CH. XIV OPPOSITION 315 



half that amount taken back on both reins together, 

 and is usually quite sufficient. If the approach to 

 the turn is up-hill and the leaders are working 

 strongly, while the road beyond the turn is down- 

 hill, it may be necessary to take the leaders back 

 before making the point ; to do this, the lead-reins 

 should be taken entirely out of the left hand, by 

 seizing them with the right (with a finger between 

 them) an inch or two in front of the left hand, pull- 

 ing them out sideways and replacing them in the 

 left by carrying the right hand behind the left. 



Opposition. — In many cases, pointing the leaders 

 is not all that is necessary to be done in making a 

 turn ; the wheel horses usually incline to follow the 

 leaders too quickly, and, by making too short a turn, 

 to force the coach against a corner, or a post. To 

 prevent this, the wheel-rein on the side away from 

 the turn must be shortened. 



If the turn is to the left, after making the point 

 with the near lead-rein, the off wheel-rein must be, 

 for the purpose of making the opposition, pushed 

 back from in front, through the fingers, or, still bet- 

 ter, looped in its proper place between the second 

 and third fingers (Fig. 142). 



If the turn is to the right, the two centre reins, 

 which are the off lead and the near wheel, are short- 

 ened by looping them together between the first 

 and second finders, and then allowing as much of 

 the wheel-rein to slip, — which it will readily do with- 



