Riding and Driving

by Edward L. Anderson; Price Collier

If there is to be a change of horses, or you are in your own stable yard at the end of the journey, have your reins unbuckled, let the leaders' reins be pulled through your hands by the grooms, then throw down the wheel-reins, one on either side, or, as circumstances of space demand, retain the wheel-reins, and drive your coach where it is to stand by the wheelers alone, after the leaders are out. Above all things, do nothing in a hurry; remember that you are captain of the ship and should not leave it until everything is shipshape and in order.

Where you have but one man at your service, he should stand at the heads of the wheelers where he can hold them by their heads and the leaders by their reins. Never attempt to hold or to stop a team by running to the heads of the leaders. They cannot stop if they would, with a coach and the two wheelers pushing them from behind. Get to the heads of the wheelers and stop them, and thus, if it is not too late to do it at all, stop the whole four.

Keeping four horses up to their work, or well in hand, does not mean that they should be all, all the time, tugging at their traces. They should be kept up to their bits all the time, otherwise you have no control over them and no way of signifying your wishes to them. If you have fenced, you know how absolutely essential it is to keep in constant touch with your opponent's sword. You feel him by feeling his sword. I have seen a skilful French officer fence blindfolded with an inferior opponent, he demanding only that he should be allowed to feel his opponent's weapon at all times, except when he thrust, or parried. He could apparently divine what was coming by the feel of his opponent's rapier on his own. The feel of the bit in the horse's mouth is as important. You can guess what the horse intends to do, and the horse knows what you wish him to do. If the bit is not on his bars with a gentle pressure all the time you are driving him, you are cut off from any quick connection with him. This is what it means to have your team in hand, that is, to be in constant communication with your horses' mouths. Most beginners, owing to the weight of reins in their hands, and because their leaders are so far away, either lug on the reins, mistaking this for firmness, or they allow the reins to dangle. You should feel each horse's mouth lightly, but all the time. The lugging soon makes a puller; while the latter carelessness produces what is known as a "nigger-broke" horse, or one that is lazy and never quickly obedient to the bit.

If you are getting together a team for yourself and by yourself, therefore, it is far better to drive each horse single until you know his mouth, and then in pairs until you are quite familiar with the way they like to go best as to bits, coupling-reins, and the like. There are two classes of people who have accidents: the beginners who are rash, and the old hands who are over-confident, and hence careless. When your driving has gone smoothly for some time you take less pains, a mistake is made, and trouble follows. But even if carelessness does not result actually in accident, remember that it is bad for the horses not to be kept strictly up to the mark whenever they are driven. The horses become slovenly in their work all too quickly, if you are careless in yours.

