462 CHANGES CH. XIX 



is the reason for having the point, and not the 

 buckle, on the near side reins. 



The horse-keeper remains at the heads of the 

 leaders ; the coachman gathers up his reins, buckling 

 them and adjusting them to the proper length (see 

 p. 286), and, taking his whip, gets up. He should 

 glance rapidly over his horses to see that all is right, 

 and especially that the coupling-reins are crossed, and 

 that the draught-reins are outside and not inside, 

 adjust his apron, take off the brake, and, nodding 

 to the man at the horses' heads, start off as quietly 

 as possible. 



Horses are more apt to give trouble in starting 

 from a change-place than when they are leaving the 

 office at the beginning. In a quick change they 

 know that they are to go the moment that they are 

 put-to, and it is usually necessary to let them go 

 promptly, or they will fret and balk. For this rea- 

 son, the men should be instructed to move aside 

 quickly, well out of the way, and since there usually 

 is, or should be, plenty of room, the horses cannot 

 do any harm. 



The change should never take more than three 

 minutes ; it can be easily done in two minutes if 

 every man knows his business. 



For a very quick change, if there is room enough 

 and there are men enough, the wheelers of the 

 chanee should be waitino-, one on each side of the 

 road, in such places that they will be abreast of the 

 coach when it stops. The leaders coupled together 



