386 THE HORSE 



In the arrangement of the coupHng-reins Hes the comfort 

 and much of the art of driving. If one horse is free and the 

 other sluggish, or if one is faster than the other, the one 

 requires more holding than its comrade, to whom possibly 

 the whip may have to be applied. It is necessary therefore 

 that the reins should be so arranged that pressure is applied 

 to the free and fast horse, whilst the mouth of the other 

 is still untouched. This is accomplished by buckling the 

 inner rein of the lively horse a hole or two nearer the 

 driver's hand than that of the other, thus shortening 

 the hold upon it. In this way the slow, sluggish horse 

 may be forced to take up its fair share of the work. 



When putting a pair of horses into harness, place the 

 horses alongside the pole and then buckle the pole-pieces ; 

 they are thus fastened to the carriage, but cannot draw it 

 if anything should suddenly startle them. Next attach the 

 outside reins, and knotting them up, hang them over one 

 of the pads. There is now a means of controlling the 

 animals if needed. Then slip the traces over the roller 

 bolts, and finally adjust the pole-straps to the right length, 

 and buckle the coupling reins to the bits. 



In taking the animals out of the carriage these processes 

 are reversed, for the same reasoning, only the reins are 

 unbuckled at the commencement, for the horses are likely 

 to move away from the pole as soon as the traces are 

 loosened, and if they are still held fast by the coupling- 

 reins they may get into a tangle. 



First unbuckle the pole-straps, but do not unfasten them. 

 Next undo the coupling-reins. Then remove the traces 

 from the roller bolts and take the horses clear away from 

 the carriage. If bearing-reins are used they should not be 

 fastened to the pad-hooks until the horses are in their places 

 alongside the carriage, and they should be unhitched before 

 the horses are led away. 



The Driver's Seat. 



The height of the driver's seat should be proportioned to 

 the length of his legs ; it must be sufhciently high for him 



