390 GENTLY DOES IT. 



cure sort of business. A man runs alongside the 

 young one to encourage him, and to keep his shoul- 

 der against him if he hangs too much out of harness. 

 The pupil should be allowed to trot along without 

 feeling either pole-piece or trace, till he begins to 

 wish of his own accord to get forward ; he may then 

 be allowed to do so. So soon as he has become a 

 little steady, a mile is the most he should be driven, 

 or his shoulders will probably be scalded. This would 

 make him shy of facing the collar again, and prevent 

 a lesson next day. On coming home, the greatest 

 caution is required in taking him out. The coupling- 

 rein and inside trace must be first undone : then the 

 pole-piece and outside trace, as in putting to, and care 

 taken he does not touch any part of the break in going 

 off. If this is done, very few horses will do mischief 

 to themselves or any thing else. 



Having got home safe with our horse in double 

 harness, we will now put him or another in the single 

 break. Of course the same routine as to harnessing 

 must be gone through : he is brought with his driving 

 reins on at their proper place on the bit ; the break is to 

 be placed where it can be easily drawn off: not up- 

 hill, or on a thick straw bed. The horse is to stand 

 till he is quiet : the break is then quite noiselessly to 

 be drawn up to him, and gently let down on him. Three 

 men are quite necessary to put him in ; that is, two, and 

 the breaksman at his head. The traces, belly-band, 

 and kicking-strap must be got on as quickly but as 

 quietly as possible. The gentleman is now caught, 

 and with three men about him he cannot hurt or be 

 hurt. One thing I forgot to mention, which should 

 never under any circumstances be omitted in trying 

 a horse in single harness ; I may indeed say in double. 



