THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



side-reins, nose martingales, curb-chain in the mouth, altering 

 the coupling reins, and such like, we generally bring them to 

 our hands. But in regular work, mouth in a coach-horse is 

 of not so much consequence, because he is always running 

 home, and knows his ground. For gentlemen's work, mouth is 

 everything, on account of the turning and twisting to which 

 the}^ are subject. Gentlemen's horses should play with their 

 bits, and not be afi'aid of them : and each side of their mouths 

 should be equal. When tliis is the case, the higher their 

 courage the safer they are to drive, because, when running 

 fearlessly up to their bits, they feel every motion of their 

 coachman's hand. Of all teams, the most difficult to drive is 

 that in which there are two good and sufficiently free workers, 

 one slug, and a j-aking (fretful) leader.' 



Sir John. — ' You are right. Jack ; it is a regular teazer. Let 

 us have your science on that point.' 



Jack Webber. — ' As regards the " raker," you shall — the 

 science that was given to me by the best and quickest man 

 on his box that I have ever j^et seen. " Something must be 

 done," said he, " to keep him from killing himself. Try a 

 check-rein to his partner; if that won't check him, it will 

 brino- his partner ujj to him, and that is something gained. 

 If you attempt to pull him back by his bit, do it gently ; if 

 violently, you pull him back on his bar, whicli only makes 

 him worse. The best M'ay is, when there is no check-rein 

 used, to bring him back by his harness ; that is, to keep the 

 wheel-horses back, so that he may feel tJte collar and his bit at 

 the same time, which will tend to soothe his temper." Then 

 he taught me another move, which I have ever since practised. 

 " When a whole team are overdoing it," said he, " don't draw 

 all your reins through your fingers at the same moment. By 

 doing so, your horses' mouth (i.e. the proper feeling of them, 

 which you may have taken some trouble to acquire) will [very 

 often be lost. The following is a better plan : — Open the 

 fingers of your right hand, and put the reins into them, and 

 with a good gripe, about two inches in front of your left hand, 

 and then catch them again with your left hand, by passing it 

 in front of your right. You then have their mouths just as 

 they were, with only a stronger p^^ll upon them." He also 

 gave me the following hints, which I never lost sight of : — - 

 "The powers of a horse in fast work, and with a heavy load," 



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