2% THE HORS£. 



recommended. One fact deserves to be recorded. 

 A gentleman possessed a horse, which he discovered 

 could perform one mile in three and a half minutes, 

 and considered him a treasure. The owner doubted 

 not that the horse could be soon trained to do six- 

 teen miles in the hour, (his ordinary pace was eight,) 

 but he never succeeded in doing more than twelve. 



In what has been said, there has been no intention 

 to condemn racing, under proper circumstances and 

 regulations ; but there is a season for all things ; and 

 men in business, or commercial travellers, can scarce- 

 ly be supposed to be able to spare their horses to go 

 into training for racers. Neither is the road the fittest 

 place for that kind of sport, even if such persons were 

 more expert jockeys than they generally are ; and by 

 attempting it they only make themselves ridiculous. 



The observations just made on the artificial and 

 natural paces of horses, are intended as a guide to 

 those who use them under seven and eight years old. 

 After that age, they generally acquire an uniform 

 pace, which is their natural one, at which they will 

 continue a long period, and perform their work com- 

 fortably. Put them out of this pace, and they soon 

 begin to show fatigue, in comparison with their 

 strength and vigour when left to themselves. Yet 

 even under mismanagement, they will beat younger 

 horses, if the latter have been equally subject to ill 

 treatment. 



Should you meet with a horse of the age required 

 for your purpose, with his legs and feet in good 

 order, but his paces uncertain, it is a proof that he 

 has not been in respectable hands, and that his 

 owner was no judge of horses. You have, therefore, 

 to train him into his regular paces, and in so doing 

 be carefal to observe the foregoing rules. Old 

 horses with this irregularity of pace must be ex- 

 amined with more than ordinary caution, as there is 

 the geater chance of being unsound. 



