35° ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



collars, and doing but little. I think I never saw four 

 little horses walk in a coach and take anything like an 

 even share of draught ; and I have served an appren- 

 ticeship in hilly countries. 



There is no labour that I know of so hard as that of 

 coach horses in fast work ; for which reason it is bad 

 policy to purchase infirm horses, though many proprie- 

 tors persevere in doing so. Generally speaking, they are 

 out of their work half their time, and are certain to die 

 in their owner's debt. Blind horses are less objectionable 

 as the roads now are. A blind horse that will go 

 up to his bit is much pleasanter and safer to drive 

 than one that can see, but who hangs away from his 

 work. Blind horses, however, work better in the nij/ht, 

 hot weather not agreeing with them. To enjoy one's 

 health ' like a blind horse in winter,' is a proverb. 



I do not call a horse a coach horse unless he has 

 good legs and feet. As a wheel horse he is never to be 

 depended upon down hill if he has not sound limbs 

 under him. However good in his nature, he cannot 

 resist it without something to resist it with, and if he is 

 weak in his joints he must be powerless. To this is to 

 be attributed numerous accidents to coaches— many of 

 which the public know nothing about. If horses are 

 purchased with good legs and feet, there is no reason 

 why, in the fastest work, they should not last many 

 years, if shod with care and well looked after. There 

 are two horses in the Southampton ' Telegraph ' that 

 have been more than ten years in that coach ; and a grey 



