A PROFESSIONAL OPINION. 335 



possible, that although he have the courage of a lion, 

 the gentleness of a lamb, the speed of a race-horse, 

 and the intelligence of a hunter, he will remain in 

 his lowly sphere, and never rise above it, although out 

 of the corners of his eyes he may see in stylish coaches 

 or smart carriages, animals vastly inferior to himself. 



Without doubt there are many good horses in light 

 carts, hansom cabs, and omnibuses, which, if well fed, 

 well groomed, and well ridden, with proper prepara- 

 tion, would hold their own in the stiffest of Leicester- 

 shire runs, even though it were from Waterloo Gorse, 

 with a burning scent breast-high, and with a straight fox. 

 No one knows ; for was not the Godolphin Arab 

 bought out of a water-cart in Paris, and in him did 

 not the English thorough-bred originate ? 



But to return to the subject of coaching. In the 

 Carriage- Builders Gazette there appeared the follow- 

 ing account of a meet of the Coaching Club on May 

 14th, 1887 : 



" Many of the teams are described as small phaeton 

 horses ; the foot-boards are complained of as being 

 too low ; it was remarked that the harness was brass- 

 mounted ; the top hame-straps in many cases looked 

 shabby, the tail of the strap flopping about or twisted 

 up into a little knot of marked inelegance ; we did not 

 see any of the newly-patented top hame-chains on 

 the teams as expected, which give such a prominent 

 finish to a good harness ; there were a great many 

 bearing-reins, which, although they may control high- 

 couraged, restive animals, are not wanted at actual 

 work, particularly on a journey. Curb bits were 

 general, and there were nose-nets used with two or 

 three pullers ; they did not look well, but until a light, 

 easy bit to stop a pulling horse is invented, they are 

 the most effective contrivances yet adopted." 



