330 OTHER METHODS OF HOLDING THE REINS CH. XIV 



before mentioned, a near wheeler dislikes having 

 the thong hanging against him, in which case it must 

 be disposed of by standing it, with its butt on the 

 ground, behind, and leaning against, the lamp iron 

 on the off side of the coach. 



At a change, it is usually kept in the hand, unless 

 the coachman assists with the horses. 



Other Methods of Holding the Reins. — The 

 method of holding the reins and of fingering, thus 

 far described, may be properly called the EnglisJi 

 method, since, with slight variations, it is that which 

 has been in use in England for at least a century, 

 the only essential change having been the substitu- 

 tion of the lone wheel-rein for the short one, de- 

 scribed on p. 229. Although this method is accepted 

 as the best, there are others which should be noticed. 



Fig. 147. FULL HAND. 



In what is called the 'full hand,' Fig. 147, the 

 order of the reins is the same as in the Enolish 

 method, but instead of there being- two reins be- 



