ON THE ROAD. 33 



altogether. The reins should be let out or drawn in according 

 to circumstances ; thus, if one horse is a freer goer than the 

 other, buckle his rein tighter, and give the lazy one plenty 

 of play. 



The dealing with kickers in harness is always, more or less, 

 a difficult matter. In double harness it is especially awkward 

 to fix a kicking strap, by reason of there being no shafts to 

 which it may be attached. The method adopted is to bring 

 two parallel straps from the top of the back, just behind the 

 pad, one down each side of the crupper, and fix them on to 

 the splinter-bar with buckles ; two other straps are fixed 

 transversely between the longitudinal ones, like the steps of 

 a ladder. Even with this, a determined kicker will very often 

 either break the straps themselves, or, at least, severely test 

 the strength of the splinter-bar, and cause a very unpleasant 

 sensation to the occupants of the carriage, by the jerking 

 motion of the sudden upheaval of his quarters. In single 

 harness, the strap is buckled to one shaft, passed across the 

 animal's quarters, and fixed to the opposite shaft. 



When starting on a long journey, avoid the common fault 

 of hurrying off so as to, what is called, " break the neck " 

 of it. Many people make a practice of pushing on till they 

 get three parts of the way to their destination ; " then," 

 say they, "we can take it easily." Now a moment's thought 

 will show the fallacy of such a course as this. Your horse, 

 in all probability, starts away with a full stomach, and, by 

 driving him fast at first, you prevent the natural process of 

 digestion going on properly ; he gets distressed at being bustled, 

 and, if the weather is at all hot, sweats himself into a lather, 

 and does the rest of the stage in manifest discomfort to you 

 and to himself. When, after his bait, you resume your journey, 

 you find that it is little matter whether you meant or did 

 not mean to "take it easily." Your horse decides that ques- 

 tion for you, by plainly showing that he is unable to do 

 anything else. The fact is, he has been done up the early 

 part of the day, and is fit for nothing afterwards. For at 

 least five or six miles, and until the horse is " clear " in 

 himself, let him take his own time — it will be no loss; on 

 the contrary, you will be the gainer before the sun sets, and 

 then you will find he will settle to the business of his own 

 accord, and begin to "slip along" at an increased pace. Let 

 his mouth be washed out when you have gone ten or twelve 



D 



