THE COACH-HOUSE, HARNESS-ROOM, ETC. 99 



in proportion to the stick ; while, if the latter has a convenient 

 knot just below the quill, his maiden attempts at catching his 

 whip will be facilitated. A very little soft soap rubbed on the 

 thong will make it rather more pliable and easy to manage ; but 

 when some progress has been made, these aids to beginners 

 should be promptly dispensed with. A few leather points should 

 always be carried, which can easily be plaited on ; nothing 

 is so bad, especially in wet weather, as whipcord. A jointed 

 whip, strapped on a board, should also be kept in every coach. 

 Single and pair-horse whips are sometimes made of other 

 materials, but the holly, yew, and blackthorns are best. They 

 are made in all sorts and sizes, suitable to every purpose. 



DRIVING APPLIANCES : POLES, POLE-CHAINS, POLE- 

 HEADS, POLE-PIECES, RELEASING-GEAR, AND TRACE- 

 BOLTS. 



Poles must, of course, be made of the very best well- 

 seasoned ash, not the slightest flaw being allowed, or else some 

 fearful accident sooner or later is sure to occur. In most 

 private pair-horse carriages they are made much too long, and 

 this only impairs their strength. It is not, however, of so 

 much importance as in a coach, where a long pole necessitates 

 the leaders being put to too far from their work, which not 

 only decreases their motive power, but also gives them a better 

 chance of snapping the pole should any accident occur. The 

 average length of a coach-pole should be from ten feet eight 

 inches to ten feet ten inches. 



The best pole-chains are those one end of which is fastened 

 to a langet frequently called a bridle which slips over the 

 end of the pole-hook, and fits into its place at the end of the 

 polehead, the other end of the pole-chain having a long hook. 

 This langet being continually on the move, keeps the horses' 

 shoulders fresh ; whereas the fixed langet, to which the pole- 

 chains are fastened by rivets and nuts, gives no play at all, and 

 is also dangerous, insomuch that nuts and rivets must wear 

 in time. When a nut gets loose the pole-chain drops off, and 



H 2 



