COACHING 



with them is necessary, and " fresh " horses should 

 go on the road after three weeks' handHng ; they 

 will fall away a little, but they will quickly get 

 their flesh back. By the way, be sure that all 

 collars are especially fitted, and that they set very 

 snugly at first, as horses' necks and shoulders are 

 bound to shrink. 



A public coach-horse cannot wear too little 

 harness : bridle, collar and hames for leaders (with 

 or without trace-bearers, for they do not do much 

 good), wheelers the same, with the addition of 

 pads and breastplates. No cruppers need be 

 used at wheel if the pads are provided with very 

 thick, broad, and long housings of the heaviest 

 felt. This will prevent the pad from cutting the 

 withers when tipped forward by the up-draft of 

 the reins to the hands ; and in fact it will not 

 so " tip up " if properly girthed, unless by chance 

 some leader pull hard, not usually a permanent 

 feature of a hard working, properly bitted horse. 

 This reduces your trappings to first principles, 

 indeed, and with a spare check-rein or two, an 

 odd port bit, an " all round nose " band, and a 

 jaw strap, etc., you are fairly well provided so far 

 as essentials go; rein and trace-splices, spare reins, 

 etc., of course you will have also. A leader 

 16 241 



