CRUPPER AND BREECHING. 159 



purpose of keeping the tugs and shafts down in 

 their places, and also, in a two-wheeled carriage, it 

 prevents the shafts from flying up when, any undue 

 weight being placed on the hinder part of the 

 carriage, the latter is thrown out of balance. 



The belly-band should be fitted loosely, so as to 

 allow free play to the shafts. 



The ' Tilbury ' tug is a great improvement on the 

 old-fashioned loop-tug, because whereas in the 

 latter the shafts require to be pushed through, in 

 the former they can be at once laid in their places. 

 The crupper is fastened to a D in the cantle 

 of the saddle, and there is a loop left between its 

 leathers for the loin-strap of the breeching to pass 

 through. 



The breeching is used for the purpose of assisting 

 the horse to keep the carriage back when going 

 down hill, and is buckled on to the breeching-stops, 

 which are fixed on the shafts for this purpose. 

 When a horse is standing still on level ground the 

 loin-straps of the breeching should hang straight 

 down on both sides, the quarter-strap being well 

 clear of the horse's quarters. 



I need hardly make mention of the traces further 

 than to remark that they must be as good of their 

 kind as possible. It is a wise plan to carry a spare 

 trace when driving. It may never be required, 



