d as quickly as possible accustom
himself to handle them automatically. This is somewhat more difficult in
driving tandem than in driving four-in-hand, because in the latter case
there is greater spread of the reins in front of the hand than with
tandem, where the reins lie much more nearly parallel one above the
other. The actual holding of the reins is the same in both cases. The
coachman should be careful to take the reins in his hand before mounting
to the box-seat, as otherwise his team may make a start without his
having the means to control them. It is customary to hitch the reins,
ready for him to take them, on the outside terret (the ring on the pad
through which the rein runs) of the wheeler--the off-side wheeler in
four-in-hand. Standing on the ground beside the off-side wheel of his
carriage, ready to mount to the box-seat, the coachman, after drawing up
his reins till he almost feels the horses' mouths, must then let out
about a foot of slack in his off-side reins, in order that when on his
seat he may find all the reins as nearly as possible equal in length in
his hand. He mounts with them disposed in his right hand precisely as
they will be in his left when ready to start. The leaders' reins should
be separated by the forefinger, and the wheelers' by the middle finger.
The near-leader's rein will then be uppermost of the four, between the
forefinger and thumb; then between the forefinger and middle finger are
two reins together--the off-leader's and the near-wheeler's in the order
named; while at the bottom, between the middle and third fingers, is the
off-wheeler's rein. It will be found that held thus the reins spread
immediately in front of the hand in such a way that each several rein,
and each pair of reins--two near-side, two off-side, two wheelers' or
two leaders'--can be conveniently manipulated; and the proficient driver
can instinctively and instantaneously grasp any of them he chooses with
his right hand without having to turn his eyes from the road before him
to the reins in his hand. Having seated himself on the box and
transferred the reins, thus disposed, from the right to the left hand,
the coachman should shorten them till he just feels his wheelers' mouths
and holds back his leaders sufficiently to prevent them quite tightening
their traces; then, when he has taken the whip from its socket in his
right hand, he is ready to start. This is an operation requiring careful
management, to secure