DRIVING. 135 



is horsemanlike to ply his whip without stint. More especially 

 clo the unfortunate Hansom cab horses suffer from this 

 abominable cruelty, which is only too often participated in 

 by their fares inside, who hear and see the lash needlessly 

 applied to the poor beasts without a word of protest thus, in 

 reality, encouraging the active perpetrator of the cruelty. 



Brutal tugging at the reins is thought by these kind of 

 drivers to be also workmanlike, and generally the whip and the 

 bit are combined to render work a positive torture, without any 

 countervailing advantage. 



The whip should only be kept for emergencies, and for a 

 gentle reminder when the horse's attention begins to flag. It 

 is carried in the right hand, which also generally holds the 

 right rein. " But when the driver and horse understand each 

 other, and are in steady action, the reins may be trusted to one 

 hand, while the whip is gracefully borne aloft in the other. 

 Paradoxical as it may sound, it is much easier to drive and 

 turn a pair of horses, if they go well up to the bits, with one 

 hand, than a single horse ; because the coupling reins, with a 

 turn of the wrist, may be tightened so as to bring the outside 

 horse intended to turn toward the pole, and the pole, acting as 

 a rudder, turns the carriage. Therefore, in starting with 

 either one or a pair of fresh horses, good coachmen take the 

 reins in both hands ; and in both hands must they be retained 

 so long as there is the least probability of a horse turning to 

 the right or left. So, too, a careful coachman always keeps his 

 right hand conveniently near the reins held in the left hand, 

 when driving one or a pair of animals of blood and courage." 



With regard to pace, this must depend upon circumstances. 

 If there is an emergency the pace may require to be forced ; if 

 the journey is short then it may be faster ; if long, it must be 

 proportionately slow. Something will also depend upon the 

 condition of the horse or horses. Some will do six or seven 

 miles an hour for several hours, but will be exhausted in a very 



