Riding and Driving for Women Part 11

CHAPTER XII

FORM

Before stepping into the trap, the horsewoman should make it a habit to inspect the horse, harness, and trap, and see that everything is as it should be: that the horse is properly put to, that the bit is right, that the girths are neither too tight nor too loose, that the traces are neither too long nor too short, and if there is a stop on the shaft that it is just back of the tug. Be sure also that the trap is properly turned out, that the rubbers are in, that there is no acc.u.mulation of dust, that the nuts on the wheels are tight, and that every detail has been properly attended to. Not only is this a wise precaution to use with hired traps, but it shows your own coachman that you know what you are about, and it keeps him up to his work. Having made this inspection, which ought really to be done at a glance,--except that a careful examination should always be made of the horse's head to be sure that the curb chain is neither too loose nor too tight, the bit not too far up nor too far down, and the mouthpiece the width of the horse's mouth--neither too wide nor too narrow--and that the check or bearing rein, if one is used, is not too tight,--the next thing is to step into the trap. If you are driving a lady's trap, such as a George IV, a Peters', or a basket phaeton, the groom who has driven the trap up from the stable should, before getting out, have left the reins across the middle of the dash with the end of the reins on the seat, and the whip to the left of the reins, leaning against the seat and pointing to the rear. The groom should then stand at the horse's head. You should step into the trap with the left foot, putting the right foot on the step, then sit down, and at the same time gather the reins in the left hand and the whip in the right.

[Ill.u.s.tration: GEORGE IV PHAETON

Note that the horse is too large for the trap]

[Ill.u.s.tration: INSPECTION OF THE HARNESS]

[Ill.u.s.tration: GETTING LENGTH OF THE REINS]

If you are driving a runabout or a cart, or any other than a distinctly lady's trap, the groom should leave the whip in the socket and should pa.s.s the reins doubled through the off terret of the pad from rear to front in such a way that the buckle end of the reins will hang even with the loop. You should go to the off-side of the horse and draw the reins through the terret with the left hand; then take the reins in the right hand, the near rein under the forefinger and the off rein under the third finger, with the ends coming out between the thumb and forefinger.

Then you take the reins just beyond the right hand in the left, the near rein between the thumb and forefinger and the off rein between the second and third fingers, the ends pa.s.sing down the palm of the hand and out by the little finger. Then step back until you are opposite the dash, letting the reins slip through both hands, and then, with the right hand, pull them through the left a little more until they are at the length which they will be when you are in the seat, and very lightly feel the horse's mouth. Then take the whip out of the socket with the right hand and transfer the reins to the right hand in the same position as I have described above, and step into the trap. Take hold of the dash with the right hand, and put the right foot on the step and step into the trap with the left foot, and if necessary a.s.sist yourself by placing the left hand on the seat when you are in the act of stepping in. Sit down on the driving seat and take the reins in the left hand in the position described above, keeping the whip in the right hand. So far, exactly the same things are done whether you are driving a pair or a single horse. With a pair you should not have the whip laid across the horses' backs, as you would in driving four.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STEPPING INTO THE TRAP]

For ladies' traps I prefer the square, almost level driving cus.h.i.+on to the slanting one, as it is more comfortable and gives a woman a more distinctive appearance. For country traps, and particularly for high carts, a slanting cus.h.i.+on may be more suitable.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "ORTHODOX" POSITION OF REINS AND WHIP]

When driving, it is most important that a woman should sit correctly.

She should hold herself erect, without stiffness; her feet should be together and her knees slightly bent. She should neither sit with her knees straight nor, what is worse, be perched on the edge of the seat with her feet back; she should never while driving loll against the back of the seat, and she should look as though she were driving and not as if she were being driven.

[Ill.u.s.tration: "MODERN" POSITION OF REINS WITH LOOP]

There are only two correct ways to hold the reins when driving, and so many people hold them incorrectly that I will describe them in detail.

The two reins should always be held in the left hand, the near rein between the thumb and forefinger, the off rein between the second and third fingers, and the ends pa.s.sing down and out by the little finger.

