weight of the bars weigh down on the pole1 which would put so much extra weight on the wheelers' necks4 ,sidenote3 ,leaders must not pull on pole when turning4 ,be careful that the leaders are not straining on the pole when turning a corner1 as otherwise the wheelers will inevitably be pulled sharply across on to the pavement or footpath1 and the pole may be broken4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,vii ,,four-,,in-,,hand--,,the ,,whip4 ,sidenote3 ,how to hold whip4 ,,you must learn to play with the whip neatly1 and to be able to use it skilfully on any of the horses4 ,the handle should rest in the palm of the right hand1 and be kept firmly in its place by the action of the thumb pressing against the base of the forefinger2 the lower fingers will then be left free to catch hold of the reins4 ,if1 however1 it is necessary to pull the reins through from behind1 the lower fingers must be tightened on the handle so as to allow the thumb and forefinger to be used4 ,always take care that the whip is in its right place1 and the thong properly done up4 ,sidenote3 ,angle of whip4 ,hold the whip at an angle of about thirty degrees to the left front and about forty degrees upwards1 and not as in the picture opposite 7fig4 #bf74 ,the thong ought to have three or four turns round the stick1 the first turn beginning close to or on the quill1 which is always covered with black twine4 ,sidenote3 ,no kinks in lash4 ,pay special attention to holding the whip so that the double thong hangs straight down and has no kinks in it4 ,if there should be any kinks they can be taken out by adding a turn or two on the stick1 or by taking some off4 ,do not hold the whip tighter than is absolutely necessary4 ,in fact1 when the hand is on the reins the grip may be released altogether for a time1 as they will hold it up2 this will give the thumb a rest4 ,holding it loosely also ensures the double thong hanging straight down1 as then it will do so by reason of its own weight4 ,it looks excessively bad to see the whip held all sideways1 but it will constantly get into that position unless the tyro pays great attention to keeping it straight4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bf4--,,result ,,of ,,holding ,,whip ,,in ,,wrong ,,position4 ,sidenote3 ,lash of whip under thumb4 ,the point of the lash should be just under the inside of the thumb2 this will keep it from slipping4 ,hold the whip where it balances comfortably1 the end of the stick close to1 and under the forearm1 the wrist well bent1 and the elbow close to the side4 ,sidenote3 ,position of whip hand4 ,when the right hand is not on the reins or using the whip1 it should be kept close to the left1 the forearm being about horizontal4 ,it can then rest on the thigh1 and yet be ready for any emergency4 ,sidenote3 ,balance of whip4 ,a good whip should balance well when held at or close to the collar 7this should come nearly under the thumb71 otherwise it will be found top-heavy and clumsy4 ,the collar is the plate about ten inches from the thick end of the stick1 and is sometimes termed the top ferrule4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bg4--,,preparing ,,to ,,catch ,,thong4 ,sidenote3 ,choice of whip4 ,in choosing a whip the most essential points are3 firstly1 that it should balance as above2 secondly1 that it should be fairly light and springy--springiness being useful1 because it renders a whip very much easier to catch2 and1 thirdly1 that it should have some knots near the top1 as they materially assist in keeping the thong up1 though too many will be found an impediment to getting it out quickly4 ,sidenote3 ,how to catch thong of whip4 ,a very good way to learn to catch the thong neatly round the stick is this3 chalk a large pot-hook or ,s on the wall2 stand opposite to this with the whip held in the proper position1 the thong undone1 and the point of the lash under the middle finger of the right hand1 the forefinger rather pointed up the stick 7fig4 #bg72 then with the point of the whip quickly follow the line as traced on the wall1 beginning from the bottom end1 and moving it across from left to right2 the top part of the ,s should be done by a back turn of the wrist1 first upwards and then downwards1 which will bring the fingers uppermost at the finish4 ,never let the point of the whip drop at the beginning of the ,s1 and never hit at the thong1 but on the contrary make it come up to the stick4 ,if you find that the thong is caught rather too low down1 it can be very easily sent up higher by catching it again as above1 but with rather a shorter and more jerky motion1 in fact describing a small ,s4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bh4--,,thong ,,caught ,,up ,,before ,,loop ,,has ,,been ,,taken ,,off4 ,this is done almost entirely by the wrist1 with only a slight movement of the arm4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #bi4--,,taking ,,off ,,loop4 ,sidenote3 ,taking out loop in lash4 ,having caught the thong 7fig4 #bh71 the next thing to be done is to take out the loop which will be found in the middle of the stick1 so that all the turns should be from right to left2 otherwise it will very soon come undone4 ,to do this1 lower the stick so as to enable the left thumb to seize the loop 7taking care not to move the left hand from its correct position while doing so72 now move the whip hand out to the right front as far as possible1 keeping the wrist well bent and holding the lash tight with the left thumb 7fig4 #bi74 ,this movement will take off the turns on the lower end of the stick4 ,now place the whip under the left thumb1 and turn the spare end of the lash once or twice round the handle ,sidenote3 ,end of lash round handle of whip4 7fig4 #cj74 ,with the right hand retain the point of the lash securely under the inside of the right thumb1 which will prevent the thong getting loose4 ,if the point slips up1 it can be pulled tight again by catching hold of it with the left thumb and forefinger1 and drawing the right hand away4 ,sidenote3 ,how to keep lash pliant4 ,the thong should be kept pliable by being rubbed with salad oil or mutton fat2 otherwise it will be found difficult to keep it in its proper place when caught4 ,the following rules should be followed in hitting the horses3-- ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cj4--,,securing ,,lash ,,by ,,twisting ,,it ,,round ,,handle ,,of ,,whip4 ,sidenote3 ,how to hit horses with whip4 ,the wheelers should be hit in front of the pad to avoid making them kick4 ,if ever they should attempt to kick1 a severe blow about the ears will usually put a stop to it4 ,generally move the whip from left to right1 keeping the wrist nearly stiff1 and doing it as far as possible from the elbow1 without any circular motion of the forearm4 ,with a fidgety near wheeler it is advisable to hit the off one on the outside4 ,it is no use hitting the wheelers if the leaders' reins are too long2 in this case you must first shorten up the leaders' reins1 and then use the whip on the wheelers2 otherwise1 as soon as the wheelers have jumped into their collars1 the leaders will again press forward1 and allow the wheelers to hang back as before4 ,sidenote3 ,hitting off leader4 ,the best way to hit the off leader is first to bring the top of the whip from the near to the off side of the coach2 then undo the thong by swinging the stick round and round1 at the same time keeping the point of the lash under the first finger4 ,next bring the right hand down close to the left1 and place the left thumb over the point of the lash so as to keep it clear of everything4 ,now swing the stick back to the right until the wrist is about in line with the shoulder1 at the same time releasing the point from under the thumb4 ,this should be done with very little movement of the wrist4 ,make a good circular turn and bring the stick to the front again sharply1 aiming with the point a little in front of the spot you wish to hit4 ,in doing this the lash can travel to the front either above or below the stick1 but in traffic1 or when under trees1 the latter will be found the safer4 ,the only place the point of the whip should ever crack is on the horse1 and never under any circumstances in the air1 which would be dangerous1 especially to those on the back seat1 besides being very unworkmanlike4 ,the lash should hit the leaders under the bars on their hocks1 as it does not look well to see wheals or streaks of mud on the horses' flanks and quarters4 ,sidenote3 ,hitting near leader4 ,to hit the near leader1 begin as before1 but instead of making the lash go to the off side of the coach1 throw the right hand well up and make a good swing with the stick1 so that the lash may go well over the heads of the passengers from the off to the near side1 and then by dropping the point of the stick and letting the hand go slightly out to the front1 it will be found that the lash will swing in and hit the near leader1 while passing outside and avoiding the near wheeler's head4 ,sidenote3 ,bringing back lash4 ,having once hit the leader1 the lash should be brought back on the near side of the coach4 ,do not attempt to get it straight back to your hand1 otherwise you will most likely hit the wheeler1 or the passenger on the box seat1 but just send the lash out to the front over the leaders with a circular motion1 and then by holding the stick nearly upright it will come into your hand or under your arm 7fig4 #ca74 ,this will leave the right hand free to steady the horses1 which will generally be found necessary4 ,the lash1 having been brought back to the near side of the coach1 can also be recovered by raising the whip vertically and bringing it over the wheeler's back4 ,this1 although a quicker plan than the other1 will not be found so easy or so safe4 ,sidenote3 ,hitting near leader under bars4 ,the near leader can also be hit from the off side under the bars4 ,to do this the lash must be thrown outwards1 away from the coach1 and then brought back swinging under the stick1 so that the point passes between the off wheeler and the off leader just under the end of the pole4 ,this requires a considerable amount of practice1 otherwise the off-side horses will often be hit by mistake4 ,another very useful method is to throw the lash between the wheelers' heads1 hitting the leader on the quarter4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ca4--;,,bringing ,,back ,,thong ,,of ,,whip ,,after ,,hitting ,a ,,leader4 ,sidenote3 ,placing lash under thumb before catching up4 ,when once the lash has been secured under the wrist or forearm1 it can easily be placed under the left thumb by bringing the right hand down close to the left4 ,holding it firmly in this position1 draw the whip hand away to the right front1 keeping the wrist well bent1 and allowing the lash to slide through the middle finger of this hand4 ,this can be repeated until the point of the lash has been pulled up into the right hand1 when the thong can be caught on the stick as usual4 ,if you catch the lash straight into the right hand the point may be got hold of by throwing the point of the stick upwards1 and allowing the lash to slide through the middle finger4 ,this is not nearly such a good plan as that described above1 for you may easily throw the lash away altogether1 and thus have to catch it again4 ,be careful1 when you have the point of the lash in the right hand1 to see that the loop is well clear of everything before catching it up on the stick1 as it often ,sidenote3 ,see that thong is not caught on footboard4 