I84 ON THE HACKNEY AND HUNTER. 



fifteen. The convenience of ponies and gallo- 

 ways, for the fummer feafon, and their incon- 

 venience, in deep roads and dirty weather, are 

 in the way of every body's obfervation. 



It is a truth, like numberlefs others, much 

 better known than pract-ifed, that Horfes fhould 

 never be put to fevere labour whilft young. 

 Our doing fo much violence to their flrength, 

 in this country, whilft their iinews are yet too 

 flexible and tender, and have not acquired due 

 fubftance and tenfity, is the occafion of their 

 growing old fo foon, and becoming, at fuch a 

 premature period of their lives, totally unfit for 

 any, but the loweft drudgery. We have had 

 fome inftances of Horfes reaching forty years 

 of age, but thirty feems to be, in general, their 

 lateft period ; and it may be compared to the 

 human date of three-fcore and ten. As man is 

 in the flower of his flrength, from thirty-five 

 to forty years of age ; by a parity of reafoning, 

 our Horfes would be in their higheft ftate of 

 perfection, for flrength, toughnefs, vigour, and 

 expertnefs at their bufinefs, from ten to fifteen, 

 were we honeft and humane enough, to allow 

 them the fair chances of exiftence. That fuch 

 theory will not treacheroufly abandon us in 

 practice, as is too often the cafe, I have reafon 

 to be convinced, from fome pleafing experi- 

 ments of my own, and from the obfervation of 

 thofe of other people. What a happy plan, 



where 