The reins should be gripped by the fingers holding the edges of the reins against the cus.h.i.+on of the hand, and should not be held by squeezing the flat surfaces of the reins between the fingers, and they should be held tightly enough so that they will not slip, but not so tightly as to cramp and tire the fingers. Holding the reins in this way, well down into the fingers and as close to the knuckles as possible, insures a firm grip and makes it easy to guide to the right or the left by merely turning the back of the hand down or up. The left upper arm should be vertical, the left forearm horizontal, the hand turned in at the wrist, and held about six or eight inches in front of the body. The right hand should be held in a corresponding position about four or five inches from the left hand.

The whip should be balanced in the palm of the right hand, pa.s.sing between the thumb and forefinger so as to leave all the fingers free to grasp the reins if need be. It should be carried at an angle of forty-five degrees, and point toward the left and front. The lash of the whip, for single and pair horse driving, should always be free.

The theory of correct driving is that the left hand is to hold the reins, the right hand to hold the whip and to a.s.sist the left hand in shortening the reins and in turning and stopping. The method of holding the reins in the left hand, and keeping the right hand only to a.s.sist the left, as I have described, is that laid down by nearly all the recognized authorities on driving,[1] and for convenience I will call it the orthodox method.

Footnote 1: "Driving As I Have Found It," by Frank Swales, pp. 94-100; "How To Drive," by Captain Morley-Knight, pp. 24-28.

[Ill.u.s.tration: CORRECT POSITION FOR SHORTENING REINS]

A variation on this method has, however, been introduced recently, and is now generally adopted by many of the best whips, both in England and this country, and is almost universally used in the show ring, where it is considered the correct form. For convenience I shall refer to this as the modern method. In this method, while the reins are held in the left hand as I have described, the off rein is allowed to slip through the second and third fingers about five or six inches, and is held in the right hand, pa.s.sing under the little finger and coming out between the first and second fingers. The right hand is held about three or four inches from the left and symmetrically to it; the portion of the reins between the right and left hand is slightly loose. The whip is held in the right hand exactly as I have described, so that the forefinger of the right hand is extended and the other three fingers closed on the rein, the third finger and little finger holding it tightly and the second finger loosely. The reins are habitually held in this way, and the horse is guided to the right by pulling with the right hand on the off rein, and is guided to the left by turning the back of the left hand up and, if necessary, moving the right hand slightly forward and the left hand slightly back, so as to loosen the off rein and tighten the near rein. If, however, when driving in this way any occasion arises for using the whip, the off rein must be first shortened in the left hand by pus.h.i.+ng it through the second and third fingers from the front with the right hand. The right hand then lets go of the off rein and the whip is used as I have described. This method of driving is now taught by the best professionals. It looks smarter than the other method, and when the reins are held in this way the horse is under better control, and can be turned more quickly and at a proper angle, and with less apparent movement of the hand, and with well-trained and properly bitted horses it is probably the best method to adopt. But with green or ill-trained horses it is not an advisable method, because it takes a little longer to shorten the reins than the orthodox method, where the right hand is free and can immediately be placed in front of the left. Whether both hands are on the reins or not, the reins should always measure the same length and should never be allowed to slip through the fingers. The horse's head should always be kept straight, and to do this the hands must be held level.

The whip must always be held in the right hand; the horse must never be touched with the whip while the right hand is on the reins. The whip should be used sparingly, and it is much more likely to be too much used than too little. It is used more in driving a pair than in driving a single horse, as one horse often lags behind the other and it may be necessary to use it on him to keep him up, though this should be done rather by proper bitting than by the use of the whip. Before using a whip, however, for punishment, be sure you hold the reins firmly in the left hand and that the horse is well gathered, otherwise he will start forward when you whip him and may get away from you. In fact, it is most important always to gather the reins well in the left hand before even touching your horse with the whip, as otherwise you will have the horse going in a series of jumps, which is not only very bad form but uncomfortable for every one in the trap.

I cannot insist too strongly on the necessity of having both reins securely held in the left hand and the horse well gathered before using the whip, for if you touch the horse with the whip with the off rein in the right hand, you are sure to slacken that rein and thus cause the horse to turn to the left. Moreover, if the horse starts, you are not in a position to control him.

