Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-10-11

DRIVING WORKING HORSES.

Driving working horses differs from pleas
ure driving as much as it does its object.
One desideratum in pleasure driving is a
certain style and regard to appearance,
while teaming OF business driving has for
its main object the best economy of the
strength ofthe team, and its application TO
the performance of labors. 1t is true that a
teamster may have a just pride in the ap-
pearance and style of his team, but this
should always be subordinate to their USE
fulness, and the main problem which he
has to solve is, how to turn certain
amount of invested capital, and certain
amount of hay and grain to the best ac-
count, in performing the work in which he
and his team are employed. To accom-
plsh this, having the horses fed in man
ner to give them the greatest possible
strength and health, and SO groomed that
their systems are in the best condition for
appropriating the nutriment of their food,
he should keep the following rules always
in view:
First.-The load should be just what the
horse or team can move steadily along,
being neither so light that they are occu-
pying their time in going over the road
with less than they can draw, nor SO heavy
that they must over-tax their strength to
draw it, or stop to take breath and to re-
cover from the effects of too hard a strain;
in short, they should do all that they can
do, comfortably, never much less, and
never any more.
Second.-Horses will work better if they
are kept well up to the bit, not sufti-
ciently to pull on it, but just enough to feel
its effect and to receive its support in case
OF a false step, than when allowed to be-
come negligent and careless in their gait
7hird-When there are two or more
horses in team, they should be so har-
messed as to draw exactly alike. This re-
quires them to be of uniform dispositions,
and in equally good train any deviation
from this will cause one horse to do more,
and another less, than his share of the
work.
Fourth w Working horses should never
be whipped while drawing, except it is abb
solutely necessary; and then they should
not simply be tapped, but smartly pun
ished in a manner that will cause them to
understand and TO recollect that their driver
really means that they shall work, and
work properly.
FGM-If necessary to stop TO rest before
going up hill, let the halt be at little
distance from the foot of the hill, that they
may not get in the habit Of stopping just
at the foot of every hill which they en-
counter. When they are fully rested and
prepared to go on, let them move vigorous
", but do not allow them to rush at the
hill they would in such a case lose more
in wind than they would gain in impetus.
If possible, 90 moderately up every hill
without stopping, recollecting that it is
much harder to start q load against a hill
than it is to keep it in motion after it is
started. At the top of every difficult hill,
either stop the team or let them walk slow
ly for a few rods, until they have recover
ed from the effects of the extra exertion.
Sirth.-At all times, and especially in
difficult places, or when first starting with
a heavy load, the driver should carefully
avoid exciting his team by crossness or
impatience, but should hold them steadily
by the bit, and talk to them in quiet and
determined manner, endeavoring to keep
them cool and resolute, pulling evenly and
steadily until they start their load, without
making sudden jump at it, as many
nervous horses are inclined to do. Such
movement is very likely to disconcert the
other horses, and it exhausts the strength
more than ten times the effort properly ex-
pended.
SerenM. In descending hill, especial
ly if there be no break or drag on the
wheels, the team should be so held back
that the wagon never gets on increasing
speed, and the pole should be kept in an
exact line with, and not diagonally across,
the wagon.
EiqhM The team should never be so
hardly driven as to become bloacn (where it
is possible to avoid it,) nor should they
ever be allowed to become indolent, or
careless in their gait. They should always
be active and willing, but never impatient
to do more than is clearly within their
powers.