The Harness Horse 



driver excessive speed. There is no possibility 

 of escaping the conclusion that high speeds on 

 public roads are, and must be, dangerous, not only 

 because they frighten horses, but because they 

 alarm drivers, and cause them to lose their heads. 

 But the motor car will not be an entirely useless 

 scourge if it teaches people the necessity of more 

 careful and more skilful driving. Half the accidents 

 arise from want of skill in the driver. Most people 

 who go on to the roads in carriages depend far 

 more on the quietness of the horse than on the 

 skill of the driver. But a horse being an individual, 

 and a bundle of nerves into the bargain, is liable 

 to sudden outbreaks and quite unexpected accesses 

 of fear or temper. To me this is part of his charm, 

 and there is in truth very little danger with a 

 properly trained and skilful driver on the box. 

 Yet it is true that the large number of people 

 who hold the reins have but a very moderate 

 amount of skill to divide between them. The 

 moral of this is, that we ought to learn to drive. 

 I would advocate this, not only on the ground 

 of the safety to ourselves and others, but also 

 on the ground of pleasure. A great many people 

 have to drive, but how many are there who regard 

 it as a sport and a science to be enjoyed and to 

 be learned ? I am not particularly nervous with 

 horses, but I profess that it is seldom I am so 

 much frightened as when sitting alongside a man 

 of whose coachmanship I am not sure. 

 D 49 



