DRIVING. 71 



so placed as to prevent him from slipping in his ineffec- 

 tual and distressing endeavours to recover his legs. 



Backing. — When a horse takes to backing, and dan- 

 ger is threatened, if you cannot get him forward, and 

 have no assistant to take him by the head, the more 

 rapidly you bring the brute's head to the point where 

 he aims at bringing his tail the better. It is a bad 

 habit, however, to give an animal, to allow of his being 

 taken by the head when he is obstreperous, and should 

 only be resorted to when quite unavoidable. 



Kicking in Harness. — When there is no kicking-strap 

 or other means of restraint available, and an animal 

 seems disposed to persist in kicking, the driver, retain- 

 ing his seat, should direct some one to hold up one of 

 the fore feet (if he finds a difficulty in doing so, doub- 

 ling the knee and tying a handkerchief tightly round it) 

 so as to prevent the foot reaching the ground, which 

 done, the driver may help to unharness, while the other 

 assistant takes hold of the horse's head. 



Shying. — See page 88. 



Runaicays are frequently checked by sawing the 

 mouth. In such cases, retain your presence of mind, 

 determined to stick to the ship to the last ; if you have 

 the luck to meet with an ascent, that is your time to 

 get a pull. 



A horse that has once run away, especially if, in con- 

 nection with that feat, he has met wuth any noisy dis- 

 aster or breakage, is never, as long as he lives, safe to 

 drive again. It only remains for his owner to use hu- 

 manity and judgment in disposing of him. 



Stubborn horses, or jibbers, in single harness. — On 

 the first appearance of this disposition at starting, the 

 neck should be examined, to discover whether the fit 



