How to use the bit to give your horse "a nice and graceful carriage

How to use the bit to give your horse "a nice and graceful carriage 

or trace hooks. The shaft end should reach

nearly to the point of the shoulder. Shafts

should be neither too wide nor so narrow that

they constrain the horse. There must be enough

clearance behind the animal to allow for free

hock action.

The shafts on most two-wheeled vehicles

should be adjusted so the angle of the shaft from

the cart seat to the shoulder of the animal is

almost level. Downward-slanting shafts indicate

that there is too much weight on the backpad of

the harness, and they tilt the cart seat forward.

Shafts should be made from smooth, nonsplintering

material. For safety, pipe shafts must

be thick-walled, not thin-walled.

If possible, have someone sit in the cart, then

hold the shafts at the place where the shaft

loops will ride. If you can hold up the shafts

with a minimum of pressure or weight on them,

the cart will be balanced. If it takes a lot of

strength to hold the shafts up, don’t buy that

cart—keep looking for a balanced one. 

 Driver position

 The driver’s position is secure but not stiff. Sit up straight and look forward between the horse’s ears, with arms slightly extended, and elbows slightly bent and close to your body. This position allows you to respond quickly with maximum strength. The correct position of your arms when driving is important both for control and appearance. The reins should form a straight line from the terret ring to your elbow. (This may not be possible when driving a very tall or short animal.) When you pull on the reins, pull back towards your hip keeping a straight line, rather than raising and lowering your hands. Maintain a firm but light contact for smoother transitions. Keep your wrists loose and flexible. Your hands need to work independently from your body, never bouncing up, down, or sideways. Adjust the seat of the cart so that you sit with your knees comfortably bent and one foot slightly ahead of the other, with feet just far enough apart to stay balanced. 

B. Holding the reins.

 The position of the reins in your hands must give you control, allow a lengthening and shortening of the reins, and be workmanlike and neat. Option 1 (illustrations 1a and 1b). The reins go under the little finger or between the ring and little finger, come up through the fist, and go out between the index finger and the thumb. Option 2. Hold the reins between the thumb and the index (first) finger. Option 3. Hold the reins, one in each hand, between the first and second fingers, with the reins running through the hand between the palm and fingers, with thumbs on top. (You can find more advanced options for holding the reins in other driving publications.) Keep light, constant contact with the animal’s mouth. For a better grip, keep your thumbs close to your fingers..