Regency Snippets - Gloves for Driving

Unike riding reins which are the same colour as the bridle (i.e., brown or black) carriage driving reins are always brown, even when the harness is black. Sometimes the reins will be black part way down, from the bit about halfway down, but then the last part will always be brown. I believe this is so the blacking used on some harness doesn't rub of on the driver's clothing. anyway, one of the principles of handling horses is that your hands should be unobtrusive. So drivers, correctly, should be wearing brown not black gloves.