DRIVING WORKING HORSES. 813 



would in sucli a case lose more in wind than they would 

 gain in impetus. If possible, go moderately up every hill 

 without stopping, recollecting that it is much harder to 

 start a load against a hill, than it is to keep it in motion 

 after it is started. At the top of every difficult hill, eithei 

 stop the team or let them walk slowly for a few rods, until 

 they have recovered from the effects of the extra exertion. 



Sixth. — At all times, and especially in difficult places, or 

 when first starting with a heavy load,- the driver should 

 carefully avoid exciting his team by crossness or impatience, 

 but should hold them steadily by the bit, and talk to them 

 in a quiet and determined manner, endeavoring to keep 

 them cool and resolute, pulling evenly and steadily until 

 they start their load, without making a sudden jump at it, 

 as many nervous horses are inclined to do. Such a move- 

 ment is very likely to disconcert the other horses, and it 

 exhausts the strength more than ten times the effort prop- 

 erly expended. 



Seventh. — In descending a hill, especially if there be no 

 brealc or drag on the wheels, the team should be so held 

 back that the wagon never gets an increasing speed, and 

 the pole should be kept in an exact line with, and not 

 diagonally across, the wagon. 



Eighth. — The team should never be so hardly driven as 

 to become llown (where it is possible to avoid it), noi 

 should they ever be allowed to become indolent, or care- 

 less in their gait. They should always be active and will- 

 ing, but never impatient to do more than is clearly within 

 their powers. 



A road team, well kept, and driven according to the 

 above directions, will last longer, keep in better condition, 

 and do more work than horses managed by the ordinary 

 system, and in the hands of persons who are either not 

 able or not willing to give any thought to the matter. 

 14 



