NOTES ON TANDEM AND FOUR-IN-HAND DRIVING. 559 



the horses to get into the collar without jerking and snatch- 

 ing. Do not use the whip or "cluck" — in fact, never 

 "cluck" to a four-in-hand, because the horse (or horses) 

 who is already doing the most work will do all the more 

 and thus make everything very uncomfortable. Use the 

 whip on the slack horses after you have got them started, 

 but with as little noise as possible, else it will have a worse 

 effect on the free ones than "clucking." 



No one should ever attempt to drive a four unless he or 

 she has had several lessons from an experienced and com- 

 petent teacher, and after that ought not to take out his 

 family or friends, if he has any regard for their necks or 

 his own, until he has had at least a year's constant practice 

 both in tow-n and country — especially the former, as driving 

 a well mannered team on good country roads is child's play 

 compared to "tooling" them through the traffic of crowded 

 streets and parks. 



Horses most suitable for coaching, either park or road 

 work, should consist of wheelers 15-3 hands, leaders 15-2 

 hands, with breedy heads and necks. If such a four have 

 sufficient weight, bone and substance, they will and can do 

 as much work as a team measuring 16 hands or over, and 

 stand the wear and tear far better. Wheelers should be 

 considerably heavier than leaders. On fairly good roads 

 four horses should be able to travel at an average of ten 

 miles an hour. The leaders' traces on a level road ought 

 always to appear slack, allowing the bars to clatter a little, 

 or, as it is termed in coaching parlance, make some " music." 



In going down hill, take all four well in hand, then take 

 the leaders well back, as they must do no work at all. 

 Going up hill, a coachman may " spring " or gallop them, 



