204 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



lamplight until a coach comes to push upon the horses 

 going down a hill, and then danger is at hand. The 

 greatest care, therefore, should be taken to see that these 

 straps are sound for horses that work at night. 



The only material part of the harness of a coach 

 horse which now remains to be described, is the breech- 

 ings ; and in answer to your correspondent's query as to 

 their utility, I must, in the first instance, inform him that 

 there are two opinions respecting them, on the road, 

 amongst coachmen and proprietors. Many of the former, 

 confident in their own performances, dislike them, as 

 cumbersome to their horses, particularly in hot weather ; 

 and say, further, that however useful they may be in 

 holding back when necessary, yet they give them a trick 

 of ' sitting upon them,' as they term it, whenever an oppor- 

 tunity offers, and not getting away from their coach 

 when wanted to do so. Many proprietors object to them, 

 because they prevent coachmen from chaining a wheel 

 down hill which, but for them, they could not go down 

 without, thereby injuring their horses' legs. Mr. Jolly, who 

 horses so many coaches below Oxford, on the Birmingham 

 and Worcester roads, will not suffer a breeching in his 

 stable, for this reason. As proprietors now mile all their 

 coaches, the wear and tear of the wheel, by chaining it, 

 is immaterial to them ; and indeed, with the exception 

 of the mails, it is equally so to those who supply the 

 coaches, as slippers or skids are now generally made use 

 of, to lock the wheels in. That was a very good con- 

 trivance, if it could have been brought to bear, for which 

 a patent was obtained about two years since, to enable 



