208 ON RUNNING HOUSES 



really to have a penchant for the whip and 

 Ipur, fince he abfolutely will not keep to- his 

 ftroke without the one or other of them, and 

 never takes offence at either. 



I hope my brother jockies will pardon my 

 want of orthodoxy, if I (hould prefume to hint 

 a doubt of the utility of that tumultuous whip- 

 ping and fpurring, and loofmg of bridles^ 

 which ufually takes place at the ending poll ; 

 I fear the advantage exifts only in their own 

 agitated imaginations. According to my con- 

 flant obfervation, a horfe ail-abroad, if whipped 

 and ioofed at the fame time, mechanically flies 

 upwards with his fore feet, by which he lofes 

 ground; if he be already running diftreft, and 

 at the very ultimate point of his fpeed, what 

 is the intent of exceflive whipping and fpur* 

 ring — is it to keep him there ? I fiiould .rather 

 fuppofe it flurries nine horfes in ten out of a 

 certain portion of their fpeed. The attempt 

 to whip a horfe beyond the ultimate point 

 of his powers, would be very proper in a race 

 over Moorfields, St. Luke's mile. Thus much 

 on the rationale of whipping, in behalf of 

 truth and humanity. 



But it is with the utmofl pleafure I remark, 

 that the general treatment of race-horfes is 

 mild and conflderate, and well befitting that 

 ftiperiority which racing grooms challenge 

 over all others. This profeflional humanity 



has 



