THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



Frank Rah)/. — ' One of my wheel-horses is playful, and has 

 twice kicked over his trace. Should I work him in a kicking- 

 trace ? ' 



Jack Wehher. — 'No, it is not necessary; what is_^called a 

 hip-strap is sufficient, by which the trace is lifted up as the 

 horse lifts himself ; thus he cannot jump over it. It is not an 

 ornament to your liarness, having rather a slow appearance ; 

 but it looks better than a kicking-trace, and, unless with a 

 really vicious horse, answers all ends.' 



Sio" JoJin. — ' Were you ever hung up. Jack, on the Brighton 

 ground, for I know 3'ou loaded well, and there are some sharp 

 hills on it ? ' 



Lord Edmonstoii. — ' Hung np ! What are you talking 

 about ? I think if Jack had been hung up for a very few 

 seconds, we should not have had him here, for his weight 

 would soon have ' 



Jack Wehher. — ' Choked him in his collar, you were going to 

 say. Being hung up, in coaching phraseology, means being 

 brought to a standstill, from one cause or another. I have 

 never been quite fast ; but having had my share of high- 

 blowers and soft-hearted ones, I have now and then found it 

 difficult to keep my time. With horses of this description, I 

 have always found it answer to keep them from their collar, 

 and let them only carry their harness, for a few hundred yards, 

 when they recover themselves. A little watching and nursing 

 was necessary at all times on our road, as we were not capitally 

 horsed.' 



Goodall. — ' How very fat some of the horses are which run 

 out of London.' 



Jack Wehher. — ■'■ So much the better ; good flesh is not an 

 obstacle to going the pace ; and no horses on the road look 

 so well as what are called the London horses ; their stables 

 are w^arm ; they have the best of hay and corn, and are 

 under the eye of a sharp-eyed foreman, who knows his business 

 well.' 



Frank Rahy. — ' I suppose. Jack, j^ou are all for the long-wheel 

 reins ? ' 



Jack Wehher. — ' No one, south of Trent, is now seen driving 

 with any other. They are much the safest and most business- 

 like : the mouths of wheel-horses cannot be felt as they should 

 be felt, with the short wheel-rein.' 



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