[drivingpairs] unhitching a stage coach

In a message dated 5/7/2005 12:03:00 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
ecartis@xxxxxxxxxxxxx writes:
> There is 1 mistake though in the rule book- lines are ALWAYS hooked to the  
> 
> bits FIRST before you do the pole straps.
> 
> 

This mistake has been corrected already a while back in the ADS rule book, 
however, we can still argue about it, if that's also correct for a stage coach. 
Because the ADS rules where that is stated are for Pleasure Driving, which 
generally means lighter vehicles, and yes, there the above is correct, always 
attach coupling reins before pole straps when hitching, and disconnect coupling 
reins last when unhitching. BUT that's for light vehicles. For heavy vehicles, 
like a coach (or also draft horse vehicles) the custom was to first do pole 
straps when hitching (as it used to be in the ADS rule book taken from coaching 
before the correction was made), and I believe that's still being done in 
coaching. So why the difference in sequence? Answer: For heavy vehicles first 
doing the pole strap had the idea that the horse tied to the pole with the pole 
strap is almost like ground tied, and can't go anywhere, because the heavy 
vehicle with the brake set would keep him there. But that is not the case with 
lighter pleasure driving carriages. With a light vehicle, the horse could just 
take off. So therefore for light vehicles first coupling reins, but coaches and 
heavy draft horse vehicles, folks often do pole straps first and there that's 
ok.  

Also, on the subject of first doing the outside traces. Yes, that's correct 
by the rule book, so that the horses don't step away from the pole. However, in 
practice, once the horses are well trained and know their stuff and always 
stand quietly, most of us do the inside traces first, but yes, that's against 
the rule book. 
Hardy


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