CH. XII COUPLING • 269 



to the best advantage, and the lack of such judge- 

 ment is the weakest point of many coachmen. 



Ordinarily, the horse that is the more eager and 

 free will require to be brought back by his rein, but 

 horses have minds and tempers of their own, and 

 purely mechanical considerations are sometimes 

 insufficient. A high-spirited horse, for instance, will 

 be fretted by being restrained and by seeing his 

 partner a few inches ahead of him ; if his coupling- 

 rein is let out he may stop pulling on the bit and 

 go pleasantly. This is much more frequently the 

 remedy than the inexperienced coachman imagines, 

 and is always worth trying, care being taken, how- 

 ever, that the horse does not do more than his 

 share of work. Of course, in addition to changing 

 the couplings, the different place of the rein in the 

 bit, and the tightening or loosening of the curb- 

 chain, discussed in the Article on ' Bitting,' in 

 Chapter XV., are necessary to be considered. 



It seems almost needless to reiterate remarks 

 about the importance of the couplings, but so many 

 teams are badly put together, that it is well worth 

 while for the beginner to master the mechanism of 

 the matter thoroughly, and then to exercise his 

 common sense in applying his knowledge. A team 

 well put together is a delight, and one badly put to- 

 gether cannot be well driven by the very best of 

 coachmen. 



As mentioned in the Chapter on Harnessing and 

 on Putting-to, the horse which carries his head the 



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