DRIVING FOUR HORSES—POSITION OF COACHMAN.
IN order to learn to drive four horses as they should be driven, it is
necessary to begin by studying the rules and general principles of this
most fascinating amusement. To the lovers of this pastime nothing is
more enjoyable than sitting behind a perfect and well-appointed team
skilfully driven. [Sidenote: Constant practice necessary.] It is most
essential for one who would become a thoroughly efficient whip to have
several years of constant practice, and even when this has been
obtained, it will be found that there is still always something to
learn.
[Illustration: FIG. 16.—FOUR WEIGHTS AND PULLEYS FOR PRACTISING
DRIVING.]
[Sidenote: Practice with weights.] For driving, like so many other
accomplishments, requires to be kept up, or else the hand and eye will
very soon be found to have lost their cunning, and not only does one
become slow and clumsy with the whip and reins, but the arms and fingers
soon tire. In order to keep the hand in, when not driving regularly, an
arrangement of weights and pulleys is a very convenient toy. It requires
a weight of about twenty pounds (a cylinder of lead is very handy), to
which is attached a strong cord. This passes over pulley P (fig. 15),
fixed for convenience to the mantelpiece or other projection from the
wall, down to pulley P1, on the floor, and then ends in a loop, into
which four straps can be fastened like reins. Then sitting in a
comfortable chair, the hands holding the straps like reins, the weight
can be kept working up and down (four or five inches will be found quite
sufficient) for ten minutes or so. Another method, which is rather more
complicated, but more useful for the beginner, is shown in fig. 16.
This, while strengthening his arms and fingers, enables him to acquire
the art of looping and shortening the reins, and in fact to practise all
the tricks of [Sidenote: Arrangement of pulleys and weights.] the trade.
For this practice eight pulleys are required; four are fixed on the
wall, about three or four feet from the ground and from three to six
inches apart; the other four are placed directly under these, and fixed
to the floor close up against the wall. A strong cord is passed under
each lower pulley first, then over the pulley directly above, the ends
being fastened to weights of four or five pounds. To the other ends of
the cords are attached leather straps similar to ordinary reins. Thus
you have four reins, the two inner ones representing the wheelers, the
two outer ones the leaders.
[Illustration: FIG. 15.—PRACTISING DRIVING WITH THE WEIGHTS.]
[Sidenote: Weight on hands when driving four horses.] It has been found
by trial that the approximate weight on the hands when driving a light
team is about five pounds, but the average weight may be taken as about
ten or twelve pounds, which will be much increased with a team of
pullers; while going down a steep hill the pressure will not
infrequently exceed thirty-five pounds. These pressures, which I
ascertained after many experiments, will show the novice how
all-important it is that he should be really fit, and the muscles of his
arms and fingers well developed, before he can hope to be really master
of a team of horses.
It is always advisable, while practising with weights, to hold a whip,
or stick to represent a whip, in the right hand, as by so doing you will
very soon get into the way of using this hand correctly on the reins
(fig. 15).
[Sidenote: Muscle of thumb necessary for holding whip.] It is very
important for the young driver to develop the muscle of the thumb;
otherwise it will be found extremely tiring to hold the whip properly
for any considerable time, more especially against a high wind.
Messrs. Whippy and Steggall have shown me a very neat arrangement of
weights and pulleys which can be easily fitted up in any room, and is
well worth inspection.
[Sidenote: Position of body on driving seat.] When driving, the body
should be kept upright and square to the front, but all stiffness should
be avoided. The driving seat should be low, and about three or four
inches higher at the back than in front, so that the driver can sit down
in a really comfortable position. [Sidenote: Position of legs.] The
ankles and knees should be just touching each other, and the arms close
to the sides, the point of the elbows touching the hip bone. [Sidenote:
Position of arms.] The forearm should be about horizontal, and the left
hand from three to four inches from the centre of the body, the back of
the hand being turned towards the front and nearly vertical, but
inclined a little towards the horses. [Sidenote: Position of left
wrist.] The wrist must be bent slightly towards the body, and on no
account allowed to bend the other way. This is far the best position for
feeling the horses’ mouths, as the wrist then acts like a spring, and a
perfectly even pressure can be maintained. [Sidenote: Leaning forward
bad.] Sit well back, and do not lean forward over the reins in the
attitude of a dairymaid on a milking-stool. [Sidenote: Driver should sit
well down.] The driver should on no account be half standing, or merely
leaning against the seat, with unbent knees, as, in the event of a
wheeler falling or shying up a bank, he will inevitably be jerked off
the coach.
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