110 RENDERING BAD ACTION WORSE. 



the spectator to be a good judge, he remarks, that 

 some go beautifully, others moderately well : one goes 

 too high ; another fights in his gallop ; another goes 

 too round ; another does not go like lasting, and so 

 forth. Now I think I may venture to predict, that 

 if inquiry was made, it would be found that those 

 which went well went so by nature, no thanks to the 

 breaker or trainer; but of those whose going was 

 faulty, not one had ever had any pains taken with him 

 before being put into training, or most likely while 

 at it, to make him go better. They had all been 

 properly treated by the trainer according to the 

 prescribed rules of training, which, like the hot or 

 cold water cure, is expected to agree with all patients. 

 But patients do, so far from improving, sometimes 

 die ; and race-horses do, so far from improving, some- 

 times train off; both I rather imagine from about the 

 same cause the treatment did not agree with them. 

 Neither hot nor cold water alone would cure every 

 defect of the system ; nor will training alone cure 

 every defect of going : yet in the latter case people 

 seem to consider that it will ; for whatever may be 

 the defect in the racing colt's style of going, with all 

 his imperfections on his head into training he goes, 

 and possibly the defect in his way of going is of that 

 description that the way in which he will be ridden 

 will render his defect more defective still. 



We will suppose a colt to have that most abom- 

 inable of all styles of action, a long lounging dwelling 

 stride, throwing the greater part of his weight on his 

 fore legs, and no inconsiderable part of it on his rider's 

 hand. A light boy, possibly a mere child, is put on 

 to ride him at exercise : what is the consequence ? The 

 boy can do nothing but set his feet against his stirrups, 



