Fig. 32. 



58 LEAD-BARS CH. Ill 



An extra main-bar and one extra single-bar are 

 carried on the back of the rumble. They are usu- 

 ally strapped on as shown in Fig. 32, but they 



are sometimes held 

 in steel spring-racks. 

 Straps are better ; the 

 steel springs are diffi- 

 cult to clean and the 

 bars sometimes shift 

 sideways in them. The extra bars should be always 

 taken of! when the coach comes in ; else they will 

 harbour dust and soon get rusty. 



The lead-bar has sometimes been made in one 



piece (Fig. $$), which is objectionable, not only be- 



^ cause it does not permit 



i 1 '1 I j t i the free action of the 



j. I( . ,_ horse's shoulder, but be- 



cause, if one horse is 

 more free than the other and works in front, the 

 bar is oblique, and each horse has his collar pulled 

 sideways on his neck, which is certain to cause sore 

 shoulders. 



The mails in old times carried this single-bar with 

 four hooks on it, as a spare bar in case of breaking 

 the lead-bars. (' Nim rod's' Essays, Malet, p. 190.) 

 A method of rigging the lead-bars, frequently 

 used by Italian and Swiss vetturini, is well adapted 

 to the temporary conversion of a two-horse car- 

 riage into one for four horses. A rope is attached 

 to the centre of the front axle and carried alone 



