408 USE OF THE WHIP CH. XVII 



When the wind is strong from the near side of the 

 coach, or the thono- not in the best condition, the 

 turns may slip down the stick ; they may be pushed 

 back to their places by drawing the stick under the 

 thumb of the left hand, which must not be moved ; 

 but it is better to catch the thong up afresh in the 

 regular way. 



Use of the Whip. — To hit a near wheeler, the 

 hand must be somewhat advanced, and the stroke 

 delivered by turning the thumb down and the outside 

 of the hand up, striking the horse on the shoulder, 

 or as far forward as possible. For an off wheeler 

 the hand is carried forward to the right and down, 

 underhanded, the back of the hand going down and 

 the fingers up. The horse should be hit on the 

 shoulders, and with the loop of the thong parallel 

 to the. line of the pole-chains, that is, as extended 

 as possible, when the thong will be less likely to 

 catch on the point of the trace, or on the point of 

 the belly-band chape. Both of these strokes are 

 made with the loop of the thong. 



An off leader is easy to reach : the thong is 

 untwisted by swinging the whip on the right-hand 

 side and letting go the point just as the last turn 

 comes off. The unwound thong is then directed, 

 with the hand in the same position as for the off 

 wheeler, toward the hind legs of the horse below 

 his trace. It takes an extremely long thong to hit 

 a leader in front of his pad, and he should not 



