384 ANNALS OF THE ROAD. 



horses, which are always running home, mouth is not of 

 so much consequence, as there is no turning and twisting, 

 as in gentleman's work, which is often in a crowd. A 

 gentleman's leader that requires the whip should be dis- 

 charged — a whistle, or a click with the tongue, should 

 make him spring to his collar in an instant. 



Wheel-horses also that are anything like perfect are 

 very difficult to be procured, and, after all, they are the 

 sheet-anchor of the drag. If they are steady, and will 

 hold well, a coachman may almost set his leaders at 

 defiance ; but if they are all ' rum ones ' together, danger 

 is ever at hand. Several of my driving friends prefer 

 purchasing their wheelers out of coaches after they have 

 been about six months in regular work, and it is by no 

 means a bad plan. For the sum of sixty to eighty guineas 

 they may generally pick the flower of any man's stock, 

 and a good, sound, well-broke coach horse cannot be said 

 to be dear at that price. 



Gentlemen's coach horses should always be high in 

 flesh, as it is a great set-off to their appearance, and, if the 

 flesh be good, it is no obstacle to pace. A sound five- 

 year-old horse, with good legs and feet to begin with, 

 and on ly driven in harness, will, on an average, last from 

 six to ten years in gentleman's work, and then be very 

 useful for other purposes. He is generally never so well 

 as when in his regular work ; but if a screw gets loose, a 

 winter's run without his shoes, and mercurial charges to 

 his legs, will set him up again. 



Gentlemen coachmen go along now at least two miles 

 an hour faster than they did fifteen years ago. This has 



