370 



The Book of the Horse. 



or mail phaeton, much affected by the " golden youth " of the day, is a mistake. It leaves no 

 strength in reserve ; the driver can neither give nor take. If his horses pull, bolt, or fall down, 

 he has no power to resist or assist them. As likely as not in a desperate case he may be 

 pulled off his box. Nothing looks worse than to see a driver obliged to throw his head back 

 if he pulls up suddenly. For this reason when a carriage is ordered the seat should be low 

 rather than high, because a low seat can be raised. 



GOING .STRAlGlir, WITH ONE OK \ I'AIR. 



THE H.\NDS AND REINS. 



The above woodcut (drawn from life) shows how the reins should be held, with one 

 or a pair, going straight. {The left hands in all the ivoodciits arc drazvn rather too fonvard.) 

 The elbows should hang easily, be close to but not touching the hips, the wrists and hands 

 slightly bent round in front of but not far from the body. This gives the fullest command 

 over the horses, and should enable the driver to stop them without moving his body. No habit 

 is more fatal to good driving than that of allowing the arm or hands to be dragged- out by 

 the pull of the horses until the elbows are away from the hips, and the hands approaching 

 the splashboard, yet nothing is more common amongst amateurs of both se.xes, who drive ve^^■ 



