Part 10 (1/2)

A woman who has been accustomed to such an animal will be at a loss to manage a spirited pair, should she be called upon to do so. If she begin with a horse which goes well into his collar and does his work generously, she will learn twice as much as she would in the same time with a lazy horse, and will sooner be able to drive a pair.

[Sidenote: On the Box]

The position on the driving seat should be comfortable and firm, which cannot be the case when it is used merely to lean against, instead of to sit upon.

From the knee down, the leg should be but slightly bent, with the feet together and resting against the foot-rail.

The elbows should be held near the body, and the reins in the left hand, with the little finger down, and the knuckles pointing straight ahead, about on a line with or a trifle below the waist, and in the middle of the body.

Whether driving one or two horses, the manner of holding the reins is the same; but more strength and decision, as well as the judgment which, of course, experience will bring, are required for the pair.

[Sidenote: Position of Reins]

The near rein belongs on top of the first finger, held there firmly by the thumb, and the off rein should be between the second and third fingers.

The gloves should be large, broad across the knuckles, and long in the fingers; otherwise cold, stiff hands will result from the impeded circulation.

The right hand, close to the left, should contain the whip, which must be held at an angle of a little less than forty-five degrees, and at the collar, about eight to ten inches from the b.u.t.t, so that it balances properly.

[Sidenote: Handling Reins]

When about to start, the reins should be tightened, to feel the horse's mouth, and a light touch of the whip will suffice to send him forward. The hand should then yield, so that as he straightens the traces there will be no jerk on his mouth.

In turning to the right or to the left, the reins must not be separated.

The right hand should be placed on the rein, indicating the desired direction, until the turn has been made; but a slight pressure on the opposite rein should keep the horse from going too near a corner.

The left hand must not relax its hold, so that when the right is removed the reins will be even, as they were before.

In stopping, the body is not to be bent backwards, suggestive of an expected shock, and the hands raised to the chin.

It cannot be too strongly impressed on the woman's mind that the less perceptible effort she makes, the more skilful will she appear.

Therefore, if she take hold of the reins with her right hand as far in front of the left as she can handily reach, and then draw them back, she will have accomplished her purpose in a quiet and easy manner.

[Sidenote: A Pair]

Driving a pair is much the same as driving one horse; but allowances should be made for the peculiarities of each, and they should not be treated as though machines of identical construction.

Frequently a woman driving a nervous horse with a quiet one will hit them both with the whip, when, should she touch the quiet one only, the sound of it would urge the other as much as the blow does the dull one.

Here is another objection to clucking to horses: one of them needs it much more than the other, yet they hear it with equal clearness, and simultaneously; therefore the high-mettled horse increases his pace sooner and more than his sluggish companion, and does more than his share of the work. Several noiseless touches of the whip, administered in quick succession to the laggard, will do more to equalize their pace than would a sharp, loud cut or any amount of clucking.

Sometimes a woman will experience great inconvenience from not having her horses properly bitted and harnessed. This should always be seen to, either by herself or some one who is competent to judge for her.

When she has more than one horse to control, she will soon become tired if one of them pulls and the other will not go into his collar.

A judicious readjustment of the curb-chain and the coupling-rein will often make the difference between discomfort and ease.

XIV