THE TRIPLE 'DEAD-HEAT.' Ill 



We feel it ourselves when we run, and all who 

 have given any time to foot-racing are practically 

 aware of the necessity of having the shoe and 

 running sock made as light as possible. Indeed, 

 some pedestrians dispense with even the light shoe 

 and sock, and run barefoot. A valuable proof of 

 this fact occurred in 1882. In the ' Sandown Derby,' 

 a most remarkable event occurred, no less than three 

 horses coming in together and running a dead heat. 

 Of course the dead heat had to be run out, and all 

 three horses started for it. During the interval, the 

 owner of one of them, named ' Harden,' took off even 

 the light plates which are substituted for shoes before 

 a race. The result was, that Marden won easily by 

 three lengths, the removal of a few ounces of weight 

 from its hoofs having given the animal an advantage 

 equal to the deduction of as many pounds from the 

 weight of the rider. 



As to the injury caused to the muscles and sinews 

 of the horse by depriving the hoof of its proper play, 

 and forcing the animal to lift a useless weight from 

 the ground, we may find a parallel among ourselves. 



If we look at the legs of a country ' clod-hopper,' 

 or of a Lancashire mill-hand in England, or of an 

 ordinary labourer in France, we shall see that from 

 the knee to the ankle there is scarcely any develop- 

 ment of muscle, the calf of the leg being almost en- 



