94: AB UNO DISCE OMNES. 



horses are constantly beaten, not from being altogether 

 bad, but from being merely bad at the weight and in the 

 races they are entered to run for, from our not knowing 

 in what way, at what length, and at what weight they 

 will run better: and this must always to a very great 

 degree be the case more or less. By the time a horse 

 is regularly stumped up, perhaps, and only perhaps, 

 we may learn the secret, and then have the pleasing 

 satisfaction of reflecting, that had w^e precisely known 

 our horse's forte, w r e have had an animal in our pos- 

 session that would have made our fortune. 



If, therefore, it is so difficult for any one, however 

 interested he may be in a horse, to ascertain his best 

 qualities, can we be surprised if many a horse in a 

 public training stable, unless he is a favourite, is con- 

 tinually running, and of course continually losing, in 

 races where he never should have been placed ; for if 

 a trainer does in an ordinary way his duty to a horse, 

 he conceives that he has done all that his duty requires. 

 It is not to be expected that a man with a dozen 

 horses under his care will rack his brains or exercise 

 his ingenuity in considering how to make the most of 

 each individual horse for the benefit of the owner, 

 whether as it regards his treatment or running. It 

 may be said he ought to do this : we know he ought ; 

 we all ought to do a great deal we do not do : so ought 

 trainers, though I do not mean to say they fail in this 

 particular more than the generality of men ; but 

 whether they ought or not, they won't. The regular 

 routine is gone through like the business of a parade. 

 Commanding officer, officers, non-commissioned officers, 

 privates, and band, all go through the duties of their 

 class, and do it mechanically and according to rule : 

 the trainer does the same; so do the boys: they as 



