90 HORSES 



You must use your own common sense in find- 

 ing out the place in the shaft for fastening the 

 breeching, and also the exact tightness it should 

 be buckled. On most carts you will see the metal 

 staples for both breeching and kicking-straps, 

 but I shall leave it to you to choose the right 

 one. When you have finished putting the animal 

 between the shafts, back him gently, and if the 

 weight of the cart comes on the breeching and 

 not on the stops, you will know that you have 

 accomplished the feat correctly. There should 

 be just a little play between breeching and traces, 

 that is, when one is tight the other should be 

 slack. 



I may add that I consider a tub — low cart w^ith 

 door behind — is the best and safest conveyance for 

 boys when they drive themselves. 

 ' However, we are wasting all the best of the day 

 in talking, and it is time we started for the picnic. 

 The provisions are packed, so that you can now 

 jump in and drive away. 



Let me earnestly entreat you not to play tricks 

 while in charge of a horse. 



If you are going any distance, do not go too fast 

 at first, and always remember you have the same 

 distance to come back. Different ponies have 

 different rates of speed, but it is an excellent rule 

 never to drive horse or pony quite up to his full 

 pace if the journey is at all likely to be long. 

 When you drive him beyond that speed he is 

 certain to break into a canter, and will soon be 



