108 RACE HORSES GOING TO BE IMPROVED. 



in their general deportment, but capital goers with 

 their legs. This is not pleasing in a dancing master, 

 is execrable in a gentleman, but will do quite well in 

 a race-horse. Many race-horses are bad goers in their 

 slow paces ; Harkaway was one ; but no finer goer 

 lives when extended. I could mention many others, 

 but I do not remember ever having seen a bad goer 

 (when at speed) who was any great things as a race- 

 horse. Some are much more true and graceful in 

 their action than others at all times ; and I should 

 say a true and graceful goer is mostly a good goer, 

 though he may not be a good horse. With the gene- 

 rality of horses, whether as hunters, hacks, or harness 

 horses, great pains are taken to improve their action ; 

 yet with the race-horse, on whom thousands are likely 

 to depend, I consider less pains are taken in this 

 particular than with any other : and I feel quite satis- 

 fied their style of going, if bad, is to be as much 

 improved as that of any other horse. A trainer, or 

 any other person, may say, if a race-horse can go fast 

 and long, it matters little how he goes : granted, if he 

 can ; but if he goes badly, I maintain he cannot go, 

 at all events so well, so fast or so long, as if he went 

 better. 



We will suppose a colt to be naturally an indifferent 

 goer ; the first thing done is to put him to training 

 exercise, and then to strong work ; this with a boy on 

 his back, who, provided he keeps him straight, lets 

 him go just as he pleases ; if he improves in his style 

 of going, it is well ; if he does not, it is not so well ; 

 and if he gets to go worse, it is bad, " but cannot be 

 helped." Now I am not quite so clear about this 

 not being to be helped. It could not be helped by 

 the boy who was put on him I allow, nor while he was 