RULES FOR JUDGING PARK DRAGS AND ROAD-COACHES, AS ADOPTED BY THE COACHING CLUB	RULES FOR JUDGING PARK DRAGS AND ROAD-COACHES, AS ADOPTED BY THE COACHING CLUB
The drag should have a perch and be less heavy than a road-coach and more highly finished, with crest or monogram on the door panels or hind boot, or foot-board.	The road-coach should be built stronger than a park drag, especially as to the under-carriage and axles, which latter should not measure less than two inches in diameter.
The axles may be either mail or collinges (not imitation).	The axles may be either mail or collinges (not imitation)
The hind seat should be supported by curved iron braces, and be of a proper width for two grooms, without lazy-back.	The hind seat is usually supported by solid wooden risers, with wooden curtain, but the supports may be of curved iron, as in a park drag, in which case a stationary leather curtain is used. Its seat should be wide enough for at least two beside the guard, who should occupy the near side with an extra cushion. He should have a strap to take hold of when standing to sound the horn.
The lazy-backs on the roof seats should be turned down when not in use.	The lazy-backs of the box-seat, hind seat, and roof seats should be stationary.
The under side of the foot-board, together with the rises, should be of the same color as the under-carriage.	The under side of the foot-board, together with the risers of the box and rumble, should be of the same color as the under-carriage.
The body of the drag and the panel of the hind boot should correspond in color.	The body of the coach and the panel of the hind boot should also correspond in color.
The door of the hind boot should hinged at the bottom, that it may be used as a table when open.	The door on the hind boot to be hinged on the off side to enable the guard to open it from the near hind step when the coach is in motion.
The skid and safety-hook (if carried) should be hung on the off side.	The skid and safety-hook must be hung on the off side in countries in in which it is customary to drive on the off side of the roadway, for the skid should be on the outside wheel or the coach will slide towards the ditch.
It is customary to trim the outside seats in either pigskinor cloth, and the inside of the drag in morocco or cloth.	The trimming of the outside seats should be of carpet or any other suitable material, not leather. The inside of the coach is usually finished in hard wood or leather.
The coachman's driving apron, when not in use, should be folded on the driving cushion, outside out. Passengers' aprons, if carried, to be folded and placed on the front inside seat.	The coachman's driving apron, when not in use, should be folded on the driving cushion, outside out.
A watch and case are not essential, nor is the pocket in the driving cushion.	A foot-board watch with case should be provided. The driving cushion should have a pocket on the near side.
There should be no luggage rails, or straps on the roof between the seats.	The iron rails on the roof, between the front and back seats, should have a lattice or network of leather straps to prevent small luggage, coats, rugs, etc., placed on the roof, from falling off.
Inside, the drag should have:— Hat straps fastened to the roof. Pockets on the doors. Places over the front or back seats where the lamps may be hung when not in use. An extra jointed whip.	Inside, the coach should have:— Hat straps fastened to the roof. Leather pockets at the sides or on the doors. An extra jointed whip.
The umbrella basket when carried to be hung on the near side.	The basket shall be hung on the near side and in front of the guard's seat. The horn should be placed in the basket with its mouthpiece up.
Lamps off.—Lamps inside coach.	Side lamps in place and ready for use.
Two extra lead bars, consisting of a main and side bar, fastened to the back of the hind seat with straps. Main bar above.	Two extra lead bars, consisting of a main and side bar, fastened to the back of the hind seat with straps. Main bar above.
Lead bars put on with screw-heads of furniture up.	Lead bars put on with screw-heads of furniture up.
The following articles to be neatly stowed inside the front boot:— A small kit of tools. An extra lead and wheel trace. A rein splicer or two double buckles of different sizes. Extra hame straps.	The following articles to be neatly stowed in a convenient part of the coach:— A wheel jack. Extra hame straps. A chain trace. Extra lead trace. An extra bit. A bearing-rein. A rein splicer, or two double buckles of different sizes. A kit of tools, comprising a wrench, hammer, cold chisel, coil of wire, punch, hoof-pick, and knife. Two extra large rings for kidney-links, or a pair of pole pieces.
Loin-cloths for team and the necessary waterproof aprons should be carried in a convenient and accessible part of the drag.	The guard should be appropriately dressed and should have a way-bill pouch with a watch fitted on one side and a place provided for the key of the hind boot.
It is usual for a park drag to be fitted with luncheon boxes, wine racks, etc., also a box on the roof called an "imperial." This latter is never carried except when going to the races or a luncheon.
Pole-chains should be burnished and have spring-hooks. The chains should be of a length which will admit of snapping both hooks into the pole headring. If too short, one end should be hooked in the pole headring and the other in a link. If too long, one end should be snapped in the pole headring, and the other brought through said ring (from the outside in) and snapped in a link.	Pole-chains should be burnished or black, but pole head and chains must be alike. Hooks should have india-rubberrings, not spring-hooks. Chains with single hooks should be put on pole-head from inside out, then passed through the kidney-link, and hooked into one of the links of the chains.
Cruppers with buckles on all horses preferred.	Cruppers on wheelers but not necessarily on leaders, unless bearing-reins are used. Trace bearers on the leaders from the hames to the tug buckles are permissible.
Loin straps and trace bearers are permissible.	No loin straps.
Face pieces (drops).	Face pieces (optional).
Martingale around the collars of wheelers and not through kidney-link alone.	Martingale around the collar and not through kidney-link alone.
Martingales on all horses.	No martingales on leaders; kidney-link rings on leaders.
Mountings of coach harness and the buttons on servants' liveries should be of the same metal.	Mountings, preferably of brass, but at least all of the same metal throughout.
Wheel traces with metal loop ends, not chains.	Wheel traces with French loop or chain ends. Chain put on roller bolt with chain out and ring in.
Wheelers' inside traces shorter than outside traces, unless the inside roller bolt is enlarged to give the same result.	Wheelers' inside traces shorter than outside traces, unless the inside roller bolt is enlarged to give the same result.
Lead traces straight or lapped, not crossed.	Lead traces lapped, crossed, or straight.
Eyes on ends of hames through which the kidney-links pass.	Hook ends to hames.
Plain kidney-links. No kidney-link rings on leaders.	Chain and short kidney-links or all chain.
Solid draught eyes on hames.	Ring draught eyes on hames.
Clip inside of trace leather, and showing rivet heads only.	One or more bearing-reins are optional.
Full bearing-reins with bit and bridoon.	Cruppers with or without buckles. Martingale back strap.
Single point strap to tug buckle.
Metal or ribbon fronts to bridles. ribbon, the color should match the livery waistcoats.	Metal or leather fronts to bridles. If leather, the color to match the color of the coach.
The crest or monogram should be on the rosettes, face pieces, winkers, pads and martingale flaps. Ribbon or colored rosettes are inappropriate.	A crest or monogram is not generally used in road work, but instead lead bars or a special device in brass is put on the winkers and rosettes.
Hame straps put on with points inside; i.e. to the off side on the near horse and the near side on the off horse.	Hame straps put on with points inside; i.e. to the off side on the near horse and the near side horse and the near side on the off horse.
Reins of single brown leather.	Reins of single brown leather.
Draught-reins sewed in one piece with end buckles only.	Draught-reins sewed in one piece with end buckles only.
Lead traces with screw-heads of the cock-eyes up.	Traces with screw-heads of the cock-eyes and chain ends up.
All parts of the harness should be double and neatly stitched.	All straps preferably of single leather.
Collars to be of black patent leather, shaped to the neck.	Collars may be of patent, plain black, or brown leather; straight, thick, and full padded.
The hames bent to fit the collar accurately.	The hames straight to fit the collar.
Harness black.—All straps should be of proper length, but not too short.	Harness black or brown.
When the owner or his representative drives, the stable shutters should be down; otherwise up.

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PLATE XXXIII.—PONY TANDEM

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