CH. Ill POLE 53 



In the majority of European four-horse vehicles, 

 except in England, the leaders do not draw from 

 the point of the pole, but by means of a chain, or a 

 rope, passing" along the under side of the pole, from 

 a hook which is under the futchells. This hook is 

 sometimes put in this place in a coach, to be used 

 in case six horses are driven ; but it is not well 

 to have it there, since, should a wheel horse fall and 

 get under the coach, he may be badly torn by the 

 hook. 



The length of the pole should be 9 feet from the 

 front of the splinter-bar to the cross-head of the 

 pole-head or crab. If it is longer than this it takes 

 the leaders too far away and impairs the ' smart' 

 appearance of the turn-out. French carriage poles 

 are usually much too long. 



The length given above, for the pole, is proper 

 for sixteen hand, or fifteen-three hand, horses ; if 

 smaller horses, or short, cobby horses are to be 

 driven to a drag, an extra pole, two or three inches 

 shorter, should be provided. 



When the coach is standing on a level pavement, 

 the end of the pole should be three feet from the 

 ground. 



It must be remembered that a short pole re- 

 quires a longer cross-head, or else the pole-chains 

 will pull too much sideways from the horses' necks. 

 The most exag-o-erated form of a long cross-head is 

 the yoke of a trotting wagon, which is so long as to 

 make the pole-straps parallel to the pole. There is 



