a little to the front. The horse may be quietly spoken 

 to, or used to respond to his name being mentioned by 

 starting immediately and freely. 



The position of the driver is to lean a little forward, 

 after taking a firm seat, and keeping the legs well out 

 towards the dash, and never to hang backward, excepting 

 for the purpose of balancing the vehicle in going down 

 hill. In driving, the reins are taken up the reverse way 

 to riding, viz. : from the bottom, or underside, and kept 

 with a steady pressure, constantly feeling the animal's 

 mouth.* Should the driver at any time become nervous or 

 irritable, the same is communicated to the horse through the 

 reins, which communication is calculated to give the horse 

 increased anxiety, and want of confidence. At all times the 

 driver should sit square and perfectly easy, without the 

 slightest appearance of stiffness or carelessness. 



In our travels we see numerous styles of holding 

 the reins, but there is only one proper and safe way, 

 viz. : in the left hand ; the right, or whip hand, being 

 kept ready for emergencies. The driving hand should 

 be held to the front, a little way from the body and 

 on a level with the elbow ; the finger nails are slightly 

 uppermost in driving, and the reverse in riding. The 

 near side or left rein passes between the thumb and 

 first finger ; the off or right side rein between the second 

 and third fingers, which are kept closed together, thus 

 securing the purchase or grip. To hold a rein in each 

 handf is a most awkward and helpless plan, and seems 

 to be the system adopted in America, where the 

 writer has witnessed many accidents arising from that 

 cause alone, both on the road, and upon the trotting track ; 

 in one case the driver was thrown backward out of his 



* The reins should never be allowed to fall or lie upon the horse's back. 



f The witty carman is said to hold a rein in each hand, and the whip in the other. 



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