EFFECT OF WEIGHT, PACE, AND DISTANCE. 49 



tell ; not that perhaps the horses would be in one mile 

 positively tired and leg-weary ; but the exertion would 

 act on the lungs, and when they become weary it is 

 weary work indeed. It matters not whether increase 

 of pace or increase of weight produces the effect ; the 

 effect produced reduces the horse to the same state of 

 inability. Let two men of about equal weight and 

 pretensions in running make a match to run fifty 

 yards, the one to carry a man of moderate weight, say 

 list., on his back, the other to run unloaded, but to 

 give the weighted man 25 yards; the loaded man 

 would invariably beat the other, perhaps many yards. 

 Let them make it one hundred, the weight-carrier to 

 be allowed 50 yards, frequent experience has taught 

 us that with men equal in running and strength the 

 man carrying the weight will always win. But make 

 it one hundred and fifty yards, and still allow the 

 same proportion of law to the loaded man, he would 

 then in turn be always beaten : and why ? because the 

 supporting muscles and joints would be tired, and the 

 wind exhausted. This shows why the heaviest men 

 will and can go a short burst with the first flight ; but 

 the pace continued must beat them ; that is, if it is a 

 fast one. It is not entirely the weight that does it, 

 but the weight at the pace : weight and pace no horse 

 breathing can stand long. Still I maintain pace is 

 the real killer. We could scarcely find a man under 

 whom a good and well-bred horse will not go at a 

 really hunting pace for a couple of miles ; but we may 

 easily find a pace at which no horse would go the 

 distance under Derby weight. 



I conceive that from what I have said as yet, I have 

 in some degree borne out the assertion I made at the 

 commencement of these pages, that the effect of 



VOL. II. E 



