1 88 The Book of tjie Horse. 



or mud, and when all the carriages were from one-half to one-third heavier than at the present 

 time. In the early part of the present century, "a devil's wagon" was the slang term for a 

 kind of four-wheeled phaeton supposed to be in favour amongst the richer manufacturers of 

 Spitalfields and Bethnal Green ; for it was then considered impossible for one horse to draw a 

 respectable four-wheeled carriage. 



If a horse, in order to draw a family brougham or any other capacious vehicle, has to 

 throw himself into the collar and haul away by his weight, he must lose that balance wliich 

 is essential to pleasant riding action ; the drudgery of such a load will soon destroy the 

 courage or break the heart of a well-bred horse. But if a single horse is put to a light 

 carriage, with a proper height of wheels — a carriage that he can set in motion without effort, 

 and which, having four wheels, casts no weight upon his shoulders — then, so far from a 

 reasonable harness journey being a tax on his power, it may be a seasonable relief from weight 

 under a saddle. Still more is this the case where a pair of horses are put to a modern phaeton, 

 wagonette, or light brougham — the exertion is child's play to them — and ten or fifteen miles 

 at a reasonable pace healthy exercise. Colonel Fitzwygram recommends driving in a light 

 brougham as the best summer exercise for a couple of hunters ; my experience quite agrees 

 with his advice. Of course this is taking for granted that the horses have not been worked 

 in the winter so hard as to require entire rest in the summer. The convenience of having 

 horses which can be both ridden and driven, as well as the advantage of being able to e.xercise 

 two horses in harness at once with or without one servant, are obvious. I'he exercising of 

 horses is always a great difficulty where the exercise-ground is not under the master's eye. 



To secure this general utility it will frequently be found necessary to break riding-horses 

 to harness after they are six or seven years old, but as a rule aged horses submit to harness 

 even better than colts. 



There are of course exceptions — there are horses that the most skilful breaker, with the 

 best tackle and the greatest patience, cannot persuade to harness satisfactorily. I have put 

 every horse I ever possessed in harness, and never met with but one mare that it was im- 

 possible to drive either in single or double harness. Horses inclined to kick occasionally go 

 best in single harness, furnished with a sufficiently strong and properly applied kicking-.strap. 

 Horses inclined to jib — that is, stop suddenly and back — will frequently go satisfactorily in 

 double harness. 



There is one class of horse that should never "look through a collar" — that is, a lady's horse. 

 Some ladies trot — not a very graceful action for them at the best, although a good change for 

 the horse ; but a horse in harness, except the leader of a team, should never canter. 



There are horses which, perfectly quiet in harness, will not submit to be ridden ; and 

 there are more frequently horses too high-couraged for harness that become perfect under 

 saddle. A remarkable instance of this kind came under my notice lately. A gentleman who 

 keeps a complete stud of hacks, hunters, and carriage-horses, purciiased for his barouche a most 

 beautiful horse, whicli it was found impossible to match — without vice, he was so fast, high- 

 couraged, and impatient, that he outpaced and outworked every horse put alongside him. It 

 struck the owner's son, an officer in a light dragoon regiment, that the horse, which had been 

 bought as one of a pair, and had never been ridden, would make a charger. Put into the 

 military riding-school, he was trained without difficulty, was soon passed for service, and was 

 noted as one of the handsomest and best chargers in the brigade during one of the early 

 autumn manteuvres. It is by no means uncommon to meet with advertisements of cavalry 

 chargers which are also hunters and quiet in harness. 



