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18

DRIVING FOR PLEASURE.

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wheel. The first arrangement will generally be preferable, as it allows of an extra wheeler and leader to each four-or, in other words, allows each horse to rest one day in three.

As a general rule it will be found well to give the team at the "luncheon or middle stage," we will call it, the lightest work, and the home team the longest road, for nothing is harder on a " cold-blooded one " than to start him again soon after he has " cooled out " of a profuse sweat. In fact, if the road admits of so doing, it is a good plan to give the team on the middle stage only one long run daily, making practically only three teams on the road which run double stages, the other two doing one long stage each. It may be found necessary, on some extra sandy or hilly stage, to provide a cockhorse, and this can be made a not unattractive feature of the drive. Sometimes five miles' run over a sandy road is a good bit harder than seven over a fine one, and judgment must therefore be called into play to adjust the work properly. A stage of level macadamized road is hard on a team, because they are generally put right through without a breather ; but with a few slight hills they will get considerable relief, and will travel more easily to themselves in consequence. All these points should be borne in mind in the laying out of the stages, as also in the making of the time schedule. This schedule should

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