The record-union., 1892-01-15

horse well washed with clean, cold water
when it is removed, there will be no dam
ger OF soreness there. The bride is the
hardest part to be made fit nicely, and
when that is accomplished one great and
often fatal mistake is often made of draw
ing the throat latch too tight. 1t crosses
the windpipe and as the horse moves
along he drops his nose little, thus eX-
banding the throat, breathing shorter at
every stride, and finally choking COM
pletely, staggers and falls. Leave the
strap loose enough for you 10 piac5 your
hand between it and the throat without
touching either. There will be no danger
OF the bride coming off, as the draught is
always backward on it from the check
and lines, and the bit and rowland pre-
vent it from coming back over the head.
Ii you desire to stop and tie the animal to
post. and he is inclined to rub his bri-
Ole of, it is little trouble to draw up the
buckle hole or two, letting it out again
when starting. The breast collar, also,
should not be drawn up too high, as that
will likewise affect the breathing. Let it
come up just to the lower point of the
neck and have the hip straps of a length
that will bring the breeching about on
line with it. The thrill loops should also
be on about the same line.
In hltching to the wagon another seri-
our mistake is often made with the
breeching. How many times you will
see driver trying to get good speed
out OF his horse that is obliged to go
hitching and hobbling along, simply be-
cause he is tied up so tight that he cannot
spread himself. When standing and the
traces are Strengthened, there should be
about room enough for a small boy to
crawl through between the horse and
breeding strap. He will then carry you
! further and faster, and do it with less
effort, there being nothing to fret him.
In taking your seat in the wagon do
not try to lie down, like a lady in q.
Victoria, but sit erect, allowing the small
of your back to rest against the cushion.
and bend a tritie forward Place the feet
out against the rest, and do not crawl
under the seat, causing the knees to come
in contact with the chin. Wrap the lap
robe neatly about you, and see that no
part of it is hanging out of the wagon.
When the lines are taut have the hands
out to carry the elbow about three inches
from the body, not up under your chin,
where you could not shorten your hold
instantly; neither have them extended at
arms length, as, should your horse take
little hold, you cannot pull as hard or
as long. Rugged in this manner, your
horse is comfortable, you are ready for
| any emergency and comfortable yourself,
! beside making a good appearance, which
should be taken into consideration in this
as well as in other things.
There is one rule which, if followed,
will always be successful, and, though it
is old, will do to repeat here. 1t is called
The Horses Prayer:
p hill hurry me not.
Down hill worry me not,
On the level spare me not,
And in the barn forget me not.
But the skill in driving a single trotter
is nothing compared with driving two,
and one can almost count the artistic
team drivers on his fingers. Dan Moore
was acknowledged the crack professional
driver when alive, but among gentlemen
who only drove for pleasure William II.
Vanderbilt was without doubt the best,
and, although he was classed as an anna
teur, there were few professionals who
could equal him. At the present day his
performance, driving Maud 5. and AL
dine full mile in 2:l54 to a top-wagon, is
considered the best by horsemen. John
Shepherd, the Boston merchant, also
showed himself an artist behind his
crack team, Mill Boy and Blondine. The
best double team driver of the present
day is c. j. Hamlin of Buffalo. Last
season, in his nth year, he drove Belle
Hanllin and Justina a mile in 2:l3!.