448 HIGHWAYS AND HORSES. 



harnesses him, and is instrumental in causing such 

 suffering, is either a demon or a fool. 



A coachman's control over his horses depends 

 entirely upon reins, bits, and bridles. A horse may- 

 kick himself free of everything else, but provided the 

 reins, the bit, and the bridle hold fast, he still has 

 some control over the animal ; but if the reins were 

 to break, there is no saying what might happen. 

 Possibly the driver, and those whom he was charioteer- 

 ing, and his team, might one or other of them be 

 killed ; and it would be as bad if any part of the bridles 

 were to break or give way, as the reins would then be 

 rendered useless. It is of the greatest importance that 

 reins should be of the best leather ; they ought, in all 

 cases, to be of single leather, as then the slightest flaw 

 or crack on either side can be easily detected ; the 

 hand-part should be made rather light, as I mentioned 

 before, and be soft and pliable. New reins are gene- 

 rally slippery ; to prevent this, they should be washed 

 in warm water, then be allowed to dry, and then 

 rubbed with powdered resin ; but I do not approve of 

 wetting leather if it can be avoided, as that very 

 slipperiness proves that the essential oil in the leather 

 has not evaporated. 



As regards bits, I do not much fancy sliding mouth- 

 pieces, as one side is apt to get up whilst the other 

 remains down ; besides which, if a bit is buckled on 

 properly and rests easily in the horse's mouth, there is 

 no need whatever to have a sliding mouthpiece. 



Bad stitching is often the cause of an accident with 

 harness ; this should be carefully seen to. Whatever 

 may be the value of four coach- horses, the style of the 

 coach, the reputation of the coach-builder and harness- 

 maker, or the skill of the coachman, a coach and four 



