THE HORSE. 19 



among reed judges, pity or contempt. Even sup- 

 posing the tales they recount were true, which in 

 most cases they are not, these dealers in the marvel- 

 lous only expose their own ignorance and folly. To 

 such persons, therefore, it may be as well to mention, 

 that one thousand guineas have for some time been 

 oftered, and are still unclaimed, for any horse that 

 has performed, at moderate paces, twenty miles a 

 day throughout the year. After this, it is to be hoped, 

 that these empty boasters will cease to relate stories 

 often, of a verity, out-heroding Herod. 



Should a person have a horse capable of perform- 

 ing sixteen miles within the hour, still from eight to 

 nine would be quite enough to work him as a gene- 

 ral pace. If, however, you wish to keep up his full 

 pace you may put him to his speed for a few yards 

 occasionally; but vain would be the hope, with daily 

 hard wear and tear, to keep him to that pace for a 

 constancy. A coach-horse, running at the rate of 

 twelve miles within the hour, and only doing one 

 short stage on his days of work, will not, at the end 

 of two years, be able to do nine milos within the 

 hour, and he is allowed to work only four days a 

 week. Make your paces moderate, according to the 

 utmost speed of your horse, and agreeing with i he 

 weight of samples, or other luggage, you rec[u re 

 him to draw, and with regard to the distance you 

 may have to travel daily. But when you buy an 

 aged horse, the best plan is to lea.ve to himself the 

 choice of his pace ; and he will then ado^Dt the one 

 he can endure the longest. Put him out of his own 

 course, and you soon tire him. 



There is yet another reason, and an important one, 

 for selecting old horses ; they know their business, 

 and will do it properly if left to themselves ; while 

 two young horses (a master not used to horses, and 

 a horse not used to work) coming in contact on the 

 road, are very likely to be productive of an accident 



