132 Training the Trotter, Coacher and Roadster 



the forefinger and the right one between the middle 

 and ring finger. The manipulation of the lines and 

 the guiding should be done with the right hand, 

 which also carries the whip. The arms of the driver 

 from shoulder to elbow should hang naturally, with 

 forearms held at right angles and the hands meet- 

 ing in front of the body in a perfectly natural posi- 

 tion, with thumbs uppermost. This position of the 

 hands and lines gives the best possible control of 

 the lines and at the same time enables him to keep 

 a light touch on the horse's mouth. With the 

 horse properly mouthed and the natural sensitiveness 

 preserved, the slightest touch on either line will 

 be pressure sufficient to guide the horse. 



IMPROVING THE ACTION 



In the training of the coach horse, action is para- 

 mount. It is prized because the proper kind is so 

 difficult to secure. Training horses of this class 

 is complicated by many factors, chief of which are 

 the conformation and the natural adaptation of the 

 horse. Some horses are so defective in form as to 

 prevent high action. There are others, however, 

 seemingly of the correct conformation to produce 

 excellent action but lacking the nervous adaptation ; 

 and still others somewhat lacking in conformation 

 but possessing the proper nervous development to 

 make them excellent performers in their class. In 



