The colt should be led about the roads with the breaking-in tackling on, as stated in [Chapter II]., until he is used to passing objects, vehicles, &c. He should also be driven in reins, and then ridden a few times. After he has got tolerably quiet at this kind of work, some cart harness may be put on him, and he is then to be led or driven about for a couple [126] ]of days without blinkers, after which he may be driven, with the addition of a cart bridle, with blinkers, when he will be ready for a few lessons in pulling. Three or four rails or planks should be tied together, and attached by chains to the harness, of course having a stretcher or cross-bar between them. The colt is then to be led about a field with them, and after he is found to drag them tolerably quietly he should be driven instead of being led. You may keep him at this work for an hour, after which he must be unharnessed, and his shoulders bathed with an astringent cooling lotion. This should be repeated on the following day, and after that the weight of rails or timber may be gradually increased; of course this hour’s work daily is not sufficient, so besides this he may be driven about the roads in his harness for an hour or two as well, or ridden. When he has drawn light loads of timber for a week, he should be harnessed to an empty cart and taken on to a road; he may be taken two or three miles—of course at a walk—and then [127] ]turned. When on his homeward journey he may be stopped and started again occasionally, as well as being turned round every now and then. A week of this work will make him tolerably handy, and then he should be taught to back the empty cart; after having learnt which he may be made to draw small loads, and so commence to earn his living. It is a great mistake to put cart colts to draw heavy loads at first, for they are much more liable to jib if not properly broken-in than well-bred ones; and when once a cart colt has jibbed it is the most difficult thing in the world to cure him of that propensity.
As far as I am concerned I much prefer breaking-in colts, whether for heavy or light draught, without blinkers, for it is much easier and safer done. Who has not seen a horse perfectly quiet to ride but having a nervous temperament, put in harness, half-blinded by the blinkers, carrying his ears erect but continually keeping them in motion, turning them forwards, backwards, and to the side in quick [128] ]succession, his eyes having a frightened, scared expression, whilst his whole body indicates fear of something not understood? Put that same horse in harness without blinkers, thus allowing him to see what is going on, and he will be perfectly quiet and happy.
During the year 1874 light carts were debited with 572 casualties, including both killed and wounded, in London alone; whilst in 1875 the number was 741, being an increase of 169. The police report that reckless driving is on the decrease. This great discrepancy in killed and wounded during the years 1874 and 1875 is chiefly owing to the fact that tradesmen’s carts are left standing in the streets whilst the drivers are delivering their masters’ goods. The horses remain still so long as there is nothing to disturb their equanimity, but should a regimental band, a fire-engine, &c., pass by, away they go on their headlong career until some passing wheel or lamp-post overthrows them. Now, if these horses were accustomed to go without blinkers and allowed to have the [129] ]free use of their eyes as nature intended them, they would in nine cases out of ten not run away. If some object suddenly fell with a crash near them they would certainly start and move a few paces (and so would you), but having the free use of their eyes they would soon see the cause of their fright, and then understanding that no harm was intended them would become still again. Again, if a band or fire-engine is coming towards them, either from in front or from behind, they are enabled to see it, scrutinise it, and become acquainted with its nature before it nears them; but if the animal wears blinkers he hears a noise, elevates his head, moves his ears in all directions (for being unable to see he makes as much use of his sense of hearing as possible), becomes fidgety, and when the object of his fears suddenly comes within range of his diminished vision, he is very naturally terrified, and the consequence is that he runs away to avoid it. I am certain that if horses were driven without blinkers such accidents caused by running away would be [130] ]greatly diminished; it is only fashion, that bugbear of society, that causes blinkers to be an inseparable part of harness. I am sure a horse looks better without them if people would only accustom themselves to the sight. Why hide a horse’s eyes, the most expressive feature in his head? What would a lady be if her eyes were put out or hidden from view, and unable to use them as some know only too well how to do.
In concluding this chapter let me remind my readers that bearing-reins are both useless and cruel, the former because the horse cannot pull to the full extent of his power when his head is stuck up in the air, and that all attempts to alter the natural conformation of his head and neck are futile; the latter because the head and neck being kept in an unnatural and constrained position causes the animal excessive pain.
[131]
]CHAPTER VII.
THE BAROUCHE, LANDAU, AND BROUGHAM HORSE.
THE VICTORIA, T-CART, LIGHT WAGGONETTE, OR DOG-CART HORSE—THE OMNIBUS AND VAN HORSE—THE CART-HORSE—THE LINCOLNSHIRE DRAY-HORSE—THE SUFFOLK PUNCH—THE CLYDESDALE—SCOTCH BREEDERS.
[133]
]CHAPTER VII.
THE BAROUCHE, LANDAU, AND BROUGHAM HORSE.
The barouche is always drawn by a pair of horses; the landau and brougham are also pair-horse carriages, except when especially built for single harness. I shall first suppose all three of these carriages are intended to be drawn by pairs of horses. The horses required for this work are chiefly bred in Yorkshire, Lincolnshire, and Shropshire, being, as a rule, a cross between cart-mares—especially if of the Cleveland breed, now rarely met with—and the thoroughbred horse. A good horse of this sort should be lengthy, and yet have a tolerably short back; should have oblique and muscular shoulders, long, straight, and strong [134] ]quarters, besides having good knee and hock action; the head should be neat, and the neck gracefully curved and well set on. He should be deep in the girth, have a good round barrel well ribbed up, and should not be less than 16 hands high. For single harness, in a landau or brougham, the horse must have all the above points, but must besides be a heavier and larger built animal; in height he must not be less than 16 hands, nor much above that standard, for a horse which stands 16 hands 3 inches, or 17 hands high, is generally long-legged, long-backed, and weak in comparison to his height.
For the Victoria, T-cart, light Waggonette, Phaeton, or Dog-cart, a better bred horse is required; he may be nearly or quite thoroughbred, but must be of good conformation, and have good and moderately high action; in height he may be 15 hands 3 inches, or 16 hands. Norfolk supplies the best horses for this kind of work, they being strong, handsome animals, high-actioned, and fast trotters, as far as fast [135] ]trotting and high action are compatible with speed.
The Omnibus and Van-horse is rather a nondescript sort of animal, being something between a carriage-horse and that used for heavy draught. There is no distinct breed of this class of horse; but a great many of our omnibus-horses come from abroad, especially from Normandy, whilst the van-horses are chiefly chance gets, picked up here and there wherever found. Colts got by a carthorse out of a half-bred mare are very apt to develop into van-horses. An omnibus-horse should be capable of drawing a heavy load at a speed of about 8 miles an hour, whilst a van-horse should do about 6 miles in the same time.