To pull horses up and to stop them, you must first see that the reins are held evenly in the left hand; then place the right hand as far in front of the left as may be necessary. If you know that the horse has a hard mouth and does not stop readily, the right hand must be a foot or even more in front of the left, while with a horse that is light mouthed and stops quickly it should be only a few inches. The right hand is placed over both reins--some separate the reins by the third and little fingers, others put the little finger on top of both reins--and the left hand is raised and carried forward, at the same time the right hand is brought back so as to bring the left hand above and directly over the right. The horse should not, of course, be reined in with any sudden jerk, but only by a gentle and gradually increasing pressure, which is accomplished much more easily by this method of laying the right hand on the reins than it could be by pulling the reins with the arms or body.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PULLING UP]

Nothing looks worse or is such bad form, in stopping horses, as to pull the reins in toward the body, as is so often done by those who do not understand driving. Not only does this look badly, but it is dangerous, for it leaves the driver with no control whatever over the horses as soon as her hands come up to her body. There is no way by which she can take up any more slack except by leaning so far back that she looks as if she were falling over backward. In the correct method of stopping, which I have described, if not enough slack has been taken up at first, more can be taken by simply slipping the right hand further along the reins and carrying the left hand higher and more to the front, and throughout the whole operation the two hands should not be carried further to the rear than they were when you began. While this is, and always has been, the correct method of pulling up, it is astonis.h.i.+ng how few remember to use it, even in cla.s.ses in the show ring, where driving counts. Another great advantage of this method is that it is very similar to that used in pulling up a tandem or a four, and it is best to acquire the habit of correct driving for a single horse and for a pair, which will not have to be altered when you take up driving four-in-hand and tandem.

If you wish to turn to the left, when driving with what I have called the orthodox method, you should take the near rein in the right hand between the second and third fingers a few inches in front of the left hand and pull gently with the right hand, keeping the left hand as it was or advancing it slightly so as to loosen the off rein; then, as the horse is completing the turn, gradually relax the hold with the right hand, and when the turn is finished let go with the right hand.

In turning to the right the off rein should be gathered in the right hand under the little finger, a few inches in front of the left, and the horse pulled to the right by the right hand similarly to the way I have described for turning to the left.

In both the "orthodox" and "modern" methods, to shorten the reins in order to keep horses under better control or to slow them down, the reins must first be evenly held in the left hand; then the right hand is placed in front of the left, the off rein under the little finger, the near rein between the first and second fingers, and the reins are then grasped firmly in the right hand and drawn back and pushed through the left hand. It is bad form, in shortening the reins, to take the reins behind the left hand and pull them through with the right, though through carelessness many do it. If there is occasion to shorten the reins more than a few inches, instead of pus.h.i.+ng through, let go with the left hand and again grasp the reins with the left hand in front of the right, and then, if necessary, continue to pull in hand over hand.

If in the act of turning a corner, or making any turn, there should be occasion to use the whip, as sometimes happens, particularly in pair driving, a "point" may be taken on the rein on the side toward which the turn is being made: thus, if turning to the left, take the near rein in the right hand between the first and second fingers and loosen the hold of the left thumb on the near rein for a moment, carry the right hand up to the left hand, and then place the thumb on the rein so as to form a loop, then let go with the right hand. This leaves the right hand free to use the whip, and holds the near rein sufficiently to keep the horse turning. If there is too much pressure, relax the left thumb and let the loop slip a little. Similarly, in turning to the right, grasp the off rein under the little finger of the right hand and push it back, letting it slip between the second and third fingers of the left hand until a loop is formed to the rear of the fingers, then close the left thumb on this loop and let go with the right hand, which is then free as before.

This loop, if too much rein has been taken up, can be allowed to slip through the fingers of the left hand as much as may be necessary. In making a turn it is not under any circ.u.mstances advisable to use the whip while either rein is in the right hand; it is much better not to use the whip until the turn is completed.

[Ill.u.s.tration:

BASKET PHAETON GEORGE IV BASKET PHAETON CUT-UNDER LADY'S TRAP GEORGE IV PHAETON PETERS' PHAETON RUNABOUT

STYLES OF LADIES' TRAPS, COUNTRY AND TOWN]

To lengthen the reins, do not let them slip through the left hand, but take them in the right hand, the off rein under the little finger, and the near rein between the second and third fingers immediately in front of the left hand; then close the fingers of the right hand on the reins, relax the fingers of the left hand, and pull the reins through the left hand with the right as far as may be necessary. Letting the reins slip through the left hand without the a.s.sistance of the right, as I described, is bad form, and is unsafe, because they may not slip evenly and they might well slip too much. Besides that, in driving spirited horses it is most important to have an even pressure on the bits and to feel their mouths all the time. If the reins are allowed to go, even for a moment, as they would be in letting them slip through the left hand without the a.s.sistance of the right, the horses would know it and be very apt to start and even to run.

