946 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



tawing the snaffle backward and forwards in his mouth, and by that means forcing him to open his 

 mouth, which will give him wind, and be of great service. If there be any high wind stirring in the 

 time of riding, the artful jockey will let his adversary lead, holding hard behind him, till he sees an op- 

 portunity of giving a loose ; yet, in this case, he must keep so close behind, that the other horse may keep 

 the wind from him; and that he, sitting low, may at once shelter himself under him, and assist the 

 strength of the horse. If the wind happen to be in their back, the expert jockey is to keep directly 

 behind the adversary, that he may have all the advantage of the wind to blow his horse along, as it 

 were, and at the same time intercept it in regard to his adversary. 



6051. When running on level smooth ground, the jockey is to beat his horse as much as 

 the adversary will give him leave, because the horse is naturally more inclined to spend 

 himself on this ground ; on the contrary, on deep earths, he may have more liberty, as he 

 will there spare himself. 



6052. In riding up hill the horse is always to be favored, by bearing him hard, for 

 fear of running him out of wind; but in running down hill, if the horse's feet and 

 shoulders will bear it, and the rider dares venture his neck, he may have a full loose. 

 If the horse have the heels of the rest, the jockey must always spare him a little, that he 

 may have a reserve of strength to make a push at the last post. 



6053. On the jockey's knowing the nature of the horse that is to run against him, a great deal depends ; for 

 by managing accordingly, great advantages are to be obtained : thus, if the opposite horse is of a hot and 

 fiery disposition, the jockey is either to run just behind him, or cheek by joul with him, making a noise 

 with the whip, and by that means forcing him on faster than his rider would have him, and consequently, 

 spending him so much the sooner ; or else keep him just before him, in such a slow gallop, that he may 

 either overreach, or by treading on the heels of the fore-horse, endanger tumbling over. Whatever be 

 the ground that the adversary's horse runs worst on, the cunning jockey is to ride the most violently over; 

 and by this means it will often happen, that in following he either stumbles or claps on the back sinews. 

 The several corrections of the hand, the whip, and the spur, are also to be observed in the adversary, and 

 in what manner he makes use of them : and when it is perceived by any of the symptoms of holding down 

 the ears, or whisking the tail, or stretching out the nose like a pig, that the horse is almost blown, the 

 business is to keep him on to this speed, and he will be soon thrown out or distanced. If the horse of the 

 opponent looks dull, it is a sign his strength fails him; and if his flanks beat much, it is a sign that his 

 wind begins to fail him, and his strength will soon do so too. 



6054. The after-management of a horse who has run, includes the treatment between the heats, and the 

 treatment after the race is over. After every heat for a plate, there must be dry straw, and dry clothes, 

 both linen and woollen, ready to rub him down all over, after taking off the sweat with what is called a 

 sweat-knife ; that is, a piece of an old sword-blade, or some such thing. After the horse has been well 

 rubbed, he should be chafed all over with cloths wetted in common water, till the time of starting again. 

 When it is certainly known that the horse is good at the bottom, and will stick at the mark, he should be 

 rid every heat to the best of his performance ; and the jockey is, as much as possible, to avoid riding at 

 any particular horse, or staying for any, but to ride out the whole heat with the best speed he can. If, 

 on the contrary, he has a fiery horse to ride, and one that is hard to manage, hard-mouthed, and difficult 

 to be held, he is to be started behind the rest of the horses with all imaginable coolness and gentleness ; 

 and when he begins to ride at some command, then the jockey is to put up to the other horses ; and if they 

 ride at their ease, and are hard held, they are to be drawn on faster ; and if it be perceived that their wind 

 begins to rake hot, and they want a sob, the business is to keep them up to that speed ; and when they are 

 all come within three quarters of a mile of the post, then is the time to push for it, and use the utmost 

 speed in the creature's power. 



6055. When the race is over, the horse is immediately to be clothed up and rode home ; and immediately 

 on his coming into the stable, the following drink is to be given him : Beat up the yolks of three eggs, and 



Eut them into a pint and a half of sound ale, made warm ; and let it be given with a horn. After this, 

 e is to be rubbed well down, and the saddle-place rubbed over with warm water and vinegar, and the 

 places where the spurs have touched, with the same ; after this he should have a feed of rye-bread, then 

 a good mash, and at some time after these as much hay and oats as he will eat. His legs, after this, should 

 be bathed some time with a mixture of vinegar and water. 



SuBSECT. 2. Of the Management and Working of the Hunter. 



6056. The managing and working of the hunter includes his preparation for hunt- 

 ing, his condition, and his treatment while taking his regular day's work in the field, 

 whether after buck, fox, or hare hounds. 



6057. The preparation of the hunter must, like that of the race horse, be commenced 

 by an estimate of his state and condition. If taken fresh from grass, it should be in 

 due time ; first, that he may be well prepared ; and next, because the grass does not 

 yield much nutriment in the heat of summer. A still better method is to continue to 

 let him run out in the day and graze, having a shed to house himself from heat and rain- 

 He is also to be fed and exercised, nearly as in the common training, for hunting con- 

 dition. In this way he is sure to be free from cracks, hidebound, or surfeit ; and he 

 will prove infinitely more hardy afterwards. It is even the practice with some of the 

 best sportsmen, to allow their horses to run out all the hunting season, unless the 

 weather be very severe ; when they are only stabled in a loose place. They are allowed 

 as much corn as they can eat, and are found, if a little rougher in their coats, infinitely 

 superior in hardihood, and exemption from the dangers of cold. 



6058. A hunter taken from grass or in very low case, should be treated as already fully detailed 

 under condition. (5755.) Great care must be taken that all the alterations in heat of stable, clothing, 

 feeding, &c., are gradually brought about ; by which means his flesh will harden gradually, and by using 

 first walking exercise, and increasing it as he advances in flesh and strength, his wind also will become 

 excellent. 



6059. In the physicking of Awnfers, particularly when they are low in flesh, much caution is requisite, 

 that it be not over-done. It is the practice with some, and by no means a bad one, to give no physic ; 

 but to give more time in the preparation. Others again give mild grass physic, which is an excellent 

 plan, when the weather is fine. (See physicking, 5875.) 



6060. The preparation of a hunter in full flesh and not from grass, depends principally on regular 

 exercise, and the best hard food ; physicking him or not, according as he may be suspected to be foul, or as 

 his wind may seem to want mending ; but above all, whatever is done, should be done regularly ; and 



