HALF VISION. 253 



as instruments of torture long before), and the horses, 

 which had always been used to blinkers before, went 

 along beautifully, and evidently enjoying much more 

 comfort. In the afternoon we had another pair 

 harnessed in the same way, and the result was pre- 

 cisely similar. 



' To replace a horse which had died, another was 

 bought. He also behaved extremely well without 

 blinkers or bearing-reins. Two others in the country, 

 one a mare which used to shy and jib inveterately, 

 and the other, almost thoroughbred, went as quietly 

 as possible without blinkers, those appendages having 

 been removed from their harness. 



'Much stranger still, a young Irish horse, five 

 years old, almost thoroughbred, had never been 

 driven in double harness before, and had never been 

 taken into any town in his life until he came to 

 London, where he was ridden for two weeks that he 

 might get used to the traffic. 



' At the end of that time our coachman, without 

 directions, put him into double harness with blinkers. 

 He went very well until a large dog ran across the 

 road before him, when he shied and nearly jumped 

 over the pole. He would probably have taken 

 to kicking had not some one rushed up to his head 

 and pulled the blinkers aside that he might see the dog, 

 when he became absolutely quiet. 



