How to take up Reins.
The most difficult thing for a beginner to learn is how to start the horses properly, and how to pull up well. It is absolutely necessary always to see that the horses and harness are in their proper places, and the horses correctly bitted, as anything being out of place may easily cause a serious accident. Avoid keeping the horses waiting once they are ready to start. Go to the off-side wheeler and take the reins first in the left hand, the first finger between the lead reins and the middle finger between the wheel reins, take them gently so as not to touch the horses' mouths, then pull out a good piece of the off reins, so that the buckles and splicings may be about level when you are seated. Transfer the reins to the right hand, the middle finger between the lead and the third finger between the wheel reins, get on the box, and sit down immediately, so as to avoid being jerked off should the horses start suddenly. Then transfer the reins back to the left hand. All reins do not have the splicing quite in the same place, but as a rule the buckles and splicing will be about level. Gently feel the wheelers' mouths and then the leaders', the latter should be standing away from the bars. The near wheel rein may be a trifle shorter than the off, as this is the most difficult one to take up in a hurry. Be sure that the leaders have plenty of head room when starting, otherwise they will be likely to jib. Though the wheelers should start the coach, if any one of the horses is inclined to jib he should not be allowed to feel the weight of the coach when moving off. Once started the lead reins can easily be shortened a trifle. Take the whip in the right hand, and drop the left hand well to the horses just as they start, and then bring it back to its proper place. Be careful when dropping the left hand not to bend forward and lean over the reins; nothing looks worse. The proper position of the left hand is about level with the waist, the elbow close to the side, the wrist well bent, and the fingers and thumb turned towards the body, in fact practically the same as for driving a single horse or pair, but as the driver is higher over the horses and the weight of the reins is greater the hand will probably be a trifle lower.
Position of Hands and Reins.
The horses must be continually watched so as to see that each is doing his fair share of the work and that the team is absolutely straight, otherwise it will be quite impossible to get through the traffic or to turn corners properly. It is best always to shorten reins by pushing them through from the front, but at first the beginner will find it very difficult. If the team is not going straight it can generally be put right by either shortening or lengthening the two middle reins—the off lead and the near wheel—these being the two easiest to alter, being together. Of course sometimes only one rein may be wrong, and if that is the case it should immediately be either pulled out or pushed through, or three reins may be too long, and then it is very often found convenient to lengthen the short one, and then put the right hand on the reins some inches in front of the left and slide the left hand up to it. Shortening the reins by this method looks far more workmanlike than by pulling them through the left hand from behind, and it does not jerk the horses in the mouth.
A team should always be kept well in hand, and a steady though light pressure maintained on their mouths. If a horse is found to be pulling or boring, he should be differently bitted at once, as every horse must be well under control. Before turning a corner be sure that all the mouths are felt, slacken the pace slightly, and then point the leaders in the direction and make the wheelers follow them round. A loop has to be made in the reins as the horses must not turn together, but the wheelers after the leaders. The point or loop is made by placing the right hand on the lead rein of the side to which the turn is being made, some distance in front of the left hand, this depends on the size of the turn and whether the leaders answer quickly, the rein must then be brought back to the left hand and placed under the thumb, which forms a loop and leaves the right hand free either to hit the wheelers or be put on the reins to steady the horses. When the leaders are round the corner the loop can be allowed to slide gradually through the hand, but should never be let go all at once. In bringing back the loop to the left hand, the leaders must be watched so as to tell exactly how much rein is required to be taken up, to make them turn as desired. Free horses that have been going in the lead for some time, especially if they know the road well, will only require a very small loop. Horses too, that have been in the wheel long are apt to cut the corners very short, as the wheeler on the side on which the turn is being made, recognises the sign of the leaders being about to turn, by feeling the lead rein shortened at the side of his head.
In those cases what is called the opposition point is made use of. For instance, turning to the right the near wheel rein is looped over the thumb, and the off lead is looped under the first finger, to the left the off-wheel rein is looped under the first finger, and the near lead under the thumb. This is by far the easiest way of making the opposition point, as by this means either loop can be let out by itself if necessary. Be careful when taking up a loop never to let the left hand go forward to meet the right. The right hand should always bring the rein back to the left hand. By turning the left hand towards one, the near reins get shortened, and by turning it outwards, away from one, the off reins get tightened. A great deal can be done by giving the hand. Again a slight curve to either side, not a sharp turn, may be accomplished by placing the right hand on the lead reins and one wheel rein. For instance if an incline to the right were being made, the right hand would take hold of the lead reins and the near wheel. In London, when the wood and asphalt are greasy, it is best to drive slowly, as a coach is fairly heavy and not easy for the horses to stop, in spite of the assistance given by the brake. Going through the traffic the bars should always chatter, which means that the leaders should not be doing their full share of the work, when turning, they should be quite out of draught otherwise the pole would most probably be snapped. Some coaches have a foot brake, and this is very useful, especially in traffic when a lady is driving and has to pull up suddenly, and at the same time it saves the horses' legs greatly, though it does not do to make too frequent use of it. It is best for a lady to have someone sitting on the "brake seat," to put on the brake for going down steep hills, but this person should never touch the brake till he is told to do so, as only the driver can know the exact moment when it is required.
When coming to the top of a hill, before going down always take a pull at the horses, shorten all the reins, and make sure of feeling all their mouths. The leaders should always be out of draught going down hill, but they should on no account be too far back on the bars as otherwise knocking up against them might cause one of the leaders to kick and get a leg over the trace. Generally when shortening all the reins on the top of a hill, the wheelers come so far back that the leaders are brought right back on the bars, and if anything, the lead reins have to be let out. It is best to begin going down hill fairly slowly, as the pace can always be increased, but it is most difficult to lessen it. When pulling up, run the right hand some way down the reins, and bring it back to the left if possible. It is as well to shorten the reins slightly in the left hand previously. When putting the right hand on the rein to steady the horses, it is a very good plan to place it over three reins only, the third and fourth fingers over the off rein and the first and second fingers over one of the others. The lead reins should never be buckled, and on road coaches none of the reins have buckles on them as a rule.
One of the great difficulties to be overcome at the beginning is the management of the whip. A team whip should not be too heavy, especially for a lady's use, but at the same time it ought not to be very light. A whip should always be kept hung up, and it is a very good plan to keep one handy and have it down from the wall every day for five or ten minutes' practice even after you have learnt to fold it. The common way of learning to fold or catch is to chalk a big