gets caught round the handle of the footboard or against the reins1 which utterly spoils the catch4 ,sidenote3 ,never use whip when right hand on reins4 ,you should never hit a horse with the whip while the right hand is holding a rein2 it looks very awkward1 and is most unworkmanlike4 ,should you have a loop of a rein in the right hand1 as you might have when going round a corner to the right1 first place the loop under the left thumb or forefinger1 and then use the whip4 ,sidenote3 ,to release lash caught in harness4 ,if when hitting a leader the lash should get caught round the bars or harness1 do not jerk or pull it hard1 but shake it loosely up and down2 otherwise it will most likely get caught all the tighter4 ,sidenote3 ,whip under thigh4 ,if you want to use the right hand on the reins while the lash is caught1 place the handle under the thigh and sit on it4 ,should the whip get fast in the bough of a tree or a ,sidenote3 ,lash caught in tree4 lamp-post1 on the near side1 the only thing to do is to let it go at once1 letting your hand go well up and over to the left4 ,you will then avoid hitting the passenger on the box seat4 ,constant practice with the whip is absolutely essential2 no one can drive well until he has thorough control over it1 and is able to manipulate it in such a way that the horse struck is the only one which knows that it is being used4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,viii ,,four-,,in-,,hand4 ,,starting--,,pulling ,,up--,,turning4 ,sidenote3 ,looking round before starting4 ,,before starting have a good look round and see that the horses are properly put in1 that the harness is correctly put on and fitted1 and more especially that the bits are rightly adjusted and the reins put in the correct places4 ,take care also that the pole-pin is in its place4 ,it is never safe to trust entirely to the servants or ostlers4 ,sidenote3 ,lead reins should never be buckled4 ,the lead reins should never under any circumstances be buckled together2 the reason of this is that if the main bar gets broken1 the leaders will be able to pull the reins through and get clear away4 ,on road coaches it is customary to leave both lead and wheel reins unbuckled4 ,sidenote3 ,preparing to start--taking up reins4 ,place the whip neatly caught up in the socket1 if not already there4 ,standing alongside of the off wheeler's quarters1 with the right hand take hold of the leaders' reins without touching the horses' mouths1 and place them in the left hand1 the forefinger between them2 next take hold of the wheelers' reins1 placing the middle finger of the left hand between them1 without pulling them so tight as to feel their mouths4 ,then with the right hand pull out the off-side reins twelve to eighteen inches1 and see that the splicing on the lead reins and the buckles of the couplings in the wheel reins are about the same distance from the left hand4 ,the reins will then be about level when you are seated on the box4 ,sidenote3 ,transferring reins to right hand before mounting box4 ,having done this1 transfer the four reins to the right hand1 but one finger lower down than they are held in the left2 the first finger will then be free to hold on to the footboard whilst climbing up4 ,sidenote3 ,mounting box seat4 ,in order to help yourself on to the box1 catch hold of the lamp wire with the left hand1 place the left foot on the pipe box of the wheel1 the right foot on the roller of the splinter bar2 then the left foot can be raised on to the step and the right foot on to the footboard4 ,sidenote3 ,sit down at once when mounted4 ,now sit down on the seat at once2 otherwise if the horses start off suddenly you may be pitched off4 ,immediately transfer the reins from the right hand back to the left1 by passing the fingers of the left hand just in front of the fingers of the right1 the forefinger of the left hand being opposite the middle finger of the right4 ,then adjust any rein not found to be correct4 ,it is always advisable to have a rug ,sidenote3 ,rug or apron necessary4 or apron over your knees1 as not only does it look untidy to be without one1 but it also saves your trousers immensely1 as the reins are sure to touch them to a certain extent and wear them out1 especially in damp weather4 ,as soon as you have arranged the reins satisfactorily in the left hand1 being especially careful not to have them too long1 take the whip out of the socket and keep it in ,sidenote3 ,caution to passengers before starting horses4 the right hand4 ,before starting always give the caution1 8,sit fast10 or ask if 8,all right behind80 as many a man has been jerked off from not knowing that the coach was going to start4 ,sidenote3 ,to start horses4 ,to start1 feel all the horses' mouths1 and1 if necessary1 give them the word to go1 dropping the hand to them at once until the coach is fairly off4 ,nothing tends more to make horses jib than holding on to their heads at the moment of starting4 ,sidenote3 ,wheelers start the coach4 ,the wheelers ought to start the coach1 and this can be effected by touching them with the whip if they require a hint4 ,do not1 however1 on any account hit a wheeler which is inclined to jib1 but make the others get the coach moving4 ,to be able to start horses well is perhaps the most difficult thing which the young driver has to learn4 ,the knack can only be acquired by experience1 and no absolute rules can be laid down for his guidance1 as no two teams are alike in temper and disposition4 ,before starting have the rugs taken off quietly1 not snatched off1 and1 as soon as you are ready1 make the grooms stand well clear of the horses' heads4 ,then start them as quietly as possible1 devoting all your skill to getting the coach under weigh at once1 without pulling at the horses' heads1 as nothing irritates horses so much1 or is more apt to make them jib1 than jerking their mouths1 or having to pull up and start afresh4 ,as soon as they are well started1 you can bring your hand back a little and feel their mouths properly4 ,then if you find that the horses are not going straight you must re-adjust the reins as quickly as possible2 this is a most difficult thing for a beginner to do neatly4 ,it is a good plan to start with the near-wheel rein rather shorter than the off1 as that is the most difficult rein to shorten in a hurry4 ,sidenote3 ,whip should be in the hand1 ready for use at start4 ,it is never safe to start the coach without having the whip in the right hand ready for immediate use4 ,the whip is to the driver what the leg is to the rider1 i4e41 it keeps the horses up to their bits4 ,as soon as the horses are going straight take the right hand off the reins1 at the same time keeping it close by ready for any emergency4 ,sidenote3 ,left hand must give and take4 ,a great deal of the neatness in driving depends on what may be termed the give and take of the left hand4 ,that is1 it can be allowed to go forward or be lowered a little1 or be pulled back close to the body2 for instance1 in order to pull across the road to the right1 the right hand should pull the off side reins1 while the left hand at the same time moves slightly to the front so as to slack off the near-side reins4 ,in this way both hands do their share of the work1 and an exaggerated movement of the right hand is rendered unnecessary4 ,much can also be done by turning the back of the left hand either up or down4 ,the principal effect of this is to shorten or lengthen the near-lead rein1 and so pull the leaders more or less across the road4 ,sidenote3 ,pulling up4 ,when you want to pull up1 shorten all the four reins by passing the left hand up to the right1 or else by pulling all the four reins through from behind as before explained2 then having the right forefinger on the near-lead rein1 the middle finger on the near wheel1 and the lower fingers of the right hand on the off reins 7see fig4 #ce71 pull both hands back towards the body1 and if necessary lean back a little4 ,it is not easy to pull up exactly square1 as one wheeler will very often hang back much more than the other4 ,this can be regulated by pulling rather harder with the middle finger to keep the wheelers to the left1 or by pressing strongly with the lower part of the hand1 in order to keep them to the right4 ,should the horses be getting the better of you1 and you find that you cannot stop them1 it will be found a great assistance to place the right leg over all the four reins1 as you may then be able to stop them by the extra power and leverage you gain by the position of the leg4 ,having pulled up at the end of a stage1 professional coachmen always throw the reins down with both hands outside the wheelers4 ,sidenote3 ,when turning round1 go slow4 ,with plenty of room a coach can be turned round at a considerable pace1 but for this a wide sweep must be taken4 ,unless there is at least twenty yards1 remember to go very slowly2 otherwise the ,sidenote3 ,coach may lock and upset4 coach may lock1 and then nothing can save it from overturning except the breaking of the pole4 ,in any case great care must be taken to keep the wheelers well out and the leaders' bars very slack4 ,to do this it is well to put on the opposition point1 and take a large loop in the leaders' reins4 ,sidenote3 ,turning in narrow road4 ,if it is necessary to turn in a very narrow road1 it is generally better to take the leaders out1 but it can also be done in the following manner3-- ,sidenote3 ,backing coach to enable turn to be made4 ,pull off to the left side of the road as far as possible1 and then pull up to a walk2 slant the horses across the road to the right by advancing a little1 and then halt1 pulling strongly on the near reins so as to get the pole across to the left2 shorten up all the reins1 and with the little finger of the right hand on the off-side reins1 and the middle finger on the near-wheel rein1 pull back the horses1 backing the coach as far as circumstances will admit4 ,when again halted the coach ought to be at right angles to the road4 ,the leaders must now be brought right round to the right1 and in order to do this it is usual to shake the off-lead rein a little before taking up the loop1 otherwise the leaders may come back on to the pole4 ,the wheelers must be brought round after the leaders1 care being taken not to bring them round too quickly1 so as to lock the fore-carriage4 ,turning to the left is done in a similar manner4 ,with unsteady horses it is safer to take out the leaders1 as they are apt to be hit by the bars1 or come back on the pole4 ,sidenote3 ,pull of right hand should be towards centre of body4 ,always pull the reins that you take up with the right hand towards the centre of the body1 and on no account let your hands move across to the side to which you want the horses to go4 ,this rather appears to be the natural tendency1 but it must be overcome4 ,sidenote3 ,turning corner without looping4 ,it is often unnecessary to loop when going round a gentle curve1 and it may be sufficient to pull the lead rein with the right hand1 and then1 while still retaining a slight bight in it1 to catch hold of the wheel rein on the same side just below2 by this means you pull both the reins on the same side1 but with greater force on the lead rein than on the wheel4 ,this plan may also be adopted for slanting across the road4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,ix ,,four-,,in-,,hand4 ,,various ,,useful ,,hints--,,what ,,spare ,,articles ,,to ,,carry1 ,,etc4 ,,the beginner must not suppose that a team1 or for that