OJT THE ROAD. 85 



the pole-piece, he is doing more than his share, and his coupHng- 

 rein must be taken in accordingly. Sometimes both shoulder the 

 pole, or spread from it, which are equally unsightly habits, and may 

 generally be cured by an alteration of the coupling-reins of both 

 horses, letting them out for shouldering, and taking them in for its 

 opposite bad habit. The reins are held in the same way for double- 

 harness as for single. In driving a pair, it should always be remem- 

 bered that there are two methods of driving round a curve, one by 

 pulling the inside rein, and the other by hitting the outside horse, 

 and these two should generally be combined, graduating the use of 

 the whip by the thinness of the skin of the horse. In all cases the 

 whip is required in double-harness, if not to drive horses when thor- 

 oughly put together, yet to make them pull equally ; and there are 

 very few pairs whicii do not occasionally want a little reminding of 

 their duties. A constant change from one side to the other is a 

 prevention of those tricks and bad habits which horses get into if 

 they are kept to one side only. The coachman should, therefore, 

 change them every now and then, and back again, so as to make 

 what was a puller from the pole, rather bear towards it than other- 

 wise when put on the other side." 



It is better to drive the last mile slowly, to let the horse cool off. 

 On returning to the stable the mouth should be sponged out, the 

 feet carefully examined to see that no large or small stones have 

 lodged between the shoe and the sole, and the horse dressed, as 

 indicated at page 62. If the harness is left on until the horse 

 becomes partially cooled, there will be less liability of galls under 

 the collar and back-pad. 



BAD HABITS AND TRICKS. 



Most if not all the evil ways which horses show in harness and 

 under saddle are the result of bad management. If the horses of 

 the future are to be saved from vices and ailments, the work 

 will have to begin with the men who are to have them in charge. 

 But at present we can only guard against the bad habits which 

 horses now in hand have acquired or inherited. 



Balking is one of the most annoying tricks of a, horse, and which 

 is almost invariably the result of over-loading or harshness. Spirited, 

 well-bred horses are more liable to balk than sluggish ones. If asked 

 to draw a load beyond its strength, or started suddenly with a flour- 

 ish and perhaps a blow of the whip, an intelligent, nervous horse be- 

 comes discouraged, and a spirit of opposition is aroused within it at 

 once. After the habit has become confirmed the animal will, at a 



