CRUPPERS AND BREECHINGS. 411 



In speaking of the carnage trade he says, that 

 whereas, once upon a time, owners of carriages had 

 them built to order, now they select an unfinished 

 carriage of the form they require and have it finished 

 to suit their taste, and painted a colour they select, or 

 one they are bound to use, as it represents their family 

 colour. In speaking of the difference between light 

 and heavy carriages, the jurors of this Exhibition 

 condemn the practice of using a large horse for a 

 small light carriage as being unsafe. I cannot agree 

 with them in this respect, although too large a horse 

 in too small a carriage naturally looks out of place. 

 Heavy carriages are said to be more comfortable to 

 ride in ; this is Mr. Hooper's opinion as representing 

 the jurors. He says they are safer for horses and 

 drivers ; but I fail to understand how this can be 

 if the light ones are strong and well-made. He 

 qualifies this remark by saying that heavy carriages 

 require repairs less often, whereas light carriages are 

 constantly requiring repair ; lighter carriages follow 

 the horses more easily, and of course are less fatiguing 

 to the horses, but light carriages should be well and 

 strongly made to compensate for the want of weight 

 and bulk. These jurors condemn the practice of 

 driving; without breeching-s, but it must be remembered 

 that coach or carriage-builders are not coachmen, or 

 very rarely so ; with a powerful brake, there is no 

 objection that can reasonably be made with regard to 

 dispensing with breechings. Breechings necessitate the 

 use of cruppers, and cruppers are certainly uncomfort- 

 able and inconvenient to an animal engaged indraught; 

 when used at all, they should be strapped lightly and 

 never allowed to chafe the horse. Cruppers are 