matter even one horse1 can be driven with the left hand only2 even the very best of whips is obliged to have constant recourse to the right hand1 especially when passing through traffic4 ,at the same time1 he must remember to resist the temptation of keeping the right hand permanently on the reins1 nor should it ever be employed like the coachman's hand in fig4 #c1 in holding on to a bight of the off reins in order to keep the horses straight4 ,the team ought to run perfectly straight at any time with the reins in the left hand only2 and as a continuous pressure of the right hand is very liable to cause any one of the reins to slip1 especially the near wheel when the horses are pulling1 this practice is objectionable4 ,of course if the left hand gets tired1 the right must come to its assistance1 and then it should be placed either on three or all four reins 7see figs4 #ah and #ce74 ,sidenote3 ,always keep a steady pressure on reins4 ,mind and keep a good steady pressure on the reins at all times1 and keep the horses up to that pressure with the whip4 ,the most common fault among amateurs is that they do not hold their horses nearly tight enough by the head4 ,sidenote3 ,reins slipping a common fault4 ,always have a good hold of them1 and above all things remember never to let the reins slip through the fingers4 ,this is a constant cause of horses getting out of hand1 and pulling for a long way1 when they would otherwise have gone quite comfortably after the first mile or so4 ,sidenote3 ,resin or wax on gloves4 ,to prevent the reins from slipping1 if the horses are pulling1 and especially with new gloves1 it will be found very convenient to put a little powdered resin or beeswax on the fingers and palm of the hand4 ,sidenote3 ,start slow4 ,if you have time1 always start slowly 7at first six or seven miles an hour72 by adopting this plan the horses will go more kindly1 and after a bit your arm and fingers will feel much less tired than if you had started at a rapid pace4 ,sidenote3 ,right wrist well rounded when right hand on reins1 back inclined downwards4 ,it is very important to keep the right wrist well rounded when pulling the reins on either side1 and the back of the hand rather inclined downwards4 ,sidenote3 ,point of whip to be kept well up and to the front4 ,by keeping the hand in this position it will be found that the point of the whip is kept well to the front and high up4 ,if the back of the hand is turned up at all1 the whip is sure either to cause considerable inconvenience to the person on the box seat 7fig4 #bf71 or else to hit the near wheeler close to his tail4 ,this will most probably make him swish it1 and if it should by any chance get over the thong1 the result may be disastrous to the boot4 ,sidenote3 ,team boring to one side--how to remedy4 ,if the horses are all boring to the left1 it is no use simply pulling at the two off-side reins with the right hand1 but at once shorten these reins in the left4 ,this can be done either by shortening them singly1 or by catching hold of the two off-side reins as usual1 placing the forefinger over the near lead1 and the middle finger over the near wheel1 and then allowing the near-side reins to slide a little through the fingers of both hands1 while still retaining a firm grip of the off-side reins4 ,of course1 however1 only a very little can be got out at a time by this method4 ,another plan is to grip the reins tightly with the right hand1 the first two fingers over the near-side reins1 the lower fingers over the off1 and then to open the fingers of the left hand1 when the off-side reins can be pushed through them by turning the lower part of the right hand towards the left 7see figs4 #ah and #ce74 ,sidenote3 ,never remove left hand from reins4 ,never on any account take the left hand out of the reins1 even though the right may be holding them firmly in front1 as it is very difficult to get the left hand back into its place again with the reins in the right places4 ,of course1 if your fingers are numbed from cold or from hard pulling1 it will be necessary to take the hand out and slap the fingers on the thigh4 ,sidenote3 ,taking leaders' reins out with right hand4 ,but if the horses seem to be going all anyhow1 take the leaders out with ,sidenote3 ,lead reins should seldom be removed from left hand4 the right hand1 the little finger over the off lead1 and the first or second finger over the near lead 7fig4 #cb72 then adjust the wheelers by letting the rein which is too short slide gently through the left hand1 and replace the leaders4 ,if the reins are found to be too long1 shorten them all from behind4 ,this plan should be rarely resorted to1 as it is a very bad habit to perpetually fiddle with the lead reins4 ,sidenote3 ,keep an eye always on horses4 ,always keep an eye on the position of the horses1 and see that they are in their right places1 and that each is doing his fair share of work4 ,if any horse is out of his place1 find out the cause1 and adjust the rein or use the whip accordingly4 ,sidenote3 ,grip tightly with third and little fingers to prevent reins slipping4 ,always keep the left hand and elbow in their proper positions1 and keep a firm grip of the reins with the third and little fingers never on any account allowing one to slip4 ,this cannot be too strongly insisted on1 although it will be found very tiring at first1 even if the horses are not pulling4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cb4--,,taking ,,leaders' ,,reins ,,out ,,of ,,left ,,hand ,,with ,,right ,,hand4 ,sidenote3 ,do not drop left hand4 ,when catching or attending to the whip1 beginners are very apt to drop the left hand4 ,this leads to horses getting out of hand1 and makes them pull4 ,sidenote3 ,when looping do not alter position of left hand4 ,do not allow the left hand to go moving across the body from side to side1 or to move to the front to pick up the reins2 except occasionally when turning to the left1 when it may be useful to loop thus3-- ,hold the off-side reins under little and third fingers of the right hand2 then take hold of the near-lead rein with the forefinger some three inches away from left hand2 and holding it tight bring it up as much as possible towards the body1 at the same time quickly passing the left hand down so as to catch the near-lead rein in front of the right forefinger with the left thumb2 then bring the left hand back to its original position1 and you have a good loop1 and the wheelers are checked from rushing the corner by the lower part of the right hand pressing on the off reins4 ,sidenote3 ,leader's tail over reins4 ,if one of the leaders gets his tail over the reins1 never pull at it1 but1 on the contrary1 slack it out4 ,pull the wheelers across to that side on which the offender is running2 then hit the wheeler on the opposite side1 on his neck1 when the movement of the wheelers to one side will probably clear the rein4 ,sidenote3 ,loosen rein fixed under tail by hitting horse4 ,another plan for getting the rein out is to slack it a good deal1 and give the horse a sharp hit with the whip behind the pad2 this will nearly always cause him to swish his tail1 when you can pull the rein quickly away4 ,if both the above methods fail1 stop the coach at once1 when a man must get down and release the rein by lifting up the leader's tail1 and not by pulling the rein away from under it4 ,sidenote3 ,to prevent leader getting tail over a rein4 ,with a horse that habitually gets his tail over the reins and then kicks1 it is a good plan to run the lead rein either through the throat-lash1 or the inside loop of the bearing-rein of the wheeler which is on the opposite side of the coach to the kicking leader4 ,the reins can also be run through the head terrets or loops on the top of the wheelers' heads1 but if this is done it is better to use a bearing-rein1 because1 if the horse shakes his head up and down1 he will inevitably jerk the leader in the mouth4 ,these terrets have been almost entirely done away with1 as1 if the leaders pull1 they put a great strain on the wheelers' heads1 and if the latter throw their heads up and down to any great extent1 they continually jerk the leader's mouths1 ,sidenote3 ,objection to lead reins passing through head terrets4 whereas by passing the lead reins through the ring on the throat-lash of the wheeler there is almost a straight pull from the leaders' mouths to the terrets on the pads of the wheelers4 ,sidenote3 ,side reins4 ,side reins are sometimes useful on leaders1 and have a good effect on hard-mouthed horses4 ,if on the outside1 they should be fixed to the buckle of the horse's own trace1 but on the inside to that of the other horse4 ,a very useful kind of side rein has a brass ring sewn into one end of it instead of a buckle2 a short strap or loop is passed through this ring and buckled to each side of the bit1 while the other end of the rein is buckled to the inside trace of the other horse4 ,the ordinary rein used by the ,artillery ,driver on his off horse will do equally well4 ,this consists of a long rein buckled to the outside of the bit1 and a short coupling piece to the inside4 ,if a horse pulls very hard and tries to get in front of the other horse1 either of these reins will bring all the pull on to his bit and keep him in his place4 ,sidenote3 ,fitting coupling reins4 ,the leaders' coupling reins should not be made too long or else the horses' tails may get fixed in them--a position from which it will be found that they are extricated with difficulty4 ,the buckles should come to within six or eight inches of the top of the leaders' tails1 which allows plenty of room for taking up or letting out these reins4 ,sidenote3 ,to prevent buckle of coupling rein getting fixed in terret4 ,have a runner fixed about a foot below the buckle on the rein1 through which the coupling should be passed2 this will prevent any chance of the buckle getting through the terret4 ,messrs4 ,whippy and ,steggall of ,london have invented another simple device to prevent this danger occurring4 ,they place a short steel plate1 about five inches long1 covered with leather1 and the same width as the reins1 between the rein and the coupling4 ,one end has a hole which passes through the tongue of the buckle1 and the other has a runner on it1 through which the coupling passes1 so as to admit of this rein being altered4 ,they also place two keepers on the rein just below the buckle4 ,by this means the steel plate would be drawn across the terret and the buckle could not possibly get through4 ,for the fitting of coupling reins the reader must refer to ,chapter ,,iii4 ,sidenote3 ,to prevent wheelers cutting corners4 ,in order to prevent the wheel horses from rushing too quickly round a corner1 which they very often try to do1 it is usual to catch hold either of both off or near-side reins with the right hand1 on the opposite side to which you are turning1 after having looped4 ,when looping a wheel rein for the opposition point1 take hold of the off rein from outside1 but the near rein from above the two off reins4 ,sidenote3 ,keep tight hold of horse's head when hitting him4 ,when striking a horse be careful to keep a tight hold of him1 as the whole effect of the punishment will be lost if the reins are slack or are allowed to slip4 ,sidenote3 ,buckles of wheel reins should be close to hands4 ,the buckles of the wheelers' reins should be well within reach1 but should not be so far up as to come into the hand when going down a steep hill or when pulling up4 ,a foot from the hand when