10. He will not, when Airing his Horses, play tricks with them, gallop them against other Horses for a Pint and a Pipe, or leap them over places that may stake them or spoil them.
11. He will not, to save his attendance in the Stable, fill the rack to the top with Hay, and the Manger to the brim with Oats, so as to occasion either being wasted; nor, to save his trouble, let the dirty litter stand under a Horse the whole day.
12. He will not, when he is to carry his Master’s Great Coat in a strap behind him, wrap his own Coat up in it, or leave his Master’s Coat outwards to get Wet, in case it should Rain.
13. He will not, when he comes to an Inn, after a hard day’s Journey, in cold and dirty weather, leave his Horses to a Stable Boy, to splash them up to their bellies, in Water, in order to wash them; suffer them to drink their fill, and then gallop them full speed a mile to warm them, whilst he is indulging himself with Purl and Hot Pot by the Kitchen Fire, although “Some Grooms are quite as curious in providing good Cheer for Themselves as they are for their Horses,” says the Sieur Sollysell, in his Compleat Horseman, fol. p. 110. 1717.
14. He will not, if his Horse drops a Shoe, gallop him as hard as he can to the next Smith, to the danger of his feet, but will travel on gently.
15. He will not, if he wants to spend an hour at an Ale-house, go out with an old Girth or Stirrup Leather in his hands, under pretence of getting it mended.
Coachmen have generally some spare hours, and would do wisely to learn a business at which they could work during such leisure;—such provident diligence would, in a few years, enable them to ride Inside instead of Outside of a Coach:—perhaps the most useful Trade they could take to would be that of a Sadler, a Shoemaker, or a Carpenter.
COACHMAN’S TOOLS.
Our friend Mr. Jarvis assures us, that an experienced Coachman, who understands the care of a Carriage, can do many little Jobs, just as well as a Coachmaker, and can soon save his Employer not only the cost of the following things, but rectify several trifling derangements, which, if adjusted immediately, will prevent many heavy Repairs.—The shaking of the Carriage frequently loosens Bolts, Nuts, &c., which, if not immediately attended to, the Wood and Iron work soon suffers great injury; therefore, desire your Coachman to tell you the moment that he discovers any Repair to be wanting, or there appears any probability that any part is likely soon to break.