10 THE POCKET AND THE STUD. 



not so, why do we daily see one man losing 

 heavy sums by his horses (independent of their 

 general expenses of keep, attendants, &c.) ; an- 

 other losing only the amount of those general 

 expenses ; a third making them nearly keep 

 themselves; and a fourth making them do this 

 altogether, and also occasionally putting some- 

 thing in his pocket by them? This all arises 

 from the different way in which these different 

 men first buy, and then treat their horses. 



All men, or at least ninety-nine out of a hun- 

 dred, who can ride or drive a horse decently, are 

 fully satisfied that they can also buy him. Now, 

 though riding or driving moderately well is not a 

 matter of very easy attainment, or learnt by the 

 generality of those who keep horses, and though 

 to do both well falls to the lot of very few indeed, 

 the buying part of the business is far more diffi- 

 cult still : yet such is the infatuation of most 

 persons, that though they find they rarely, if ever, 

 buy a horse fitted for their purpose, and, as a 

 matter of course, lose heavily by all that are not, 

 experience seems entirely thrown away on them, 

 and they persevere in buying for themselves to 

 the day of their death the only circumstance 

 that could prevent their still going to market. 



There are certainly some men, who, if they are 

 in want of a horse, but really know little about 

 the matter, will ask a friend, perhaps a first-rate 



