Hints on Driving

by C. Morley Knight

The ordinary rein used by the Artillery Driver on his off horse will do equally well. This consists of a long rein buckled to the outside of the bit, and a short coupling piece to the inside. If a horse pulls very hard and tries to get in front of the other horse, either of these reins will bring all the pull on to his bit and keep him in his place.

|Fitting coupling reins.| The leaders’ coupling reins should not be made too long or else the horses’ tails may get fixed in them—a position from which it will be found that they are extricated with difficulty. The buckles should come to within six or eight inches of the top of the leaders’ tails, which allows plenty of room for taking up or letting out these reins.

|To prevent buckle of coupling rein getting fixed in terret.| Have a runner fixed about a foot below the buckle on the rein, through which the coupling should be passed; this will prevent any chance of the buckle getting through the terret. Messrs. Whippy and Steggall of London have invented another simple device to prevent this danger occurring. They place a short steel plate, about five inches long, covered with leather, and the same width as the reins, between the rein and the coupling. One end has a hole which passes through the tongue of the buckle, and the other has a runner on it, through which the coupling passes, so as to admit of this rein being altered. They also place two keepers on the rein just below the buckle. By this means the steel plate would be drawn across the terret and the buckle could not possibly get through. For the fitting of coupling reins the reader must refer to Chapter III.

|To prevent wheelers cutting corners.| In order to prevent the wheel horses from rushing too quickly round a corner, which they very often try to do, it is usual to catch hold either of both off or near-side reins with the right hand, on the opposite side to which you are turning, after having looped.

When looping a wheel rein for the opposition point, take hold of the off rein from outside, but the near rein from above the two off reins.

|Keep tight hold of horse’s head when hitting him.| When striking a horse be careful to keep a tight hold of him, as the whole effect of the punishment will be lost if the reins are slack or are allowed to slip.

|Buckles of wheel reins should be close to hands.| The buckles of the wheelers’ reins should be well within reach, but should not be so far up as to come into the hand when going down a steep hill or when pulling up. A foot from the hand when the horses are in draught will be found to be about right.

|Cruppers unnecessary except with bearing-reins.| Cruppers will be found quite unnecessary as a general rule, more especially on the leaders, but if bearing-reins are used, it is almost imperative to have them on, in order to prevent the pads being pulled forward on to the withers, and so galling the horses.

Be careful not to have any spare end of the crupper-strap hanging loose, or the lead rein will be apt to get caught in it, and give trouble. For this reason it is a good plan to have the cruppers made martingale fashion, as they have no spare ends, and only one runner is required.

|Reins should be of equal thickness.| Both lead and wheel reins should be exactly the same width and thickness, and should on no account be short. This is extremely dangerous, as they might be easily dropped. It is much better to have them very long, but about two or three feet of spare rein will usually be found sufficient.