HINTS TO BEGINNERS. 121 



the sides of the wheelers' blinkers or throat-lash, the head 

 terrets being very seldom used nowadays (except for parade 

 purposes, or if a leader is in the habit of getting his tail over 

 his rein), which is a most decided improvement, as far as com- 

 fort goes, to both man and horse, though it may not be so im- 

 posing a fashion ; for, unless a wheeler is tightly borne up, every 

 time he throws his head up or down he gives a very disagree- 

 able check to the leaders' mouths and to the coachman's hands. 



A very useful plan to prevent leaders' tails getting over the 

 reins (of course seldom, if ever, used in private coaches, 

 because it is not a pretty one, but one that it is always well to 

 be acquainted with, should flies or other annoyances make 

 them swing them a bit too gaily) is, just about half-way 

 between the couplings of the leader's draught rein and the head 

 terret of the wheeler on same side, to stitch on a plain ring, 

 pass the other leader's rein through this ring, and then, instead 

 of running the leaders' reins outside the wheelers' heads, run 

 them through the terrets on the inside, then through the top or 

 guiding terret on the wheelers' pads. The reins will then come 

 up to the hand as usual, but the ring on the leaders' reins will 

 keep them away from (because they will be inside of) their 

 tails, and prevent them getting their tails over. By putting the 

 ring nearer to the leaders' coupling buckle, suppose it to be 

 the near-side rein, it pulls the off-leader's, should he be the 

 delinquent, quite away from his quarters altogether and ensures 

 a certain amount of safety. Having, however, so to say, an 

 extra lever to pull at, it makes it harder work driving, but is a 

 good and simple method to prevent frequent stoppages and 

 possibly an occasional accident. 



The breadth 1 of the reins is also a matter of much importance 

 and a good deal of controversy. Some coachmen, especially 

 those of the old school, maintain that an inch wide, tolerably 

 thick, is the proper measurement, while more go in for reins 



1 The breadth of the reins for comfort in driving must depend on the length 

 of the coachman's fingers ; that which is comfortable to a long-fingered man is. 

 positive agony to one with short fingers. B. 



