RIDING AND DRIVING 89 



Now that you have succeeded in getting the 

 harness on, you will not find much difficulty in 

 joining the pony to the cart, but you might get 

 somebody near by to give you a little assistance. 

 Raise the shafts, then pull the cart forward or back 

 the pony, and insert the shaft ends in the tugs on 

 the pad as far as the *' stops," which are there to 

 prevent them going any further back. Hook on 

 the traces and buckle the bellyband, not too tight 

 or too loose, but loose enough to give the cart a 

 little play. 



Unless you live in a very flat country I strongly 

 advise you to use breeching, though you will find 

 the majority of grooms have a rooted objection to 

 it, their general substitute being a kicking-strap, 

 which is of no possible use except to prevent a 

 horse kicking. No boy ought ever to drive a horse 

 or pony that is likely to kick, and a man is foolish 

 willingly to sit behind an animal that has previously 

 been guilty of this vice. 



A kicking-strap may be of some use, when 

 fastened at the right angle, as a preventive in 

 breaking young horses, but is very seldom any 

 help in holding down the vicious old when they 

 really mean to kick. 



Breeching is for the purpose of holding back a 

 cart going down hill, and when it is not used the 

 whole weight must come on the horse's tail. If 

 you consider the matter, you will see that a horse's 

 breech is the natural and best. portion of his body 

 for holding back a weight. 



