Describe symbolism in Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen

Throughout the novel Catherine rides in a variety of conveyances, all of them a type of carriage drawn by horses. The narrator explains the designs of some of these conveyances and John Thorpe wrongfully claims to be a master driver and infallible judge of horseflesh. Within the novel, carriages and horses are symbolic of types of wealth, much as various sports cars are today.