206 THE HORSE. 



need but appeal to his various and ample instruc- 

 tions, and to the fact that he was entrusted during a 

 considerable length of time, with the driving and care 

 of a public coach running the western road. I refer 

 the reader, in the first instance, to the Magazine 

 itself, availing myself subsequently, of the liberty to 

 make selections sufficiently extensive for my purpose. 



Before me lies a number of the Sporting Magazine, 

 for July, 1827. The following preliminary observa- 

 tions and instructions (p. 157) are strictly and prac- 

 tically useful, and too important not to be given toti- 

 dem verbis. " Before a coachman gets upon the box 

 he should walk round his horses heads and see that 

 his curb chains and coupling reins are right, and, 

 above all things, that the tongues of his billet buckles 

 are secure in their holes. Many bad accidents have 

 arisen from the want of this precaution, and I set 

 down no man as a scientific, or even a safe coachman, 

 who does not see to these things. 



" A graceful, at the same time a firm seat on his 

 box, is a great set off to a coachman. He should sit 

 quite straight towards his horses, with his legs well 

 before him, and his knees nearly straight, with the 

 exception of a pliant motion of his loins on any jolt- 

 ing of his coach ; his body should be quite at rest, 

 and particularly so when he hits a horse. In handling 

 the ribbands also as little motion of the arms should 

 be observed as the nature of the act will admit ; the 

 reins should be shifted, when necessary, with almost 

 as gentle a motion as if he was sorting a hand of 

 cards at whist, and, apparently, with as little diffi- 

 culty. 



