Hints on Driving

by C. Morley Knight

|Do not lean forward when looping.| Be careful, when stretching out the right hand in order to take up the lead rein to loop it, not to lean the body forward, as it looks very bad, and almost invariably shows that the left hand is holding the reins too short and is too far away from the body.

It is a common fault with beginners to stretch out the left hand when looping, thus taking up a larger loop than would be necessary, if the left hand had a proper hold of the horses’ heads.

The loop once made should not be allowed to slip until the turn is completed. |Prevent wheelers cutting corners.| The right hand, having once caught up the loop, and given the leaders the office which way to turn, is then free to be used in any of the following ways: to seize both the off-side reins, if turning to the left, to prevent the wheelers from going too quickly round the corner (fig. 23); to assist them, if not turning sharply enough, by catching hold of the near-side reins; to do just the opposite if turning to the right; or finally to use the whip on either of the wheelers, by hitting the outside one to make them come round more quickly, or the inside one to prevent them cutting the corner.

FIG. 24.—OPPOSITION POINT TO THE RIGHT.

|Looping a second time, when first loop not enough.| More than one point can be made, if a large enough loop has not been taken up at first, but usually one point is sufficient, enough rein being taken up the first time to complete the turn.

Sometimes at a very sharp corner two points are necessary, as you may find that the first one is not bringing the leaders round fast enough.

|Opposition point to right.| The opposition point to the right is made by putting the near-wheel rein round the left thumb, passing it from inside from right to left, and then making the point with the off-lead rein under the forefinger (fig. 24). When once round, first let go the point of the leader, and then that of the near wheeler. |Opposition point to left.| Conversely, the opposition point to the left is made by putting the off-wheel rein under the forefinger of the left hand, and then pointing the near-lead rein under the thumb (fig. 25). In order to avoid having two reins looped up under the thumb, it seems better to use the forefinger for one of the loops and the thumb for the other; in this manner either loop can be let go separately.

FIG. 25.—OPPOSITION POINT TO THE LEFT.