The harness-horse, it is to be remembered, is always under control, and just to feel no restraining hand is in and of itself enough to upset him. Very few horses if restrained in time can get away with a fairly strong man, but no man living can stop two, or even one, much less four horses, once they get the jump on him and a good galloping start. The important thing is to keep such watch and ward that the horse gets no chance to get even one jump before he is pulled up, and that means ceaseless vigilance. If you have had accidents,—and if you have ridden or driven much, you have had accidents,—you will recall that the cause was unexpected, and things happened just at that particular fraction of a second when you were off your guard. In teaching any one to drive, particularly children, this point cannot be too much emphasized. The eyes, so to speak, should be in the boat, or in equine parlance on the horse, the whole livelong time,—from the moment you take up the reins till some one has the horse's head at the end of the journey. Lacking this fundamental axiom of all driving, everything else goes for nothing.
The whip should be used smartly and for a purpose, or not at all. It is best to hit your horse forward of his pad or saddle, except where in tandem or four-in-hand driving the leaders should be hit on the hind legs, under, not above, the trace. Never, in any kind of driving, use your whip with the rein in the same hand as the whip. To hit a horse with the whip, and to jab him in the mouth at the same time, renders both signals incomprehensible.
The reins should never be flopped about on the horse's back in lieu of the whip. This jabs the mouth, confuses the horse, and puts him not only to confusion, but out of your direct control. The connection between hand and bit should never be cut off while the horse is in motion, any more than you should unship your rudder while sailing a boat. Do not turn corners too fast nor too soon. When the hub of your front wheel is opposite the corner you are to turn, even if you be too close on that side, there is little danger of hitting even with the hind wheel. Above all things, look where you are going and watch your horse! In any sport where the pleasure and safety of others are in your keeping, to show off or to take risks is unpardonable and dangerous folly.
"Form," of which we hear so much in relation to driving, is here as everywhere else either rational or ridiculous. Form is rational when it is the proper clothing of an idea; form is ridiculous when it is merely an idea of proper clothing. When you dress comfortably, and sit securely, and hold the reins firmly and lightly, you drive in good form because you are obeying the well-thought-out laws of the sport. When you merely copy the externals without knowing why, you are ridiculous. This is the whole secret of form. One is matter, the other is merely manner. One is rational, the other ridiculous.
CHAPTER XII
DRIVING ONE HORSE
Once you have a horse and know something of his make-up inside and out, and have housed him properly, and bought his harness and learned something of its use, the next thing is to make the connection, first between the horse and the vehicle, and then between yourself and the horse.