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However (He managed to keep them)
he managed to keep them in hand and calm them down, and they went in splendid form, with the result that the ،، [Photo. by W. W. Rouch.
AMERICAN TROTTER. judges had difficulty in deciding between the merits of these two pairs, which they placed in front of all the others. After a minute examination of the horses when at rest, another round of the ring was ordered, "the wink was tipped " to the conductor, and again the band played to such good purpose that the "second strings" were placed at the top.
Show Vehicles. As regards the vehicles used for show purposes, the American "road wagon," or, as it is called here, "show wagon," weighing from 250 lb. upwards, is now almost invariably used for single harness, except in appointment classes, where two-wheeled carriages are obligatory. At one time these buggies or road wagons were barred at many English shows, but exhibitors very soon found out the advantages of the light four-wheeled carriage over the heavy two-wheeled carriage, especially on grass. If a horse is at all excitable or fresh, the "knee motion" of a two-wheeled carriage will put him out of his stride and make him break, whereas the light American carriage " follows" smoothly and steadily, and with a fidgetty or high-strung horse is the only carriage of any use on a grass course. At present Mr. Walter Winans is almost the only person who uses these wagons for driving in double harness, but no doubt in course of time others will follow his example, DRIVING] quired, the statement may be confidently advanced that the fitting of brakes to carriages with four wheels is an unmitigated blessing to both horses and coachman. دو In the olden days, when roads were bad, a hill was really less dangerous than it is now, for the soil was generally rather "woolly -that is to say, loose, and so the wheels bit well into the ground, and the vehicle was thereby retarded; while, if the road chanced to be a hard one, there was generally some loose soil at the side for the benefit of the vehicle going down hill. When about to descend a hill which is at all steep, prudent persons will skid in proportion to the weight of the vehicle, but in the stage-coach days, when competition was keen, they did not always trouble to skid, and many an accident resulted in consequence. It was a great boon when the patent skid was invented.
This worked on an arm, to which was attached a chain with a leather hand-piece, and in the leather was a hole which went over an iron button within reach of the coachman's right hand, thus keeping the arm up and the drag off the ground. The coachman needed no assistance in putting on the skid; he merely pulled the leather off the button, lowered the arm gently, and the pan dropped just in front of the wheel. At the foot of the hill the coachman backed his horses and hauled the whole affair up again. Then came the patent brake, which, in a crude form, had been used years before on the trucks in some of the Northumber land mines. Of these there are several kinds, but it is best to adhere to the pattern in general use, in which the brake is put on by drawing the handle back, and taken off by releasing it from its notch and allowing it to come forward. To use the brake properly, some little knack is required. In a light vehicle, if put on suddenly to its full power, a distinct and disagreeable jerk is experienced. In the case of horses suddenly bolting-underneath a railway bridge, for instance, as an unseen and unexpected train dashes along overhead-applying the brake suddenly cannot be helped; but when used at ordinary hills it should be put on gently at first. This will be possible always if the hill be taken, as it should be, in good time.
Brake or no brake, the pace should be slackened as the crown of the hill is approached, and care should be taken that the horses are well in hand; but this does not mean that they should be violently pulled or held so tightly as to confine them unnecessarily. The exact moment for putting on the brake depends upon the fall of the ground, and must be left to the driver's discretion; but it should be done at the spot where the ground begins to fall to the hill. Always go slowly off the crown of a hill, for if the horses once get the better of the coachman, he is scarcely likely to stop them before reaching the bottom of the hill.
The brake, though an excellent friend, can be made too much of. It is not wanted at every trifling gradient, and after a horse has been toiling uphill or drawing on the flat it is a relief to him to use some other muscles by getting out of draught that is, doing no work. But if the brake be put on for every little descent, the wheels will be retarded, and the horse will have to draw the carriage just as though he were going uphill. At the same time, in order to be safe, an inexperienced person will require the brake far more often than will a finished coachman. The actual steepness of a hill alone will not decide whether the brake is to be used, and how much of it. In the first place, the weight of the carriage must be considered. A T-cart could be driven at a good trot, where a well-laden coach would be skidded. Secondly, the state of the road has to be regarded. On ordinary country road, after much rain, the ground will be so soft as to lend great assistance to the coachman; but in dry weather, if the road be hard, more brake will be required, while, on wood and asphalte, the smoothness of the surface and the absence of all bite increase the need for the brake.
When you have to stop to make a call or enter a shop, put on the brake; it will help to keep the carriage still, while, if the horse does walk away, the noise of brake and wheels grinding together will give you notice of the fact. Always see that the brakes are in good order and do not need reblocking. an Save in very hilly countries, skids are not often used with light vehicles. They are merely lifted off the hook and placed straight in front of the wheel, and the chain should be so adjusted as to allow of the pan lying perfectly under the wheel.
Before the skid is taken off the vehicle the latter must be backed, and the novice may be warned not to catch hold of the pan itself in his attempt to lift it to its hook. If the hill be long and the pace a trot, the iron becomes far too hot to be touched by the hand.
The Rule of the Road. Entirely contrary to the custom adopted by foreign nations, the rule in this country is to keep to the near or left-hand side of the road when meeting another vehicle, and to the off or right-hand side of the road when [DRIVING passing another vehicle. Hence in the first case it is said:- "'Tis the rule of the road and a paradox quite, In riding or driving along; If you keep to your left, you are sure to be right, If you keep to your right, you are wrong."
GLOSSARY.
Axle. The rounded ends of the axletree, a timber running transversely beneath the carriage.
Upon these the wheels revolve, the bearings being enclosed in the axle box. In the Collinge axle this box is secured upon the arm by two nuts screwed right and left.
Axletree. The pin which passes through the middle of the wheel upon which the circumvolutions are performed. Axles are of two kinds -Collinge's and the mail coach pattern.
Backband.-A broad strap or chain passing over the saddle pad of a cart or carriage horse, used to support the shafts.