24^i 



had not the gift of speech, nor his master those of sense and feehiig, 

 through any other medium, than that most deceptive one of common 

 custom. We read in old IMarkham, and others of that stamp, of the 

 Horse's " bloody courses" by Avhich, I suppose, he was rattled off his 

 legs, and almost out of his life; of his being sweated in the stable, that 

 is covered with clothes, and M^hi[)ped and pricked, that he might jump 

 about to excite perspiration, and of his being kept short of meat and 

 water, that he might be light enough to run ! 



The good sense of modern sportsmen has been nobly and beneficially 

 employed, in reforming the abusesof the old jockey-system, superseding 

 it by one far more moderate, and in most respects, perhaps, nearly allied 

 to attainable perfection. There is, nevertheless, yet room for farther 

 improvement in several respects, the following hints on which I take 

 the liberty to suggest. 



I formerly ventured, from various observations, to call in question 

 the necessity of regular sAveats, to Avashy and irritable Horses, which, far 

 from shewing any superfluous flesh, appear already below their work ; 

 proposing that such were it to be held necessary to sweat them at all, 

 should have their run of four miles, at a moderate stroke, in their ordi- 

 nary clothes, and Avithout any additional Aveight, I farther questioned 

 the propriety and use of those excessive and laborious sAveats, usually 

 given to the hardy-constitutioned Horse, in order to deprive his bones 

 of that coat of flesh, Avhich he seemed constantly disposed to carry, in 

 spite of the greatest severity, judging the remedy far worse than the 

 disease, granting plumpness of muscle in the racer, could be fairly 

 deemed either disease or disadvantage. It would be almost impossible 

 for a Horse of steel, to endure Avith impunity, lo his joints and tendons, 

 this ratting every five or six days, Avith eight or nine stone of living, and 

 perhaps an equal quantitj^ of dead Aveight upon his back. But he 

 endures all this, and nothing sinister occurs, more properly, nothing 

 is observed, and he cannot tell tales of himself It happens hoAvever, 

 afterwards, that a sinew starts, or that a Horse is not well to run. In- 

 deed, it frequently happens, that a Horse, although naturally good, is 

 seldom Avell to run. Now 1 humbly apprehend, that the common 

 sinew-strains are as jjrobable to be incurred in running SAveats, with 



such 



