88 A MAllE UF IIONUUK. 



had, as a very young one, three or four milling 

 matclies in single harness, for then I cared little what 

 I drove ; but as I found I always came off second 

 best in body or pocket, I took to kicking-straps, mean 

 to continue them, and recommend my friends to do 

 the same. I have heard it said by good judges that 

 they sometimes make a horse kick. I will not dis- 

 pute the fact : they may sometimes do so, or make 

 him disposed to do it ; but I have a vague opinion of 

 my own that it is better a horse should attempt to do 

 mischief half a dozen times without being able to 

 effect it in any serious way, than he should once 

 effectually save the coachmaker the trouble of taking 

 a gig to pieces. I only reason from my own experi- 

 ence and practice. Since I used kicking-straps, I 

 have never paid eighteenpence for repairs from 

 kicking : yet within a few months past I drove for 

 a year a fast mare, avIio woidd always kick if she 

 had a chance given her, and did attempt it con- 

 stantly ; but my strap always kept her down so as to 

 prevent mischief. I was recommended to do away 

 with it, and was assured she would then not attempt 

 it ; but I did not think proper to trust to her honour. 

 The person who advised me to do so bought her, and 

 she repaid his confidence by doing what I told him 

 she would do, kicking his gig to atoms. She was not 

 to blame ; on the contrary, she was a perfectly 

 honourable mare; she always promised, as far as 

 dumb show could promise, that she would kick if she 

 could, and I never knew her break her word, nor did 

 she with him. 



The guarding against the probability of getting 

 into difficulties or danger I consider the first duty of 

 a coachman ; the knowing what is likely to lead to 