All that I have said above with regard to the management of the reins, applies equally to the driving of a pair or of a single horse. It does not apply to the driving of roadsters or trotting horses, as they are differently trained and driven in an entirely different method.

In learning to drive, unless one is being taught by a professional or other experienced whip, I would rather advise beginning with the "orthodox" method, and thus learning thoroughly the correct fundamental principles of driving, which are the same in both methods. The "modern"

is simply a variation on the "orthodox," and the danger of beginning with the "modern" method is that with the off rein held in the right hand, as I have described on page 199, the beginner may fall into the very incorrect, though common, method of holding a rein in each hand, and so not have the right hand constantly in readiness to a.s.sist the left in shortening the reins, in pulling up, in turning, and in the use of the whip.

The reins should never under any circ.u.mstances be held separately, one in each hand, for, obviously, if they are, the right hand cannot a.s.sist the left, the whip cannot be used, the horses can only be pulled up to the extent of the distance of the two hands in front of the body, and it is impossible to keep an even pressure on both reins; one hand will always pull more than the other. Holding a rein in each hand violates the first and fundamental principle of correct driving--that the two reins must at all times be held firmly in the left hand.

It is needless to add that the horse must never, under any circ.u.mstances, be struck with the reins.

When starting, the horses should first be gathered well in hand, and then, at the moment of starting, given their heads by carrying the hands forward. Many drivers make the mistake of trying to start the horses by pulling them back instead of giving them their heads.

[Ill.u.s.tration: STARTING]

If you are driving in the afternoon, and there is any chance of your being out after dark, you should always be sure that the lamps are on the trap and that they have new candles; also, in country driving, be sure at all times that there are tools under the seat, including a wrench, a hoof pick, and matches.

In using the whip never strike a horse in front of the pad, or on his belly or legs, but always on his quarters, and do not use the whip unnecessarily or keep up a constant tapping on the horse. "Tapping" is a very bad habit, into which many people fall, and it completely spoils a horse, as he becomes so accustomed to the whip that it produces no effect on him unless used with violence, which should seldom, if ever, be necessary. If your horse is lazy, instead of constantly tapping him, give him one vigorous lash, and accompany it by a decisive tone of the voice. A few repet.i.tions of this will, almost always, cure his laziness, and presently the voice alone will be sufficient. "Tapping" will only make the horse more confirmed in his laziness.

In driving, if your horse s.h.i.+es, you should never whip him; you must keep control of him by a firm hold of the reins, and if possible drive him quietly up to the object that he is afraid of and make him pa.s.s it, and if practicable make him pa.s.s it two or three times until he has forgotten his fear. You must have the right hand in readiness to pull hard on the rein opposite to the side toward which he is shying, so as to avoid his overturning the trap, which, incidentally, is another demonstration of the importance of using the correct method.

If your horse rears, give him his head immediately by loosening the reins, and urge him forward with voice or whip, or both if necessary. If he becomes uncontrollable and rears over backward, spring out of the trap on the side opposite to that on which his legs are, keeping a firm hold of the reins, and, as quickly as you can, sit on his head. Do not let him attempt to get up until he is clear of the trap.

In driving, particularly with a single horse, the greatest danger is from kicking, for once your horse begins to kick you are in great danger in any kind of a trap, except a breaking cart, where the distance between the driver and the horse is so great that he can kick freely without touching the body of the cart. Of course no woman should knowingly drive a kicking horse, and if there is any question about it she should always take the precaution to use a kicking strap. A kicking strap cannot, however, be used in the show ring, but generally its use on other occasions is advisable. A kicking strap, fitting tightly when the horse is standing, of course effectually prevents a horse from kicking, as he cannot kick without first raising his quarters. The kicking strap, to be of real service, must be very strong. Bad accidents have happened through the kicking strap breaking, and a horse in the act of raising his quarters to kick has great power.

In driving green horses single, it is much safer to use a high cart than any kind of a four-wheel trap. With a cart, the horse cannot, of course, cramp the wheel, and in a high cart there is much less danger from his kicking.

[Ill.u.s.tration: PULLING REINS THROUGH TERRET AFTER PULLING UP]