3 8 MANAGEMENT OF A RUNAWAY HORSE. 



the tender part of the horse's upper jaw and chin, what 

 must follow, but agony the most intense? The gentle- 

 man is driving along at a four-minute gait (very fast to 

 stop on suddenly), he is in the park or some fashionable 

 driving ground, meeting many friends and acquaintances, 

 and in order to be exceedingly polite to salute some pass- 

 ing equipage, with a heavy hand reins up suddenly from 

 a fast trot to a slow one or walk ; consequence, a severe 

 strain upon his driving tackle, fortunate if nothing breaks. 

 He has tried to the best of his (want of) knowledge to kill 

 or maim his family, self, and all in the carriage, and it is 

 only a wonder to me that an accident is not of daily occur- 

 rence. Fancy the weight of two horses, say two thousand 

 pounds, thrown back suddenly against pole, yoke, hook 

 at end of pole, and breast-strap (for there is no breeching 

 on this stylish harness), and, to say nothing of the mo- 

 mentum, you can form some idea of the immense strain 

 suddenly brought to bear on all these things. The horses 

 cannot help themselves; they must throw themselves back, 

 rear, or do something to relieve themselves from such 

 agony : therefore I must beg gentlemen to understand the 

 pain they inflict, and drive with light hands on curb bits, 

 or if from long habit or any other cause they prefer to 

 rein up so suddenly, let them doff the curb and chain and 

 put on plain snaffles ; they can then indulge their fondness 

 for sudden pulling up without any danger to themselves 

 or occupants, and inflict no pain on their horses. If 

 anything breaks in the sudden reining-up process, there 

 is no escape : carriage comes on horses, they become 

 frightened, and the consequences are likely to be serious. 

 And now, all other things being properly adjusted, your 

 horses should be reined up just where they travel most 

 comfortably to themselves, without regard to show. 



