132 DRIVING. 



be rather close to the body ; squaring the elbows causes loss of 

 power, and has a very bad appearance. Do not hold the whip 

 at the end, as is frequently done by drivers in London, but 

 hold it so that it will balance well in the hand. Beginners are 

 often inclined to keep a hard dead pull on the reins, which 

 not only wearies the hand and wrist of the driver, but spoils 

 the horse's mouth. They can only learn by practice and 

 instruction how to humour a horse's mouth, which is done by 

 what is commonly called * give and take,' thereby moving the 

 bit in the horse's mouth. Shortening the reins properly can 

 only be learnt under an instructor. The same may be said of 

 pulling up, a very important part of the knowledge necessary 

 to good driving. Some drivers or rather I should say, men 

 called drivers try to pull up with one or both hands as high 

 as their heads. Nothing can be worse than this, because if 

 they have not come to a standstill when their hands are raised 

 to their full extent, they are powerless and cannot do more; 

 the driver should be capable of pulling up with the left hand, 

 the right hand of course being ready to assist if necessary. 

 Pull up gradually, having the horses well up to their bridles 

 to the last step. 



Do not imagine that you can learn to drive really well in 

 a short time. If you wish to excel, learn from a good coach- 

 man, and pay attention to what he says , watch him carefully 

 when he drives. Drive as much as you can, for you cannot 

 expect to become proficient until you have served a sort of 

 apprenticeship, and have driven all sorts of horses, and have 

 had experience. 'Experientia docet'is very true as regards 

 driving. If you live to be eighty years old and then are able 

 to drive, you may still find you can learn something. As almost 

 all coaches are now furnished with a break, the beginner is 

 often inclined to use it whenever he wants to pull up and when 

 going down slight inclines. The break should be kept chiefly 

 for steep hills and for emergencies ; its perpetual use is likely 

 to spoil a man's driving. 



Learn the names of every strap and all parts of the harness; 



