I40 RIDING, DRIVING AND KINDRED SPORTS 



It now seems to me that we have arrived at 

 the point at which some hints may be offered as 

 to putting the horses together. Strictly speak- 

 ing, of course, harnessing comes before driving, 

 but in practice -it is necessary to have obtained 

 a considerable amount of experience in driving 

 before the eye will tell us what changes, if any, 

 are necessary in the harness. Indeed, horses 

 need to be driven some distance before even a 

 practised coachman can see what is wanted. Of 

 this the following anecdote given by '* Nimrod " 

 is an instance : "I was going by a coach, the 

 proprietors of which I knew, and was in the act 

 of getting on the box with the reins in my hand, 

 when a celebrated performer from another coach 

 requested I would let the coachman take them, 

 as he was going, by the desire of his master 

 (who was also Johnny Raw's master) to put his 

 team a bit straight for him, as his horses were 

 sinking for want of being better put together. 

 The artist looked, but said nothing till we had 

 proceeded about four miles, when desiring the 

 driver to pull up, he got down and made the 

 necessary alterations. The effect was imme- 

 diately visible, the horses were brought closer 

 to their work, their heads put into their proper 

 places, and their power applied where it ought 

 to be." Unfortunately '' Nimrod " does not go 

 into details, but I have no doubt that the "artist" 



