CH. XXIV MEETS OE COACHES 5 1 7 



horses led out of the way. The coach is then run 

 forward to its place by hand, the grooms of other 

 coaches usually assisting, until it is as close to the 

 rails or rope of the enclosure as is desired. On sod, 

 or on ground which is known to be soft, it is well to 

 have, in the coach, four small pieces of board, which 

 can be quickly laid down in front of each wheel be- 

 fore the coach is brought to its final position ; the 

 wheels run on these boards and are thereby pre- 

 vented from sinking in the ground, which, from the 

 movement caused by those who get up and down on 

 the coach, they will be likely to do, with the result 

 that it will be difficult to move the wheels out of these 

 deep ruts when the time comes to start for home. 



While one man holds the horses, the other one 

 pushes the pole under the centre of the coach, so 

 that its point comes under the splinter-bar ; then, 

 hooking the chains together, he hangs up the head 

 of the pole by passing the chains over the roller- 

 bolts, and lays the lead-bars on top of the splinter- 

 bar, as shown in Plate XXXIV. He then takes 

 the halters and horse clothing out of the front boot 

 and assists the other man in leading the horses to 

 where they are to be put up. 



Even for a short stop at a race or at a game, it is 

 dangerous to keep the horses attached to the coach ; 

 people become interested in the spectacle ; the 

 grooms often forget themselves, and if the horses 

 start suddenly, any one standing erect on the coach 

 is liable to be thrown off with serious injury. 