the horses are in draught will be found to be about right4 ,sidenote3 ,cruppers unnecessary except with bearing-reins4 ,cruppers will be found quite unnecessary as a general rule1 more especially on the leaders1 but if bearing-reins are used1 it is almost imperative to have them on1 in order to prevent the pads being pulled forward on to the withers1 and so galling the horses4 ,be careful not to have any spare end of the crupper-strap hanging loose1 or the lead rein will be apt to get caught in it1 and give trouble4 ,for this reason it is a good plan to have the cruppers made martingale fashion1 as they have no spare ends1 and only one runner is required4 ,sidenote3 ,reins should be of equal thickness4 ,both lead and wheel reins should be exactly the same width and thickness1 and should on no account be short4 ,this is extremely dangerous1 as they might be easily dropped4 ,it is much better to have them very long1 but about two or three feet of spare rein will usually be found sufficient4 ,sidenote3 ,leaders flying apart4 ,when leaders are inclined to fly away from each other1 or one of them hangs outwards1 the inside traces should be lapped round each other and hooked into their own bars4 ,this will help to keep the horses together4 ,it is not a good plan1 though it is sometimes done1 to fasten the leaders' bars together by a chain as1 if a horse kicks1 and gets his legs fixed up between the main bar and the others1 it becomes a very difficult matter to extricate him4 ,sidenote3 ,spare gear should be carried4 ,the following spare articles should always be carried on a coach3-- ,two swingle-trees--one large and one small4 ,two traces--one lead and one wheel4 ,a jointed whip fixed up on a board4 ,a leather bag containing a hand punch with assorted bits1 and a ,mc,mahon spanner4 ,sidenote3 ,brushing boots4 ,brushing boots4 ,those made of fairly thick blanket will be found the most useful4 ,they must be long enough to go right over the fetlock and overlap1 and should be fastened round the middle with tape and be deep enough for the upper part to be folded down over the knot4 ,collar-pads--several leather ones are required4 ,sheepskin--a good-sized piece4 ,needle and waxed thread4 ,a few spare straps and buckles4 ,a few cheek leathers4 ,sidenote3 ,false collars4 ,false collars1 which can either be made of leather or numnah1 often come in very handy4 ,the advantage of the latter material over the former consists in its being softer1 and in the event of a gall a piece can easily be cut out2 but1 on the other hand1 it requires a more roomy collar4 ,sidenote3 ,alter bits when team pulling4 ,if the team are pulling too hard1 stop them occasionally and alter the bits4 ,lowering these in the horses' mouths often has a wonderful effect4 ,you can also tighten the curb-chains1 or put the reins lower down on the bits4 ,do not pull at your horses more than you can help1 but directly you feel that they are getting the best of you stop at once1 and if possible give them up to another driver4 ,sidenote3 ,pace should suit the slowest horse4 ,if three of the team can go ten miles an hour1 and the fourth horse only eight1 keep the three back to the slow one1 for you cannot make him go up to the others without galloping4 ,when1 however1 you are on a road coach1 it is better to let the slow horse gallop than to lose time4 ,sidenote3 ,galloping4 ,galloping should not be attempted by the novice1 for until he has learnt to take a good steady hold of the horses' heads it is really very dangerous1 not only on account of the rapid pace1 but because the coach will almost certainly be set rocking in a very uncomfortable manner1 and may eventually be upset4 ,sidenote3 ,how to prevent coach rocking4 ,when a coach is found to be rocking1 give the leaders a little more rein1 so that their traces may place a more constant strain on the pole1 which will then be steadied4 ,then take hold of the horses' heads and slow down gradually4 ,sidenote3 ,horse's likes and dislikes4 ,if possible try and find out what a horse likes and dislikes so as to avoid irritating him4 ,the sound of the horn annoys many horses terribly1 and makes them pull4 ,sometimes this can be got over by constantly blowing the horn in the stable4 ,some hate the sound of the whip1 so try and use it very quietly4 ,others dislike the sound of heavy carts rattling past them1 and are in that case best placed on the near side4 ,sidenote3 ,judging pace4 ,to become a really good judge of pace is most difficult1 but it is very important1 and can only be learned by constant and steady practice4 ,sidenote3 ,team wobbling4 ,to drive neatly the horses must above all things be kept going straight along the road1 with the wheelers exactly behind the leaders4 ,always save your cattle as much as possible1 and to this end never let them wobble across the road4 ,in some teams this tendency to wobble is great1 and must be checked at once4 ,this can only be done by continually watching them4 ,sidenote3 ,coach wobbling1 apply grease4 ,one great cause of the coach wobbling is the fore-carriage moving stiffly1 owing to grit or mud having found its way in between the plates--a state of affairs which can easily be remedied by a plentiful application of grease4 ,sidenote3 ,steering team like steering a ship4 ,any such movement should be anticipated in the same manner that a good helmsman anticipates the swing of his ship1 with a slight motion of the rudder1 as by so doing he is never obliged to put his helm hard over4 ,the unaccustomed hand always waits too long1 till the ship has already swung1 and then is obliged to use a great deal of helm--the result being that he makes his course into a series of zigzags4 ,in the same way a very slight pressure applied on the reins at the right time will keep the horses going perfectly straight and true1 without any pulling or jerking4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cc4--,,right ,,hand ,,assisting ,,left 7,,on ,,three ,,reins ,,only74 ,sidenote3 ,treating four reins as if only three4 ,to attain this end it is very convenient to treat the four reins as if there were only three1 the two off-side reins being treated as one and always kept together 7fig4 #cc74 ,then all that is necessary is to place the third and fourth fingers on the off-side reins1 and the middle finger on the near leader to check the tendency of the leaders to run to the right or of the wheelers to the left1 or else the middle finger on the near wheeler 7fig4 #cc71 to check the tendency of the leaders to run to the left or the wheelers to the right4 ,this cannot be too strongly impressed on the reader1 as the right hand has to be more frequently used in this way than in any other4 ,sidenote3 ,watching an omnibus driver is a good lesson4 ,a very good and inexpensive lesson in driving may be obtained by riding on the box seat of an omnibus by the side of a good driver through the most crowded parts of ,london4 ,the driver has not only to gauge his own pace accurately1 but also that of the other vehicles he is meeting and passing4 ,sidenote3 ,judging pace of other carriages4 ,this renders it absolutely necessary for him to keep his eyes looking well to the front and not always riveted on the horses1 otherwise he will be unable to judge exactly the relative positions of his own and the other vehicles on the road1 all of which1 at any given moment1 will most probably be moving at different rates of speed4 ,these things have to be calculated to a nicety and almost instantaneously1 if the coachman wishes to wend his way at a steady and a fairly uniform pace through the busy traffic of crowded thoroughfares like those of the ,metropolis4 ,sidenote3 ,change of pace must be gradual4 ,when he finds that it would be impossible to get through by continuing at an even pace1 he must either go faster or slow down4 ,but in either case the change of speed should be gradual1 so as to avoid any sudden jerks4 ,sidenote3 ,pulling up with jerk1 bad driving4 ,to be obliged frequently to pull up with a jerk not only indicates bad driving1 but causes the greatest discomfort to both passengers and horses4 ,many ,london coachmen are in the habit of treating their passengers in this way1 with the result that they are perpetually jolted out of their seats and experience sensations which are both unpleasant and irritating4 ,the reason is not far to seek--these coachmen are bad judges of pace1 interval1 and distance1 and do not see till too late whether it is possible to get through or not4 ,they first hit their horses to try and get through1 and then at the last moment finding it impossible are obliged to pull up suddenly4 ,with a heavy coach it is impossible to pull up at once1 so that the chances are a collision will occur4 ,sidenote3 ,how to judge width of coach4 ,the width of a coach is judged as far as the driver is concerned by the leaders' bars4 ,they are always1 or they ought to be1 rather wider than the pipe boxes of the wheels1 so that the driver knows with the greatest certainty that wherever his bars will pass his coach will pass also1 always provided that he is going straight4 ,if he is on a curve he will have to make some allowance for his hind wheels1 as their track will pass a little inside that of the fore4 ,sidenote3 ,in passing give room to other carriages4 ,when passing a carriage do not move across the road more than is necessary1 but at the same time1 once having overtaken it1 do not pull across its front until well clear1 unless compelled to do so4 ,it is considered bad form to oblige another driver to slow down unnecessarily4 ,begin to cross in plenty of time1 so as to make the incline as gradual as possible1 and thus avoid pulling at the horses4 ,it is far better and safer for the beginner to give himself plenty of room1 and to slow down at once if he is not certain of getting through4 ,nothing should be left to chance4 ,sidenote3 ,take a pull before going down hill4 ,always take a pull at the horses to steady them just before you arrive at the crest of a hill1 and begin to descend the other side slowly4 ,the pace can always be increased1 but it is most difficult to check it if you find that you have too much way on4 ,in crossing over a bridge1 like the ordinary canal bridge1 where the rise and fall of the road are very sharp1 be careful the leaders are out of draught1 otherwise the jerk on the pole might cause it to snap4 ,sidenote3 ,the break4 ,as regards the break1 the driver should put it on and take it off himself1 as no one else can tell the exact moment when it is required or when it can be dispensed with2 but with the beginner1 who probably has quite as much as he can do to manage the reins1 it is advisable to have assistance4 ,it should be put on1 as a rule1 before the coach is actually on the incline1 and1 if another hill has to be ascended immediately1 it should be taken off before actually arriving at the bottom1 in order to take advantage of the way on the coach to assist in mounting the opposite ascent4 ,sidenote3 ,coming off racecourse4 ,when coming off a racecourse with a heavy load never pull up if it can possibly be avoided1 but keep moving at any price1 however slowly1 the wheels will then never have time to sink deeply into the ground4 ,when this happens with a team that is inclined to jib1 it is long odds against getting started again without a considerable loss of time4 ,sidenote3 ,on slippery stones or asphalt4 ,when coming on to slippery stones or asphalt the horses will require holding rather more firmly than before1 and it is advisable