64 BOOTS CH. IV 



Boots. — The boots are constructively a part of 

 the body ; they vary considerably, being made 

 more or less deep according to the taste of the de- 

 signer ; shallow boots give a poor air to a coach, 

 and it is better to err on the side of depth. Their 

 distance below the top of the body should be such 

 as to give comfortable leg-room to persons sitting 

 on the roof-seats, and for that 1 6 inches is rig-ht. 

 This is from wood to wood, and does not count 

 the cushion. The hind boot is about 2 feet long, 

 the front one 3 feet, and both are about 2 feet deep. 

 The front boot should be from 1 to 2 inches higher 

 on the body than the hind boot, as that always gives 

 a ' smarter' appearance, and prevents the appear- 

 ance of the coach's hanging down in front, when 

 the back seats are not occupied. The front boot 

 slopes backward from the root of the foot-board, 

 usually about 7 inches. This may be varied, but it 

 must not be so straight that, in the motion of the 

 coach, the boot will touch the inside roller-bolts, 

 which may happen if the spring-shackles are long. 

 The boots are 4 inches narrower than the body. 

 There is an opening into the front boot from above, 

 and the front part is usually hinged at the top so as 

 to turn up. This door must riever be hinged at the 

 bottom, else it may fall open and, striking the horses, 

 occasion an accident. 



In a public-coach the front of the boot is generally 

 entirely closed, and it is sometimes covered with 

 iron to prevent a kicking wheeler from knocking it 



