178 THE SHAFTS. 



393. — The uneducated jibs that we see in South American 

 and Australian coaches will all pull at a gallop, but get frightened 

 directly they find a collar pressing on them at a slow pace, and 

 become paralysed with fear in the expectation of the brutal 

 assaults they have learned to associate with that misfortune. 

 They appear as unable to move as the horse is when surrounded 

 with a burning stable. On such an occasion we have seen a 

 coachman, who was said to be a most skilful driver, smashing 

 up his horses with a spare swingletree, amidst the apparent 

 approbation of his passengers, including the enlightened champions 

 of the rights of women, negroes, and working men. If such men 

 only knew what was paralysing the poor brutes, that they see are 

 always willing to gallop to death at the sight of a whip, a coach- 

 man, with such propensities, would occasionally be tarred and 

 feathered as some small reward for his brutality. 



394. — The colt may next be put in single harness, about 

 which there will be no difficulty if all has gone well so far. A 

 light two-wheeled conveyance, with moderately strong shafts, 

 should first be used, and put in a good clear place, where it will 

 start easily, and have room to deviate considerably from a straight 

 line. Put on good strong harness, which must include a well 

 placed strong rump or kicking strap, passing over the haunches. 

 To meet this, straps with suitable buckles must be fixed on the 

 right part of the shafts. The breeching should be permanently 

 attached to the backhand, so as to require no buckling or 

 unbuckling when putting the colt in or taking him out. The 

 leather rings of the backhand should be so small, or the stops on 

 shafts so large, as to make it impossible for them to pass through 

 the backhand. 



395. — Stand the colt in front of the sulky, or gig, and let an 

 assistant quietly hold him there whilst you bring the shafts over 

 his back and put them into the backhand. Hitch the traces 

 quickly, and buckle the bellyband gently. Take your seat and 

 let your assistant walk by the colt's head, just to see that he 

 guides well to the reins before he takes his seat by your side. Go 

 ofi" at a walking pace if you can, but avoid any unnecessary 

 pulling at the colt's mouth, and let him have as much of his own 