to slow down a little when approaching a corner1 otherwise the wheelers are liable to slip up in turning it4 ,sidenote3 ,wheeler slipping going down hill4 ,if1 while going down a hill1 and especially when near the bottom1 you find a wheeler slipping on to his hocks1 do not try to pull him up1 but drop your hand and allow the team to go a trifle faster4 ,sidenote3 ,place right hand on reins passing startling objects4 ,it is a good plan for the novice to accustom himself to place his right hand on the reins when passing anything on the road1 or any object by the side of it1 which might startle the horses1 so as to be ready to check them at once should they show any tendency to shy in either direction4 ,naturally the beginner will find that it takes some little time for his right hand to get into the habit of instinctively seizing the proper reins when a sudden emergency arises1 and accidents occur so very quickly that ,i think these precautions may save him from many a mishap4 ,experientia docet4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cd4--,,tandem ,,without ,,bars4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,x ,,tandem ,,driving4 ,sidenote3 ,principles of tandem driving4 ,,the fundamental principles of tandem driving are very naturally almost the same as those of driving a coach4 ,but the chief difference between the two styles arises from the fact that both horses in a tandem turn much more quickly and with far less pressure on the reins1 more especially the leader1 than the pair of horses1 either wheel or lead1 in a coach4 ,furthermore1 the tendency to wobble about the road is much greater1 necessitating a much more frequent use of the right hand2 so that it really requires greater quickness and lighter hands to drive a tandem than a coach4 ,sidenote3 ,great nicety and quickness required4 ,on the other hand1 a tandem can turn on its own ground and everything is in front of the driver1 whereas a coach requires a large space to turn in1 and often a good allowance has to be made for the hind wheels4 ,sidenote3 ,advantages of tandem4 ,one of the greatest recommendations of a tandem is that it is well within the reach of many who cannot afford a team4 ,the small extra expense and trouble which the leader entails are fully compensated for by the extra enjoyment which everyone feels when driving behind a perfect and well-appointed tandem4 ,sidenote3 ,idea of tandem being dangerous is erroneous4 ,it is quite a mistake to suppose that a tandem is necessarily a very dangerous turn-out to sit behind4 ,it is nothing of the sort1 if driven by an experienced coachman and the horses are fairly trained4 ,of course horses that have never been driven in single harness cannot be safe in a tandem4 ,sidenote3 ,almost any horse will go in tandem4 ,but almost every horse that will go in single harness1 and some that will not1 will make perfectly safe leaders with very little teaching4 ,it must be thoroughly understood that there is an immense difference between the terms a perfectly safe leader and a perfect leader4 ,a horse may be a perfectly quiet animal1 which will not kick1 nor do anything that will get one into difficulties or danger1 but yet be a terrible slug4 ,this would altogether prevent one driving him rapidly through traffic2 therefore1 though a perfectly safe animal1 he is not a perfect ,sidenote3 ,frequent use of right hand necessary4 leader4 ,as mentioned above1 it is necessary to use the right hand very frequently when driving a tandem1 in order to immediately check every tendency the leader may have to ,sidenote3 ,follow leader if he turns suddenly4 cross the road or to turn round a corner4 ,but if by any chance the leader has got well on the turn before you are able to check him1 do not then try and do so1 but apply the principle of 8,follow my leader0 at once4 ,follow after him1 and when the horses are straight turn round and come back again4 ,do just the same if you are standing still1 and the leader suddenly comes right round4 ,whilst turning the wheeler1 back him if possible1 so as to give the leader plenty of room4 ,by this means you will never get the leader tied in an inextricable knot4 ,if it is not possible to follow the leader round1 hit him on the side of the head with the whip1 which will probably induce him to get back into his place4 ,sidenote3 ,position of left hand and method of holding reins4 ,the left hand should be held in the same position as when driving four horses1 and the reins held in precisely the same way1 but as these matters have been thoroughly discussed in a previous chapter it is unnecessary to go into them again here4 ,sidenote3 ,position of right hand when on reins4 ,the right hand ought to be placed on the reins in front of the left1 with the little and third fingers together over the two off-side reins1 the middle finger over the near-wheel1 and the first finger over the near-lead 7fig4 #ce72 all the reins will then be under the immediate control of the right hand4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ce4--,,tandem--,,position ,,of ,,right ,,hand ,,on ,,reins4 ,the two off-side reins should in all cases1 except for a sharp back turn to the right1 be treated as one rein1 and always kept under the little and third fingers of the right hand4 ,sidenote3 ,three-rein principle4 ,this1 which may be termed the three-rein principle1 will be found to simplify matters very considerably1 owing to there being practically only three reins to think about instead of four4 ,sidenote3 ,difficult to get right hand quickly into the reins4 ,the beginner will experience considerable difficulty at first in passing his right hand quickly on and through the reins in the proper manner1 the reason being that they are all close together1 much more so than with four horses1 so that he is obliged to stretch the right hand much further forward in order to get it in between them4 ,for this reason1 carry your hand well out to the front1 where the reins open out a little1 and when once you have hold of them correctly slide it back towards the body4 ,it looks very awkward to drive with the right hand held out a long way from the left1 and it is also quite unnecessary4 ,sidenote3 ,always keep right hand on reins at night4 ,for those who have not much experience1 it is far better to keep the right hand always on the reins1 and particularly so at night1 when the hand should never be taken away unless it is required for the purpose of using the whip4 ,rarely pull one rein singly1 as described for pointing the leaders in a coach1 except when looping a lead rein in order to turn a sharp corner1 or to execute a quick bend to get through traffic4 ,if you pull a rein singly1 especially a lead rein1 you are very likely to overdo it or jerk it4 ,sidenote3 ,never pull rein as if ringing a bell4 ,never jerk a rein at all except in an emergency1 but apply the pressure steadily and gradually4 ,the only excuse for 8ringing the bell0 with a rein is when driving a slug which is not going quite up to his bit1 when you want to turn a corner4 ,it is generally advisable1 whenever possible1 to advance a few paces before turning round in a road from the halt4 ,the best methods of avoiding any jerking when going round corners with free-going horses are as follows3-- ,sidenote3 ,turning to the left4 ,to turn to the left1 slide the right hand slightly to the front and catch hold of the near-lead rein with the forefinger1 and then bring the right hand back towards the left1 allowing the other fingers to slide over1 but not to move away from their proper reins4 ,the near-lead rein will then be looped under the first finger 7fig4 #cf74 ,when the leader is turning nicely round the corner1 tighten the little and third fingers on the off-side reins1 and apply as much pressure as is necessary by turning the wrist away from the body2 thus bringing the little finger closer to it4 ,this will have the effect of checking any tendency of the leader to turn too fast1 while also preventing the wheeler from following round too quickly after him1 and cutting the corner4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cf4--,,tandem--,,turning ,,to ,,the ,,left4 ,if the wheeler is still turning too fast1 drop the left hand towards the right1 which will slack the near-wheel rein and so keep him off to the right1 or away from the corner4 ,should the leader not turn quickly enough1 seize the loop which is held by the forefinger of the right hand with the left thumb1 retaining it there in the same manner as previously described for 8pointing0 a rein4 ,another loop can then be taken up as before1 which will bring the leader round as fast as is desired4 ,sidenote3 ,best method of turning to right4 ,to turn to the right1 slide the right hand to the front1 and with the middle finger seize the near-wheel rein2 draw the hand back about an inch or two1 still retaining a grip of the near-wheel1 but sliding the fingers over the other reins4 ,this is done in order to prevent the wheeler coming round too quickly4 ,then tighten the little and third fingers on the off-side reins1 and press strongly on them 7fig4 #cg74 ,this will have the effect of bringing the leader round to the right4 ,if the leader is not coming round sufficiently fast1 turn the back of the left hand down gradually1 this will enable you to turn him with the greatest nicety4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #cg4--,,tandem--,,turning ,,to ,,the ,,right4 ,the above methods are especially recommended1 as they entirely do away with the necessity of taking the right hand out of the reins for looping purposes1 the great danger of which is that it is almost impossible to get the right hand back between them quickly enough to prevent the wheeler cutting the corner1 if he is at all inclined to do so1 or to check the leader if he is coming round too rapidly4 ,the horses turn so quickly1 that the wheeler can see the leader coming round almost before the lead rein can be seized with the left thumb1 and tandem reins being very close together1 it is difficult for the right hand to catch the wheeler's rein in time to check him4 ,the fact is that several things have to be done simultaneously1 or nearly so1 to obtain perfection1 and the manipulation of the reins is then1 as ,i have often heard it expressed1 somewhat like playing the harp4 ,of course with very sluggish horses the reins can be looped in the same manner as when driving four horses1 but as a rule less rein must be taken up1 or the leader will come round and look you in the face4 ,therefore you must always be ready to pull the opposite rein1 and so check the horse from going too far round4 ,sidenote3 ,proper time to turn leader at a corner4 ,practice alone will enable one to hit off exactly the proper moment to turn the leader when a sharp corner has to be negotiated4 ,perhaps the best general guide is to give the leader the office when his head is abreast of the centre of the road to be turned down4 ,more than this it is useless to say1 as everything depends on the width of the road and the angle of the turn4 ,it is1 however1 always a safe thing to take as much room as possible1 and it is therefore a good plan before arriving at the corner to pass off to the opposite side of the road1 provided the traffic will allow this to be done4 ,sidenote3 ,quickness of handling reins necessary in traffic4 ,in order to turn corners nicely with the wheeler going over the same ground as the leader1 and not shuffling round anyhow1 or to go in and out rapidly through traffic like that of ,london1 requires the utmost nicety and quickness of handling1 and also that the horses be well trained to keep constantly up to their bits1 and to feel even the lightest pressure and answer to it at once4 ,sidenote3 ,horses should answer to pressure of driver's hands at once4 ,when you drop your hand to them1 they should at once increase their pace until you come back to the original pressure1 but the moment more than this is put on they should at once check their pace4 ,they should also willingly go into an omnibus if driven there1 and never shy off4 ,such is a perfect tandem1 but one most difficult to find4 ,sidenote3 ,tendency to slow down4 ,a beginner at tandem driving1 and even some who have had a certain amount of practice in driving four horses1 will usually find the tandem has a great tendency to slow down1 and that a considerable amount of whip is required to keep the horses up to the proper pace4 ,this tendency will be found to disappear if a practised hand takes the reins1 without the aid of the whip4 ,a want of lightness of hand is usually the cause1 and a want of give and take to the horses' mouths4 ,probably the wrist is kept too stiff1 and the pressure on the horses' mouths is as a result uneven1 too much being applied at one moment and not enough the next4 ,to keep an even feeling on the horses' mouths the hand must be allowed to move backwards and forwards a little1 and there should be plenty of play from the wrist4 ,sidenote3 ,effect of altering centre reins4 ,when you find that the leader is going off to the left1 and the wheeler to the right1 it is usually right to push the two centre reins back a little through the left hand from the front with the right hand1 using the whole hand to do it with4 ,sidenote3 ,reins must be held firmly4 ,if1 on the contrary1 the leader is bearing off to the right1 and the wheeler to the left1 you must then pull the two centre reins out a little until they1 i4e41 the horses1 are straight4 ,you must remember that1 although you are using the right hand a great deal1 the reins must none the less all the time be held very firmly in the left1 and not allowed to slip in the least2 so that at any moment you should be able to take the right hand off the reins and the horses should still be going exactly one behind the other1 with all the reins tight1 the left wrist turned in towards the body with the back of the hand to the front and almost perpendicular4 ,this position of the left hand is of great importance1 as by turning the back down or up respectively a great deal can be done in the way of directing the leader to the right or left without any assistance from the right hand4 ,sidenote3 ,thumb and forefinger always ready to take up loop4 ,the thumb should be nearly parallel to the front1 and like the first finger should be ready at any time to take up and hold a loop of either lead rein2 therefore these fingers should never be busy gripping the reins4 ,sidenote3 ,third and fourth fingers must grip reins tightly4 ,the whole four reins should be held firmly in position by the grip of the third and little finger1 slightly assisted by the middle finger4 ,to get horses1 which have never been in ,sidenote3 ,tendency to form a pair4 tandem before1 exactly to follow one behind the other1 requires considerable skill and patience1 as it will be found that their common tendency is to get one alongside the other1 the wheeler as a rule being anxious to run up alongside the leader4 ,this tendency to form a pair must be checked at once1 but without any jerking or hurried pulling at the reins4 ,sidenote3 ,do not worry leader4 ,the leader should be worried as little as possible2 therefore1 do not pull him across the road more than you can avoid1 particularly at first1 but try to make the wheeler follow him1 and you will find that if they are fairly well-disposed horses they will soon fall in with the idea of following one another4 ,sidenote3 ,constant use of whip shows bad coachman4 ,do not use the whip perpetually2 try and work the horses chiefly with your hands1 and to a certain extent by your voice4 ,for instance1 when starting them give them the office by slightly feeling their mouths with the reins and immediately shouting 8,go on10 or something to that effect1 momentarily dropping your hand to them in order to avoid any jibbing while getting under way4 ,the horses will very quickly understand this1 and the use of the whip will be unnecessary4 ,sidenote3 ,wheeler should start cart4 ,remember1 however1 that the wheeler should start the cart2 therefore be ready to touch him with the whip1 if he hangs back2 if1 however1 he is inclined to jib1 it may be better to allow the leader to assist him4 ,with raw and nervous horses a good start is everything4 ,watch the leader carefully1 and when you see him starting get the wheeler off at once by using the whip if he is not moving off at the same time4 ,when pulling up1 ,i think it is always a good plan to say 8,whoa40 ,they very soon learn to obey the voice1 and it often comes in handy4 ,sidenote3 ,encourage horse with voice4 ,if a horse shies1 speak to him at once and encourage him1 but on no account hit him or you will confirm him in the habit4 ,he does it nearly always from nervousness1 or from defective vision1 and not from devilry4 ,sidenote3 ,never hit a shyer4 ,a shyer will often go perfectly in the wheel of a tandem and never shy at all1 but is never safe in the lead4 ,i am also a believer in rating a horse soundly when he does wrong1 and especially when you are hitting him1 as the next time you rate him he will think he is going to feel the whip1 and be very careful at once4 ,sidenote3 ,returning lash after hitting leader4 ,in a dog-cart1 when you have hit your leader1 bring the lash back and catch it quickly with a turn round the stick by a slight jerk1 or bring it straight into the fingers of your right hand by the same motion4 ,you can then at once bring it well into the cart1 and get your hand back on the reins4 ,this last is a very important matter1 as when the leader is hit he generally takes to pulling for a few yards1 and your whip hand is much needed on the reins to steady him4 ,on the other hand1 it is very unsafe to bring your right hand on to the reins unless the lash has been brought well into the cart1 as it may easily be caught up round the axle or get under the wheel2 and1 as a rule1 if the wheel goes over it1 it will break off at that spot next time you use it4 ,it is often very convenient to have the whip ready to hit the leader at a particular place or corner which he is likely to want to go round4 ,to do this unwind the lash1 and keep the point of the stick out to the right front4 ,the lash can then fly loose and do no harm1 unless the wind is blowing across from right to left4 ,sidenote3 ,check pace before going down hill4 ,always check the pace before reaching the crest of a hill which you are about to descend1 as when once on the downward slope this may not be possible1 whereas to increase the pace is easy enough4 ,when going down a hill it will be necessary to shorten up all four reins1 either by pulling them through from behind with the thumb and forefinger 7fig4 #d71 or by placing the right hand on the reins as before explained and sliding the left up to it 7fig4 #ce74 ,sometimes it will be found necessary when going down a very steep hill to pull back the leader a little1 ,sidenote3 ,leader out of draught down hill4 but as a rule the mere fact of the wheeler coming out of draught to hold back the cart will necessitate the shortening of all the reins1 which will bring the leader sufficiently out of his collar to prevent him pulling on the traces4 ,sidenote3 ,shortening lead reins4 ,the leader's reins can be shortened either by taking out both the lead reins with the right hand 7fig4 #cb71 the near lead under the first or second finger1 the off lead under the little finger1 and then replacing them in the left hand1 or else by pushing them through from the front with the right hand in front of the left1 the latter being usually far the best plan4 ,sidenote3 ,leader doing too much work4 ,while on this subject1 it may be well to remark that the novice is usually inclined to allow the leader to do a great deal too much work4 ,the traces should never be quite taut except when going up a hill1 and then the leader may be allowed to do his best4 ,the result of allowing the leader to do all the work on the flat is that the wheeler soon learns to hang back1 and thus makes his companion pull him along as well as the cart1 and when this happens it is almost impossible to ,sidenote3 ,turning while going up hill4 negotiate a sharp turn safely4 ,from this it is evident that1 when going up a hill with the leader well in draught1 he must be taken out of the collar before a turn is attempted1 otherwise the wheeler will be forced to cut the corner4 ,from this chapter it will be seen1 that although the general principles of driving a tandem are the same as those of driving four horses1 yet there are many minor points of difference1 which the man1 who wishes to drive both with equal skill1 must carefully study and practise4 ,one very notable difference1 which may be pointed out again1 is the greater lightness and quickness of handling necessary to guide a tandem with ease and safety through difficult places4 ,tandem is therefore admirably adapted for ladies who are fond of driving1 as it affords all the interest of a team1 without placing any undue strain on their strength or powers of endurance1 while it enables them to exercise those qualities of quickness and lightness of hands1 in which as a rule they surpass men4 ,the whole art of driving is composed of innumerable small1 though most important details1 but probably no other class of driving requires so much attention to be paid to these minuti as ,tandem4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ch4--,,tandem ,,with ,,bars4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,xi ,,tandem ,,harness4 ,sidenote3 ,best kind of harness simple and light4 ,,the harness should be as simple and as light as possible1 consistent with strength4 ,the colour is a matter of taste and convenience1 but perhaps for country work brown with brass mounts is the most suitable1 whereas for driving in the ,park black harness is almost de rigueur4 ,certainly for soldiers at home1 and more especially abroad1 brown is far the most useful1 because it is a part of every mounted soldier's training to clean this kind of leather4 ,sidenote3 ,wheel harness4 ,the wheeler's harness is an ordinary single set with one or two trifling additions1 none of which are absolutely necessary4 ,these are two brass rings or loops fixed under the trace buckles1 into which are fastened the spring hooks of the leader's traces1 and terrets on the pad divided by a roller to separate the reins4 ,for the former short pieces of leather can be substituted1 which have holes punched in one end1 through which the tongues of the trace buckles pass1 while at the other end are sewn metal rings to take the hooks of the leader's traces4 ,sidenote3 ,lead harness4 ,the leader should have a pad of rather lighter make than the wheeler1 with two fixed leather loops1 one at each side1 for the traces to run through4 ,there must also be a bearing-strap passing over the horse's loins1 and this should be just long enough to keep the traces level4 ,sidenote3 ,lead traces4 ,the traces are usually made long enough to be fixed to the loops on the wheeler's traces1 as already described4 ,this is the simplest