Mr John Porter. 135 



which I had brought with me, and which I hope has proved 

 useful to him. We had a long talk about breaking-in young 

 horses for racing, and he thoroughly agreed with me that 

 yearlings would be greatly benefited by a course of modified 

 school work, before being ridden in regular exercise. I may 

 explain that the proportion of weight which the forelegs 

 have to support will be greater when the horse is mounted 

 (on account of the foreward position of the rider), than when 

 he is at liberty. Consequently, saddle-horses are apt to ' go 

 too much on the forehand,' and their forelegs are more liable 

 to suffer from the injurious effects of work, than are their hind 

 limbs. The kind of school drill which I have indicated, 

 would, to a certain extent, correct this tendency to surcharge 

 the forehand, by teaching the animal to go in a more 

 ' collected ' form than he would naturally do. I need hardly 

 say that a horse as a rule will travel best when the distribution 

 of the weight borne, respectively, by his fore and hind limbs, is 

 preserved as nearly as possible in its natural position. We 

 know from experience that a horse which is constantly ridden 

 by a competent rider, learns after a time to go in a ' well- 

 balanced ' style ; but, while receiving such tuition, his forelegs 

 are much more exposed to injury, than if he had not a 

 weight on his back. Besides, an instructor on foot, can 

 teach his pupil quicker, more effectively, and with far less 

 risk to tendon and ligament, than he could do were he in the 

 saddle. 



Mr Porter, I need hardly say, is one of the most famous 

 trainers of all time ; having brought to the post, among 

 many hundreds of other winners, such great horses as 

 Rosicrucian, Blue Gown, Pero Gomez, Isonomy, Bend Or, 

 Geheimniss, St Blaise, Common, La Fleche, Orme, and 

 Ormonde, who was undoubtedly the best horse that ever 

 carried silk or satin. It was a great pleasure to me to meet 

 him. 



During this year, which we spent in England, we saw a 

 great deal of Captain Fitzgerald (late of the i6th Lancers), 



