heavy as vans, and roads a foot deep in clay, it
was rightly considered that harness destroyed
the true action of saddle–horses, because as they
drew they threw themselves forward to add
their weight to the power of their muscles,
and thus assumed the most objectionable form
for a riding–horse. But with a smooth road
and a light carriage, a pair of horses find the
weight behind them mere play, and trot along
with heads proudly carried—rather improved
than otherwise, from the steadiness of their
pace, and the true action of the reins in the
hands of a good coachman. The most difficult
task, next to suiting a royal or millionnaire
duke's state–coach with a team of giants, is to
obtain a pair for a lady's Park phaeton. They
must match exactly in every respect; they
must be beautiful, with thorough–bred heads,
flowing manes, and Arab–like flags; they
must have high courage and light mouths; they
must be indifferent to drums, banners, glancing
bayonets, and Punch and niggers they must
treat with contempt, yet, boiling over with
life, ready to start away at the lightest touch.
They must look like fiery dragons and be docile
as spaniels; while they seem to glance fire
from beneath their flowing fore–locks, they must
obey the slightest touch of the lovely and
impassive driver's little hands. This is perfection,
and such a pair will command a fabulous price.
At the last horse–show at the Agricultural Hall,
three hundred guineas were offered and refused
for a pair of ponies thirteen hands high.

There are some ladies, and of high position,
too, who affect fast trotters of a wiry useful
kind, and others who condescend to large
old–fashioned carriage–horses; but these are
abuses of the privilege of the sex, and of the
Park phaeton, which is essentially a lady's
carriage, ruled by a sceptre in the shape of a
parasol whip, to which nothing stout or masculine
should be attached, except a groom or two—very
spare, silent, middle–aged, and perfectly dressed.
There is one occasion in which ornament and
utility may be gracefully combined in the lady's
phaeton, that is, when with wheels of a larger
diameter than for the Park, and the dragons
exchanged for a pair that can "step and go,"
the lady steers her lord to covert–side, and after
leaving him unfolded from a chrysalis of coats
in all the glories of scarlet and white, on his
hunter, follows the chase along convenient
roads, like a good fairy, with an amply stored
basket for the refreshment of hungry and
thirsty fox–hunters. Such sights and scenes
are not amongst the least charms of hunting in
the "Shires."

There is a class of horses which brings
immense prices when needed, but are very unsaleable
at other times. The enormous animals,
seventeen to eighteen hands high, used by
Royalty on state occasions. Our English
Queen requires grandeur without any exhausting
pace; but the Emperor of the French is
always a customer at four or five hundred
guineas for a horse as near eighteen hands
high as possible, that can trot about fourteen to
sixteen miles an hour, while seeming to do only
ten, for drawing state–carriages of monstrous
weight said to be bullet–proof.

The hire of a pair of carriage–horses is from
£70 to £100 a year, the latter being the outside
figure; and nearly as much is charged for the
season of five months. For these sums a pair
of horses are always at the disposal of the hirer,
who feeds them and pays all expenses. But
although he pays nominally for a pair, he really
has the use of at least three, as one will frequently
be sick, or unfit in some way for work. Large
carriage–horses are so difficult to find sound,
require such careful seasoning before fit for
London work, and are always so subject to
accidents, that men of fixed, even of large means
prefer jobbing, because it is a certain way of
being always served at a limited expense. Many
jobmasters will also feed at an additional fixed
charge, delivering the fodder weekly. Under
such arrangements, it is as well to job the
coachman too. A brougham horse may be had for
about £40 a year.

The system is decidedly economical for all
ladies and busy men who do not care for the
individual animal, and consider a carriage merely
a machine for locomotion.

There are a few points worth remembering
by those who decide to buy their first pair or
a single horse. Aged horses, if sound in legs
and wind, are the best for harness, because they
are seasoned and safe from a variety of ailments
and diseases incident to juvenile horseflesh.
Some of the finest horses in London are sixteen
and seventeen years old. An organised system
of tampering with the teeth in the breeding–
counties, makes all three–year olds seem four,
and all four seem five. An honest seven or nine
or ten, with good legs and wind, is cheaper than
a dishonest five. Few veterinary surgeons can
detect the deception. It takes at least six
months to break an average pair of well–bred
horses, or a single brougham horse, fresh from
the country, to town use, although many go
well in six weeks.

A horse that has once kicked or lain down in
harness is never safe. Some horses will only go
double, some will only go single, and some will
never go safely in harness at all. Courage is an
essential quality in a harness–horse. A riding–
horse sometimes walks and sometimes canters.
A harness–horse should stand stock still, and yet
be always ready to trot and trot on gently pulling
at the bit, without ever requiring the whip.
The slug is even more dangerous in the streets
than the hard puller. As a rule, horses
regularly worked in town become quiet, probably
from being occupied by a multiplicity of sights
and sounds. Those to whom horses are a
necessity, and economy is an object, may
purchase exceedingly good–looking useful animals,
with some unimportant defects, at a low price
at the end of the season.

Harness is the next consideration after the
horse, and in that article there is no middle way.
The best only is worth having, however plain.
The best leather and the best workmanship are