202 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



coachman — poor George Taylor, who died last year, land- 

 lord of the 'White Hart' inn at Broadway, now kept by 

 his widow — or accidents must have been occasioned by 

 her vagaries. 



Some coachmen pole up their horses very tight 

 because they will have less trouble in driving them ; but 

 generally speaking, they must suffer by it — particularly 

 with heavy loads — for there is always some play in a 

 pole even on good roads, and much more on those that 

 are rough and shaking, which must be distressing to 

 i houldcrs and forelegs, especially if the pole does not fit 

 well in the futchells. With respect to hilly countries, to 

 which I have been much accustomed, I have always 

 found that the generality of horses hold back their coach 

 better when their pole-pieces are of a moderate length 

 than when too close to their pole-hook — taking care that, 

 when at the full extent of it, their hinder legs clear the 

 fore-wheel. When a horse has no breeching, he requires 

 to be a hole or two nearer to his pole, as, when in the 

 act of holding back, his collar gets more forward than 

 when he has breechings, unless a false martingal be 

 used. 



As all mail and stage-coaches, as well as all four-horse 

 coaches belonging to gentlemen dragsmen, have chain 

 pole-pieces which hook, instead of buckling, as was the 

 case with the leatfier ones, care must be taken that 

 the hook be fixed with the point downwards, otherwise 

 it may fall out, or catch in the bits of the horses. If pole- 

 pieces are too slack, the hook will sometimes shake out ; 

 for which reason coachmen who work by night are apt to 



