56 Stable Servants and 



without allowing the horses to jerk or snatch, which is most 

 disagreeable and uncomfortable to those in the carriage, 

 and thoroughly understand their management in the stable. 

 No man, however willing, can attend properly to more 

 than two horses and the carriage, and if the carriage be 

 out on an average three hours a day, he will find he has 

 but little time to spare if properly turned out. The great 

 inconvenience of having only one servant is, that, on the 

 carriage coming in wet and dirty, if it be not at once 

 washed before the mud dries on, it will not only take 

 much longer to clean, but the paint and varnish suffer by 

 the mud being allowed to dry on ; while if this be done at 

 once, the horses are standing quite unattended to, at the 

 risk of taking cold, getting cracked heels, &c. 



In case of accident or illness, however, disabling one 

 horse, three or more are generally kept, in which case a 

 helper is indispensable, and the wet carriage and horses 

 can then receive proper and immediate attention. 



The coachman generally has rooms over the stable to 

 protect the property, and to be on the spot in case of 

 accident or illness to the horses, so that he lives rent free ; 

 in addition to which his average wages will be £2 per 

 week, including his livery, stable dress, coals, candles, &c. ; 

 those of a helper will vary from 15^. to £i, according to 

 his age, and the locality. Where a coachman has but one 

 horse and carriage to drive and attend to, a younger and 

 less experienced man will answer the purpose, particularly 

 in the country. In this case, as his time will not be fully 

 occupied in the stable, he may be expected and required 

 to make himself useful about the house, &c. His wages, 

 too, will average ioj. or 12s. a week less than those of a 

 superior coachman. 



The Groom. 



There are several descriptions and classes of grooms 

 employed in private stables. With the stud groom, for the 

 breaking and training of thorough-bred horses, we have 

 here nothing to do. The most important is the groom for 

 the training and management of hunters. For this pur- 

 pose he must be steady, respectable, and intelligent, and 



