388 COST OF COACHING CH. XVI 



Horses are sometimes trained, formerly more than 

 at present, to stand, when in harness, with their hind 

 legs stretched out. It is done to prevent the horse 

 from jumping forward when he hears or feels some 

 one stepping into the carriage, — an unpleasant trick, 

 very damaging to hats and bonnets. A horse can- 

 not do this if his hind leers are much stretched 

 out, since he must slather himself before making 

 the movement. The position is, however, an ugly 

 one for a coach-horse, and shows at once that he 

 is a carriage-horse. 



COST OF COACHING 



As to the actual cost of private coaching it is 

 difficult to give exact figures, prices vary so much 

 in different localities, but it may be said, that a well 

 turned-out coach need not necessarily add much to 

 the expenses of a good sized stable. Where four 

 horses are kept for any purpose, it is easy so to 

 select them according to the hints o-iven in the re- 

 marks on Horses, that they can be put together 

 as a team. Four horses in a stable mean, under 

 any circumstances, two men, and all that is neces- 

 sary in addition is the coach, which with its vari- 

 ous appointments can be had for less than three 

 thousand dollars. As has been remarked in the 

 Chapter on Harness, two sets of pair-horse harness, 

 properly made, are right for four horses, and thus 

 equipped, the lover of coaching can have as much 

 of it as he desires, without interfering materially 



