THE TURF. 
on the wakening of the boys in the morning. The 
event is anxiously looked for by the horses, who, when 
they hear them awaken each other, neigh and denote 
their eagerness to be fed, which is the first step taken. 
The second is a proper arrangement of their beds, and 
then dressing and exercise. When they return home 
the horses are well dressed again ; the boys break their 
fast ; and Holcroft spoke from experience when he 
said, " Nothing can exceed the enjoyment of a stable- 
boy's breakfast." 
Considering the prodigious number of race-horses in 
training, and that each horse has its lad, it is astonishing 
that more accidents do not occur. As we have before 
observed, almost all race-horses are playful ; and " horse 
play is rough." But we do not wonder at their 
becoming vicious: highly bred as they are, hot in 
blood, and their tender and nearly hairless skins irritated 
by a coarse brush, and, after sweating, scraped with 
rather a sharp wooden instrument, that, we repeat, is 
no wonder. Nevertheless, it seldom happens that they 
hurt the boys who look after them. Indeed, it is an 
interesting sight to witness a little urchin of a stable-boy 
approach, with perfect safety to himself, an animal that 
would perhaps be the death of the strongest man in 
the land who might be rash enough to place himself 
within his reach. To what shall we attribute this 
passive obedience of an animal of such vast power and 
proud spirit to a diminutive member of the creation 
an abortion of nature, indeed, as we might be almost 
168 
