28 A Job Horse and His Drivers

           

           HithertoIhadalwaysbeendrivenbypeoplewhoatleastknewhowtodrive;butinthisplaceIwastogetmyexperienceofallthedifferentkindsofbadandignorantdrivingtowhichwehorsesaresubjected;forIwasa“jobhorse”,andwasletouttoallsortsofpeoplewhowishedtohireme;andasIwasgood-temperedandgentle,IthinkIwasoftenerletouttotheignorantdriversthansomeoftheotherhorses,becauseIcouldbedependedupon.ItwouldtakealongtimetotellofallthedifferentstylesinwhichIwasdriven,butIwillmentionafewofthem.

           First,therewerethetight-reindrivers—menwhoseemedtothinkthatalldependedonholdingthereinsashardastheycould,neverrelaxingthepullonthehorse’smouth,orgivinghimtheleastlibertyofmovement.Theyarealwaystalkingabout“keepingthehorsewellinhand”,and“holdingahorseup”,justasifahorsewasnotmadetoholdhimselfup.

           Somepoor,broken-downhorses,whosemouthshavebeenmadehardandinsensiblebyjustsuchdriversasthese,may,perhaps,findsomesupportinit;butforahorsewhocandependuponhisownlegs,andwhohasatendermouthandiseasilyguided,itisnotonlytormenting,butitisstupid.

           Thentherearetheloose-reindrivers,wholetthereinslieeasilyonourbacks,andtheirownhandrestlazilyontheirknees.Ofcourse,suchgentlemenhavenocontroloverahorse,ifanythinghappenssuddenly.Ifahorseshies,orstarts,orstumbles,theyarenowhere,andcannothelpthehorseorthemselvestillthemischiefisdone.

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Roboto Lora
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