THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 



his Lack. All I can say of your horse is, he is well — better, 

 I think, than he was on Tuesday ; and I question whether 

 Antonio has quite forgotten Tuesday's race. Then you will 

 liave an advantage to-day, if you mean to make running, 

 which you had not on Tuesday, You will be able to make 

 your turns — and there are plenty of them on this course — 

 without losing ground, which you did on Tuesday among the 

 crowd. But pray, sir, don't forget the pull a short distance 

 from home. I have backed you for a hundred.' 



' No fear of that,' replied our hero ; ' but if it comes to a 

 very near thing at the last, should I use my whip, or only 

 spur my horse ? ' 



'Why, sir,' said Lilly, 'all good jockeys avoid the use of 

 the whip as much as possible. When a race-horse is in the 

 fullest exercise of his powers, and doing his best, it is un- 

 necessary, for it cannot make him do more ; but a severe blow 

 from a whip often does harm, particularly if it falls under the 

 flank, which is a very tender place, on account of the thinness 

 of the skin. Instead of its having the effect of making a horse 

 extend himself over a large surface of ground, it may have 

 ([uite a contrary effect, from his '^shutting himself up," as we 

 call it, or shrinking to avoid the blows. The spur, properly 

 used, is a much better instrument for increasing the speed of 

 a horse, although there are times when the application of the 

 whip, or the mere act of flourishing it in the hand, is eminently 

 serviceable to a jockey — I mean, in case his horse swerves to 

 one side of the course or the other, or towards other horses in 

 the race, or exhibits symptoms of running out, or bolting. To 

 be sure, a jockey ought to be able to use his whip with vigour 

 when necessary, and, like Sam Chifney, witli his left hand, as 

 well as with his right, in case of his losing what is called the 

 whip hand, when he cannot use it at all with his right. I 

 would, however, recommend you, sir, not to use your whip at 

 all. Yours is a free-going horse ; he will run his own race ; 

 all you have to do will be to take care not to upset him ; and, 

 if it comes to a struggle at the last, try what the spur will do. 

 I tell all young jockeys, especially, that they may do more 

 harm by letting go one hand from the bridle, to use the whip, 

 than the whip does good. Hold your horse hard by the head 

 to the last ; shake him by the head to rouse him, if it comes 

 to a near thing, and give him a few digs with }our spurs.' 



330 



