349 



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f 



C PI AFTER XVI. 



HARNESS. 



7 lie Art of Driving; to be Taught by a Master — Easily Acquired— Of great Value — The Collar Described — Importance of -a 

 Good Fit — IIoW to be Made — Not too Narrow at Bottom — How to Try on — Traces— Where Proper Point of 

 Draught — Traces generally attached too low — " Bencraft's Hanies " — The French Attachment — Collars for Fat Colts — 

 The Trace Buckle — Its Clumsiness — Cylinder Substitute — Illustrations — To Put on a Collar — How — Caution to Grooms 

 — The Pad — Its Use — Tugs — The "Tilbury," with Illustration— Where to Lie — Place Depends on Traces— Not too 

 Long— Not too Short — The Crupper— Its Use — Its Disadvantage— Variety of — Should be thicic — Breeching, Short or 

 Long — KicUing-strap — How to Put on— The Pad after the Collar — The Bridle — The Bit— Importance of Bit Fitting 

 Mouth — Horses' Tricks from Bad Bitting — Curb Bits Described — Blackwell's Reins for Pulling Horses— Anecdote of Runaway 

 Horses— Nonsuch Pattern Bit — Summary of Driving Bits — Blinkers to, pro and con — Bearing-reins, Use and Abuse — 

 The Gag Bearing-rein a Barbarous Invention— Mr. Flower's Anecdote — Double Harness — Coupling Reins — Illustration 

 of Pair of Horses— How to Put Pairs of Horses into Carriage— To Take Out— Tandem Harness, Improvement of. 



Driving one, a pair, or even four well-bred, well-broken, high-couraged horses, in good form, 

 is an accomplishment which may be acquired by many to whom horse e.Kercise is impossible, 

 if only they will take the trouble to be taught from the first, and have sufficient courage to 

 practise what they have learned. 



Ne.xt to horse exercise there is no more healthy, pleasantly-e.Kciting way of taking the 

 air than driving a pair of good horses in an open carriage. There is something very exciting 

 in the tramp of their hoofs, the rumble of the wheels, and the gentle swing of a well-built 

 carriage. 



But to drive really well, the driver, whether man or woman, and particularly a woman, 

 must from the first be taught by a really good coachman. 



It is even easier to drive boldly and badly than to ride, and quite as difficult to abandon 

 vicious habits once acquired. Little or no exertion is required to retain the seat, however 

 awkwardly occupied. The indications of the reins are in a great degree regulated by 

 rings (technically, the terrets) of the harness through which they pass, and a well-broken horse, 

 or pair of horses, in regular work, will submit to a great deal of ignorant coachmanship. 



It must, however, be noted that accidents on wheels are generally more serious than in 

 saddle. A bad horseman often tumbles off at an early stage of a difference with his horse 

 and escapes with a bruise or two, but when a horse in harness runs away, or sets to work 

 to kick in earnest, the occupants of the vehicle are lucky if they escape with only broken 

 bones. 



It is not enough that a lady or gentleman, who can afford to keep horses with breeding 

 and fashion, should be able to drive swiftly and safely ; to do credit to their equipage they 

 should be able to drive slowly and steadily at a measured pace, and in the " best form." 



For powerful, skilful rattling along crowded streets, twisting round sharp corners, and 

 backing into narrow gatcwaj-s, the youths who drive unicorn spring railwa)- va;-.s of London 



