124 THE HORSE OWNER's 



perfection of breaking and driving. By this means that 

 tendency to keep within the bit, and to avoid its pressure 

 which a fine mouth will always show ; and yet, when 

 there is high courage, a constant desire to pass forward 

 as soon as the hand is at all relaxed ; up a steep hill, the 

 head should have entire liberty, while down-hill the hand 

 should be shortened upon the rein, and with his knees 

 straight, and the feet well out, the driver should be pre- 

 pared for a mistake, and ready to assist if it is made, not 

 by violently dragging at the head, but by checking suffl- 

 ciently without gagging the horse. The mere avoiding 

 of other vehicles in meeting or passing is too simple an 

 affair to require minute description. In driving a pair, 

 the great art consists in the putting them together, so as 

 to draw equally, and to step together. To do this well, 

 the horses must match in action and temper, two ponies 

 being much better than a free tempered horse, with a 

 horse with but little spirit ; because, in this case, the whip 

 applied to the one only makes the other more free, and as 

 a consequence, it is impossible to make them draw equal- 

 ly. In some cases, where tvvo horses are exactly equally 

 matched, the coupling-reins must both be of equal length ; 

 but this is seldom the case; and when they do not do an 

 equal amount of work, the coupling-rein of the free one 

 must be taken up,, and that of the idle horse let out. 

 In watching the working of the two horses, the pole pieces 

 should always be the guide ; and if both are slack, with 

 the end of the pole steady, and neither horse shouldering 

 it, the driver may rest contented that each of his horses is 

 doino- his share ; if, however, the pole is shouldered by 

 either, that horse is a rogue, and is making the other do 

 more than his share, keeping the pole straight by the 



