OR, The Turn Out. 91 



It is said that races were first instituted in England in the 

 reign of Charles I. ; and it is also asserted that Cromwell 

 kept fleet horses, no doubt for the purpose of carrying the 

 mails and other despatches. 



Horsemen should be careful not to ride long stages with- 

 out feeding their steeds ; some have been known to ride 

 thirty and forty miles, which is a great act of cruelty ; 

 occasional small feeds, and a good meal at the end of the 

 journey are most beneficial to the horse. In riding a journey 

 the horseman should start at a moderate pace, and finish in 

 the same way, thus graduating the horse to his work and 

 coming home cool. If quick travelling is necessary, the 

 saddle should be eased occasionally in going up hill. The 

 tired hack should have his feet washed, and legs bathed with 

 warm water at his journey *s end, and the hands should be 

 carefully rubbed down the horse's legs for thorns, &c. If 

 the steed should go ofi* (or appear to despise) his food, it is 

 a sure sign that rest is required. 



It is an important item that the hackney saddle should be 

 a close fit, but must not hurt the horse's back. The laro-er 

 the saddle the better for the horse, the weight of the rider 

 being spread over a larger surface; and the same rule applies 

 to the comfort of the rider. The girths should not be buckled 

 tight, particularly when a breast-plate is worn. The life of 

 the rider should never be trusted to a single girth, and 

 when two single girths are used, they must be crossed. The 

 best and safest girth is the " Fitzwilliam," which is not 

 only the most secure, but most comfortable for the animal ; 

 as it consists of one broad web band as the main or body 

 girth, and a narrow one passing through loops on the top of 

 the broader one as the safety girth, each one being buckled 

 independently, with three buckles in all at each end. 



The saddle pannel should be carefully and constantly 

 attended to, both as to stuffing and cleanliness. The 

 back-stuffing (as it is termed by the trade) of a saddle is a 

 very important item in connection with the welfare of the 

 horse and the safety of the rider — none but the very best 

 and cleanest wool should be used ; where common wool or 

 flock is used, a hard or long ride will cause the perspira- 

 tion to clog the wool, and form it into knots, hence the term 

 " cut like a knife," thus causing wounds and sores. 



The crupper and breast-plate should not be worn for 

 wearing sake, neither should double reins or bits be used for 



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