RIDING AND DRIVING 261 



or three such discoveries will hurt discipline 

 amazingly. 



There is now a good deal of four-in-hand driv- 

 ing in America. It is only now pleasure driving, 

 and quite different from that of the coaching 

 days of our grandfathers' time. This is an art 

 which a man may be able to pick up himself. But 

 the safest and quickest course is to take instruc^ 

 tion from a professional or from a friend, if so 

 amiable a friend can be found. It is, of course, 

 more difficult to drive four than two horses. But 

 this can be learned by any cool-headed man who 

 has the good fortune to be a horseman to start 

 out with. Not having that gift he would do well to 

 let it alone. Some of the most accomplished four^ 

 in-hand drivers about New York are women, 

 which shows that it is not main strength that is 

 effective, but skill and practice. Practice and in- 

 telligence combined will overcome most all of the 

 difficulties. By practice I do not mean an hour a 

 day for a couple of weeks, but six hours a day for 

 two or three years; and by intelligence I mean 

 the instructed knowledge which enables a driver 

 to know the reason for each thing that is done. 



