98 DRIVING. 



is required is sufficient strength, combined with perfect plain- 

 ness, simplicity, and neatness ; there should, therefore, be no 

 trace-bearers or ' lion-straps,' as they are sometimes called ; no 

 drops with crests on the forehead, no cloths under the pads ; 

 while caps with crests on the top of the collars look clumsy on 

 light harness. The reins should be of good tan colour, no 

 black coupling ends or white hand-pieces, but the ordinary tan 

 rein from end to end ; the coupling reins should be long, the 

 buckles coming to within eighteen inches of the hands when 

 the horses are going. They should be flat round reins are 

 not safe and all buckles should be oblong, not rounded off at 

 the end which the tongue lies on ; for if they are they will soon 

 wear out the traces, reins, or whatever else they are used with. 

 The blinkers should be nearly square, with just the corners 

 slightly rounded off; the pads should be light, narrow, and 

 flat not pitched upon high stuffing and must be made to fit 

 the backs accurately ; when put on they must be buckled firmly 

 (not tightly), so as not to sway about ; their sitting closely will 

 add to their good appearance and prevent sore backs. The 

 necessity for perfectly well-fitting collars has been already 

 pointed out. 



Whips to a four in-hand coachman are what a good fly-rod 

 is to a fisherman ; they should be perfectly balanced, made of 

 well- seasoned holly, yew, or blackthorn (the latter being the 

 most difficult to get), the stick as nearly five feet long as 

 possible, and the thong ten feet. 1 The stick should be pliable, 

 not stiff, yet strong enough to use in a gale of wind, and the 

 thong made of the best horse-hide to match the weight and 

 strength of the stick. Many of the whips sold in the shops are 

 too long in the stick, and will be found to exceed the measure- 

 ment here suggested as the best. Until the novice has acquired 

 a certain amount of proficiency in ' catching ' his whip and in 

 using it, there is no harm in his having his thong slightly heavy 



1 If the stick is five feet long, nine feet six inches is ample length for the 

 thong. Indeed, ten feet I consider better. Double the length of the stick and 

 no whipcord point B. 