and most economical plan1 but another method consists in having two swingle bars1 by means of which the leader's traces can be reduced to the same length as those of the wheeler4 ,sidenote3 ,swingle bars4 ,the first of these bars1 which is about two feet six inches in length1 has a large hook about five inches long fixed in its front1 and a light chain about one foot long attached at the back4 ,the chain is hooked to a ring in the bottom of the wheeler's hames1 and is intended to prevent the bar from falling down4 ,at each end of the bar are two short traces about two feet long1 which hook into the wheeler's trace in the same way as previously described for the long ones4 ,sidenote3 ,advantages of swingle bars over long traces4 ,the second bar is a light swingle-tree about two feet in length1 having an eyelet to attach it to the hook of the other bar4 ,advocates for this system claim that it is less dangerous than the other1 because neither horse can get a leg over the trace1 nor can a trace wrap round the leader's quarter if he swings suddenly round to study the view in rear4 ,the second method however entails more expense and trouble than the first1 which with careful driving need rarely be the cause of accidents4 ,sidenote3 ,traces hooked to shafts dangerous4 ,the leader's traces are sometimes hooked to the points of the shafts1 but as this is a most dangerous system it should never be employed4 ,i have seen tandem traces extemporized out of ordinary single-harness traces and pole chains1 the latter bridging the gap between the wheeler's traces and the leader's4 ,this arrangement looked very smart1 but must make the lead traces too heavy4 ,sidenote3 ,breast harness4 ,although not so smart as a collar1 breast harness can be used in tandem equally as well as in single harness1 and as it can be adjusted to fit any horse its use avoids the necessity of spending money on numerous collars4 ,it also comes in very useful when a horse's shoulders have been wrung by a collar 7see ,chap4 ,i474 ,sidenote3 ,length of lead traces4 ,the length of the leader's traces should depend on the length of the horses and also on their action4 ,they should be as short as possible1 but not so short as to make the wheeler appear to be stepping on the leader4 ,three feet from nose to croup seems to be about the right distance when the leader is in draught4 ,sidenote3 ,hooking up lead traces4 ,while on the subject of the leader's traces it may be well to point out that the best way to hook them up1 when putting to or taking out the leader1 is to pass the end of the trace from outside under and over itself just in front of the bearing-strap1 and then fasten the hook to the ring of the hames4 ,sidenote3 ,how to fasten up lead reins4 ,as regards the fastening up of the lead reins1 it is usual to take a loop in the end of the rein and pass it through the terrets of both pad and hames1 so adjusting it that no spare end hangs down by itself4 ,the loop will be about the right length if the end of the rein is brought up to the terret on the pad1 the end of the loop thus made being then put through the terrets as described above4 ,sidenote3 ,driving bits4 ,the best bits for all-round work are either the ,liverpool or the elbow-bits1 ,sidenote3 ,wheeler's bit4 but the wheeler's should be made with a light bar across the bottom of the cheek pieces4 ,this prevents the wheeler from catching the lead rein under the end of the cheek piece1 which constantly happens if he is inclined to shake his head about1 and has the effect of pulling the leader sharply to one side4 ,sidenote3 ,bit catching in rein4 ,it is1 moreover1 very difficult to get the rein free when caught in this way without getting down4 ,i think1 as a rule1 it is a good plan to pass the lead reins through the loops of the bearing-rein of the wheeler1 instead of through ,d's fixed on his ,sidenote3 ,lead reins through bearing-rein loops4 head-collar or throat-lash4 ,the loops should hang down about four inches1 and be quite loose1 so that the wheeler can toss his head to a considerable extent without violently jerking the leader in the mouth4 ,it is unnecessary to pass the reins through the terrets on the hames1 as bringing them straight back to those on the pad gives a better lead4 ,of course1 if the wheeler habitually shakes his head about very much1 either up or down1 or both1 then a martingale and a bearing-rein must be put on1 which will effectually stop his little game4 ,sidenote3 ,lead reins never to be buckled4 ,never drive with the lead reins buckled1 as1 if the leader breaks either the traces1 or the bar 7if he has one71 by kicking or falling1 the reins will run through the terrets1 and the horse can then get clear away1 and a worse accident be avoided4 ,sidenote3 ,leader's tail over rein4 ,should the leader get his tail over a rein1 a good way of getting it clear is to pull the wheeler well across to the side on which the rein is fast1 and the leader rather over to the opposite side1 slacking at the same time the fixed rein as much as possible4 ,by this manuvre the rein will often come loose4 ,if it does not1 try hitting the leader on the quarter with the whip1 when he will probably swish his tail and allow the rein to drop4 ,sidenote3 ,tandem whip4 ,the whip is generally a rather lighter and shorter one than that used for four horses1 though the same can perfectly well be used4 ,the usual lengths of stick and lash are about five and ten feet respectively4 ,as to the correct method of holding and handling it the reader must kindly refer to a former chapter1 where it is fully discussed4 ,the principles are obviously exactly the same4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #ci4--,,longeing ,,with ,,long ,,reins4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,chapter ,,xii ,,breaking ,,to ,,harness4 ,sidenote3 ,accustom horse to harness in stable4 ,,in conclusion1 a few hints as to breaking a horse to harness may be useful to those who have had no experience in giving a young horse his first lessons4 ,in the first place1 it is a good plan to put the harness on in the stable1 and let the horse stand with it on for a time1 with his head on the pillar reins4 ,in ,india ,i found that with ,australian horses1 even those trained to military draught1 it was absolutely necessary to accustom them to blinkers before attempting to drive them4 ,they should be made to stand in their stables1 fed and taken out to water1 and exercised with blinkers on1 previously to their being driven for the first time1 otherwise they will almost invariably jib4 ,sidenote3 ,longeing with long reins4 ,after the pupil is accustomed to his harness1 he should be taken out and longed with two long reins 7fig4 #ci71 never with one only4 ,these can be conveniently made of webbing1 like a common single longeing rein1 but the lead reins of a tandem will also answer the purpose4 ,the horse should have a body roller on with two rings or loops about half way down each side1 though an ordinary single-harness driving pad with the tugs on1 or a saddle with the stirrup irons fixed up for loops1 can be substituted4 ,in all cases a crupper should be used4 ,sidenote3 ,use snaffle and martingale4 ,it is always advisable to have a fairly loose standing martingale on the bit1 which should be a large smooth snaffle1 the martingale being so adjusted that it will keep the bit on the bars of the mouth1 and will not allow the horse to get his head up sufficiently high to cause the bit to press only on the corners of his lips4 ,sidenote3 ,bearing-straps4 ,it is also advisable to put on bearing-straps like those of a tandem leader1 in order to keep up the reins4 ,the long reins should be passed through the loops of the bearing-straps1 then through the rings on the roller1 the tugs on the pad1 or the stirrup irons of the saddle1 as the case may be1 and then buckled on to the bit4 ,sidenote3 ,use whip when longeing4 ,the horse can now be driven about and be kept up to his bit with the whip1 which the operator should always have in his hand4 ,keep him circling with the outer rein round his quarters above his hocks4 ,this will teach him to go collectedly1 and enable the driver to keep his quarters well in towards the centre1 preventing him from passing off sideways like a crab4 ,it is impossible to attain this object with a single rein1 which also would have the effect of teaching him to go on his shoulders4 ,another point about having the rein against the horse's quarters is that it teaches him not to kick at the trace or breeching4 ,sidenote3 ,do not longe too long on one rein4 ,if he should very much resent having the outer rein on his hocks1 begin by driving him with this rein over his back4 ,he should not be kept circling too long on one rein1 but be often changed from one side to the other4 ,if1 however1 one side of his mouth is harder than the other1 he should be made to turn to that side for a longer period1 until he turns equally well both ways4 ,when the horse has learnt to answer the rein at once1 and turn equally well to both sides1 he should be taught to rein back4 ,when this has been successfully accomplished1 bring him out with his harness on and long traces like lead tandem traces4 ,sidenote3 ,have two men pulling against traces4 ,tell off two men to hang on to these while he is being driven about4 ,by this means the amount of pressure can be regulated1 and as only a small amount need be applied to begin with1 the horse will become gradually accustomed to pulling with his shoulders4 ,it is impossible to begin too gradually2 although some horses can be taken out of the stable and put into a break or a coach at ,sidenote3 ,jibbing taught by undue hurry4 once and will go fairly well1 others will be rendered jibbers for ever by this too hurried process4 ,sidenote3 ,horse-breaking in ,india4 ,in ,india a young horse is generally given his first lessons harnessed to a block of wood4 ,the block of wood is triangular in shape1 and in front of it is fixed a long splinter bar4 ,the horse's traces are hitched to this1 and the breaker1 standing on the block of wood1 drives his pupil about until he is quiet enough to be put in a cart4 ,a short pole1 with a cross bar at the top like a parrot's perch1 is fixed to the front of the block1 to enable the driver to steady himself and prevent his being jolted off4 ,this is not at all a bad way of breaking a horse1 as he cannot do much harm by kicking or plunging1 and the block being very light does not teach him to jib4 ,sidenote3 ,steady horse alongside youngster4 ,the horse having been taught to pull is now quite fit to be driven in a break or cart4 ,if possible1 place him at first in a double break1 with a steady old horse alongside of him1 which will do all the starting by steady pulling and not by jumping into the collar4 ,many old break horses are quite up to watching the young one1 and start accordingly4 ,never forget to have a bearing-rein on1 also kneecaps and bandages4 ,sidenote3 ,accustom to both sides of pole4 ,drive the youngster on both sides of the pole for a time1 when he should be quite fit to put into a single-harness break or cart4 ,always have a rope halter on a young horse under the bridle the first few times that he is put to4 ,if he is likely to be very violent1 two halters may be put on1 and you can then have a man leading him on each side4 ,sidenote3 ,take young horse among traffic4 ,it is far better to drive him where there is some traffic than along a deserted country road1 for he will go much better if he sees other things