82 



USING DRIVING-REINS AND WHIP. 



are to be held constantly in the left hand, with 

 the left rein upwards and fore-finger between— 

 and are never to be separated. Some persons 

 place two fingers between the reins, which will 

 be found erroneous, for although they keep 

 the reins more apart, the remaining two fin- 

 gers of the hand, being the two last and weak- 

 est, have not sufficient power to hold the other 

 side of the rein. The left-rein may generally 

 be rather tighter than the right, to keep the 

 horses' heads inclined to the left-hand side of 

 the road (particularly in the metropolis), which 

 in England is the right side for vehicles and 

 equestrians ; but the reins are to be held ac- 

 cording to the mouth of the horse. The whip 

 must be carried in the right hand, with the 

 lash hanging over, but clear of, the left-side of 

 horses and carriage. The whip is to be used, 

 not by a cut and catching up of the lash, nor 

 by slapping along the back and neck, but by 

 throwing the lash straight and unbent round 

 to the right and left flank of the horse, as a 

 thresher " flings his flail." Never whip a horse 

 on the ears, head, or shoulders, because every 

 lash checks and distracts him ; and it is unrea- 



