LONG AND SHORT WHEEL-REINS. 217 



of the long-rein performers have adopted, of pulling up 

 their horses ; and that is, instead of shortening their reins 

 by drawing them through their left hand, they raise that 

 hand as high as their chin, clawing the reins with the 

 other, till their coach is stopped, thereby losing the use 

 of the whip-hand, which, at all times, and on all oc- 

 casions, should be at liberty. 



When I have mentioned one other circumstance 

 attending the short wheel-rein I shall dismiss the sub- 

 ject ; but I have been thus prolix in consequence of the 

 wish of some of your correspondents to be particularly 

 informed on the points in question. I have said, when 

 quickness of execution is wanting, the short rein has 

 the advantage, and I will attempt to prove it. We will 

 suppose a coachman taking his coach into a narrow gate- 

 way, where the turn is to the right. After having 

 pointed his leaders into it, he finds he has not taken 

 ground enough, for his coach to clear the offside rate- 

 post. No assistance is to be expected from any other 

 horse in his team but the off-wheeler. With the short 

 wheel-rein, one pull with the right hand, letting the rein 

 draw through the left does the business, as it immediately 

 leaves the right at liberty to whip that wheeler up to 

 the pole ; but with the long rein, he must be lost nine 

 times out of ten, as he would not let it out of his hand 

 to enable him to whip his horse, and not more than one 

 horse in ten could, in such a situation, bring his coach up 

 without. 



I must explain one apparent inconsistency in what I 

 have said. I have stated that when a short wheel-rein 



