postilion
noun
[ pɒˈstɪlɪən ]
• a person who rides the leading nearside (left-hand side) horse of a team or pair drawing a coach or carriage, especially when there is no coachman.
Origin:
mid 16th century (in the sense ‘forerunner acting as guide to the post-horse rider’): from French postillon, from Italian postiglione ‘post-boy’, from posta (see post2).