moving about1 as they will distract his attention1 and keep him from playing tricks on the driver4 ,sidenote3 ,exercise before giving lesson4 ,it is advisable to have him well exercised before attempting to give him any of the above lessons4 ,sidenote3 ,breaking in single cart4 ,supposing that there is no double break available1 use a strong light cart with extra strong shafts instead2 but a heavy cart with no springs is bad1 as it will make a rattling noise and possibly frighten the novice1 while its weight may teach him to jib4 ,in this case put a good strong kicking-strap on1 but be careful not to buckle it down too tight1 or it will catch his quarters if he should canter1 and perhaps induce him to kick4 ,the bearing-rein must be loose1 but tight enough to prevent him from getting his head close in to his chest4 ,a loose martingale may also be added if the horse has a tendency to put his head up2 fasten this to the nose-band4 ,sidenote3 ,two men to assist in putting to4 ,have a couple of men to hold him1 and try and put him in without the shafts touching him anywhere4 ,hold the shafts well up1 and get the horse as nearly under them as possible1 and quite straight in front of the cart2 then lower them quietly and run the cart up1 passing the points of the shafts through the tugs4 ,sidenote3 ,hook traces before buckling kicking-strap4 ,next hook the traces and buckle the kicking-strap on as quickly as possible4 ,one man should be kept standing in front of the horse and holding his head the whole time1 and he should never move away until the driver is ready to start4 ,it is a good plan at this stage to lead the horse about by the rope halter1 with a man on each side ready to assist1 while the driver walks with the reins in his hand on the off side of the cart4 ,he can thus guide him without getting up1 while the weight which the horse has to pull to begin with is materially reduced4 ,sidenote3 ,when quiet get up into cart4 ,if he goes along all right1 mount into the cart and drive him about1 keeping a man running alongside for a little1 when1 if he continues to go well1 the man can jump up behind4 ,if he should be inclined to jib1 have him led on at once1 but do not hit him4 ,never let the man lead him by the rein1 but invariably by the nose-band or halter4 ,sidenote3 ,turning lesson4 ,when he has gone well for some distance on the straight1 teach him to turn4 ,begin by turning him if possible on a very large circle4 ,if this cannot be done1 have him led round very slowly1 the man pushing the outer shaft at the same time to assist him1 as in turning the inner one is bound to catch him on the shoulder1 when he will most probably passage off sideways or rein back and get frightened4 ,sidenote3 ,how to start a jibber4 ,with a horse that continues to jib from sheer cussedness1 ,i have found that strapping up one leg1 and making him stand still until he is tired out1 will often induce him to start off perfectly quietly as soon as the leg has been released4 ,a rope crupper may also be tried with good effect4 ,this is formed by taking an inch rope about sixteen feet long and doubling it4 ,the loop is tied by a thumb-over-hand knot1 forming a crupper about two feet long4 ,pass the loop under the tail and bring the ends forward1 one on each side2 then put a man to pull on each of these ends1 and the horse will most probably move forward at once4 ,this system is a very useful one for getting refractory horses into a stable or loose box4 ,in ,ireland it is a common practice to rub some gravel in a jibber's mouth1 and this appears to be effective at times4 ,when a horse is inclined to kick on first being put in harness1 he can often be prevented1 if not cured1 by holding1 or even tying up a leg1 as in the case of a jibber4 ,sidenote3 ,how to guard against pulling4 ,if the horse is likely to be a hard puller1 it is a good plan to have a ,liverpool bit in his mouth1 with two pairs of reins1 one buckled to the cheek and the other to the bar1 the latter only being used to check him if he is pulling too hard4 ,sidenote3 ,lessons must be continuous4 ,the lessons must be continued without intermission daily for some considerable time1 or else it will be found that the pupil very soon forgets what he has been taught4 ,sidenote3 ,how to fix up reins when taking out of cart4 ,at the conclusion of the lesson1 after getting out of the cart1 place the reins over the off terret to prevent them from falling on to the ground when the horse is being led into the stable4 ,take care that the spare parts1 which hang down on each side of the terret1 are well in front of the stop on the shaft2 otherwise1 if the horse should by any chance jump to the front while the cart is being run back1 ,sidenote3 ,rein catching apt to cause an accident4 the rein may get caught round the stop and give a sharp jerk to the horse's mouth1 which will probably frighten him4 ,illustration3 ,,fig4 #dj4--;,a ,,break ,,by ,,holland ,,and ,,holland4 ,horses that have once been frightened in this way seldom forget it1 and are apt to plunge forward directly they think they are clear of the traces1 which is a constant source of accidents1 as the horse may only get half out of the shafts1 and then he will probably bolt4 ,for this reason the kicking-strap must always be unbuckled before the traces are unhooked4 ,sidenote3 ,how to prevent horse plunging forward out of shafts4 ,the best way of breaking a horse of this very bad habit is to drive him straight up to a wall1 or into a corner where he cannot jump forward2 then unhook the traces and run the cart back4 ,sidenote3 ,accustom horse to bars in stable4 ,a horse that is to be driven in the lead of a team can be to some degree accustomed to the bars1 by having one tied on so as to hang down and touch him just above his hocks when standing in the stable4 ,in conclusion1 ,i would remind the reader that 8,prevention is better than cure10 and in breaking a horse to harness every precaution should be taken from the very beginning of his education1 for when a young horse has once been hurt or frightened1 it is a very difficult thing to persuade him that the same thing may not occur again1 and many a naturally quiet and generous horse is ruined for harness work1 or rendered nervous for life1 simply owing to carelessness or to want of ordinary precautions during his first two or three lessons4 ,the beginner who has mastered the foregoing pages will1 ,i trust1 find that he is thoroughly grounded in the theory and principles of driving1 and his interest will1 ,i hope1 be roused to such an extent as to induce him so to turn theory into practice1 that with time and perseverance he will develop into a neat and skilful whip4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,illustration3 ,logo ,,chiswick ,,press3--,,charles ,,whittingham ,,and ,,co4 ,,tooks ,,court1 ,,chancery ,,lane1 ,,london4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,,hints ,,on ,,driving4 ,,press ,,opinions ,,on ,,the ,,first ,,edition4 ,from ,the ,times4 8,another book which will appeal to all who are interested in horses is the capital little volume called #8,hints on ,driving1' by ,capt4 ,morley ,knight1 ,r4,a4 ,captain ,knight has nothing to do with history or anecdote2 his work is entirely practical4 ,doubtless there are other books on the subject1 but none within our knowledge is more clear or complete in the instructions given for driving in single or double harness1 and1 above all1 for the more difficult mysteries of four-in-hand or tandem driving4 ,the utility of the volume is much increased by the accurate vignette illustrations of hands holding reins1 etc41 made by ,g4 ,h4 ,a4 ,white1 ,royal ,artillery40 8,captain ,knight is the author of a thoroughly practical book entitled #8,hints on ,driving1' which he dedicates to ,major-,general ,albert ,williams40--,morning ,post4 8,there are perhaps few greater masters of the detail of the art than the author40--,the ,sportsman4 8,one conspicuous and excellent feature is that it takes nothing for granted1 etc4 ,altogether this little volume is a capital manual of its kind40--,glasgow ,herald4 8,it is simple1 practical1 and instructive4 ,so far as the delicate art of handling the ribbons can be taught by a book1 this book succeeds to the best effect in teaching it40--,scotsman4 8,any who are deficient or novices in the art of driving--and it is an art--will do well to inwardly digest the contents of a capital volume by ,captain ,knight1 ,r4 ,a41 whose practical advice1 down to the veriest minuti1 will work wonders in a short space40--,sporting ,life4 8,captain ,knight has done as much as anyone could do to place before his readers the more or less accepted canons of driving4 ,the book costs but little money1 and anyone who wants to drive properly would do well to invest his #cs4 #f;d41 and commit to memory some of the principal rules40--,the ,field4 8,a very businesslike and pleasant little book it is4 ,captain ,m4 ,knight's little book will be found far more serviceable than the big work on ,driving in the #8,badminton ,library4' ,the book is provided with copious illustrations and diagrams40--,national ,observer4 8,the advice and details afforded by ,captain ,knight are about as succinct1 clear1 and reliable as those which any pupil can desire to acquire40--,the ,road4 8,we have come to the conclusion that the author has accomplished his design with no little success1 and that anyone who desires to drive properly would be well advised to study ,capt4 ,knight's pages attentively before spending much money in driving lessons40--,baily's ,magazine4 8,much which it is very necessary for the learner to know may be acquired from a writer who is sufficient master of his pen and of his subject to make his meaning clear4 ,such an one is ,captain ,c4 ,morley ,knight1 ,r4,a41 whose #8,hints on ,driving1' published by ,bell and ,sons1 will supply a long-felt want40--,referee4 8,the neophyte in handling the ribbons has found an excellent friend in ,captain ,c4 ,m4 ,knight1 ,r4,a41 whose #8,hints on ,driving' are exactly what the beginner needs4 ,capt4 ,knight is a master in the art1 and whatever he says is the fruit of practical experience40--,army and ,navy ,gazette4 8,quite fulfils its author's object1--namely1 to explain to beginners the rudimentary principles and niceties of driving40--,united ,service ,gazette4 8,a most useful1 practical1 and handy little work on all that appertains to driving in single and double harness--including four-in-hand and tandem driving40--,broad ,arrow4 8,we have not for some time come across such a thoroughly practical and sound handbook as this40--,admiralty and ,horse ,guards ,gazette4 8,this little octavo volume should have an immense sale in ,india1 where every household keeps its trap4 ,herein is given information and instruction on every conceivable point connected with the mysterious craft of ,whip and ,reins40--,the ,pioneer 7,allahabad74 8,it is pleasant to meet with a little volume like ,captain ,knight's #8,hints on ,driving1' so erudite and yet so simple40--,times of ,india4 ,,london3 ,,george ,,bell ,,and ,,sons4 ---------------------------------------- -------------------------------- ,transcriber's ,notes3 ,missing or obscured punctuation was corrected4 ,unbalanced quotation marks were left as the author intended4 ,typographical errors were silently corrected4 ,inconsistent spelling and hyphenation were made consistent only when a predominant form was found in this book4 ,text that was in italics is enclosed in underscores 7italics74