150 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



have experienced the advantage. Tandems are rarely seen 

 now ; but those v^ho still drive a leader generally attach 

 his traces to an eye in the traces of the shaft-horse: this 

 looks better, but is not so safe as the old-fashioned way of 

 hooking them to the end of the shaft. By the first plan, the 

 stamblin-g of the shaft-horse is aggravated into a decided 

 fall, for the animal is actually pulled down by the continued 

 motion of the leader ; by the old plan, the shaft-horse is 

 allowed time to recover a casual trip, and is even assisted ; 

 the weight of the carriage being relieved by the shafts being 

 retained by the leader's traces in a horizontal position. 

 The greatest danger in tandem-driving arises from the 

 stumbling of the shaft-horse ; it therefore follows that if 

 either of the team is distrusted in his feet or legs, he should 

 be driven leader." 



No man, if he can help it, should ever buy a mare for 

 harness; no dependence whatever can be placed upon them; 

 they may be temperate and steady for months, or even 

 years, and yet when the season arrives, will kick your 

 chaise to pieces. "I drove a little mare for nearly a year 

 with the galloway that I have just been mentioning; the 

 foUov/ing spring she kicked herself out of harness three 

 times in the course of as many weeks. Purchasers are 

 often tempted by their inferior price — a mare, cceteris 

 paribus, being generally five or ten pounds less valuable 

 than a gelding ; but they forget that it is this very capri- 

 ciousness of character that reduces their value, because it 

 unfits them for the collar." 



It can scarcely be necessary to remind a purchaser that 

 any scar on the shoulders, or even under the tail, should 

 lead to a suspicion of tenderness in these parts, not very 

 consistent with length of service in harness ; and in the 

 same way that a blemished hock should excite a doubt 

 whether the splinter-bar is not equally damaged. If it can 

 be managed, it would be prudent to see a horse driven in 

 his master's trap, were it only to take the opportunity of 

 observing whether the dashing iron or the floor retains 

 marks of the shoe, or has been recently repaired in order to 

 efface them. 



Here is one more of the experiences of the author of 

 " Caveat emptor." " I once was trying a harness horse in 

 company with his owner, but not in his owner's chaise ; I 

 had no suspicions, for 1 was to receive a warranty of * sound 



