Postilion

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A postilion (or postillion) rider was the driver of a horse-drawn coach or post chaise, mounted on one of the drawing horses.[1] In France, the norm was for carriages to be guided by a postilion rather than a coachman on the vehicle.

Postilion riders normally rode the left hand horse of a pair because of the ease of mounting a horse from the left.[2] With a double team, a postilion would ride on the left rear horse in order to control all four horses. It is generally accepted to be safer if the driver of a vehicle is seated closest to the middle of the road.[citation needed]

[edit] External links

[edit] References

  1. ^ Definition of postillion by the Free Online Dictionary, Thesaurus and Encyclopedia.
  2. ^ Which side of the road do they drive on? Brian Lucas.
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