526 



RULES OF THE COURSE. 



Rule 20. — Weights and Weighing. — Every horse starting for purse, sweepstake, 

 or match, in any trotting or pacing race, shall carry, if to wagon or sulky, 150 lbs., 

 exclusive of harness : and if under the saddle, 145 lbs., the saddle and whip only to be 

 weighed with the rider. 



Riders and drivers shall weigh in the presence of one or more of the Judges previ- 

 ous to starting for any race, and after each heat shall come to the starting stand, and 

 not dismount or leave their vehicles without permission of the Judges, and those who 

 are deficient in bodily weight shall be re-weighed after each heat. Any rider or 

 driver not bringing in his required weight shall be distanced, unless such decision 

 shall be deemed to favor a fraud. But a rider or driver thrown or taken by force from 

 his horse or vehicle, after having passed the winning-post, shall not be considered as 

 having dismounted without permission of the Judges, and if disabled may be carried 

 to the Judges' stand to be weighed, and the Judges may take the circumstances into 

 consideration and decide accordingly. And the riders or drivers who shall carry 

 during the heat and bring home with them the weights which have been approved or 

 announced correct and proper by the Judges, shall be subject to no penalty for light 

 weight in that heat ; provided the Judges are satisfied the mistake or fault was their 

 own, and that there has been no deception on the part of the rider or driver who shall 

 be deficient in weight ; but all parties shall thereafter carry the required weight. 



Rule 21. — Handicaps and Miscellaneous Weights. — In matches or handicaps, 

 where extra or lesser weights are to be carried, the Judges shall carefully examine and 

 ascertain before starting, whether the riders, drivers or vehicles are of such weights as 

 have been agreed upon or required by the match or handicap, and thereafter the 

 riders and drivers shall be subject to the same penalties and conditions as if they 

 were to carry the weights prescribed by the rules. 



Rule 22. — When Riders and Drivers are Overweight. — If the bodily weight of 

 any rider or driver shall be found to exceed that which is prescribed in the rules, or 

 that which is required by the conditions of the race, and the overweight shall exceed 

 twenty pounds, it shall be announced from the stand before the heat ; and the 

 judges shall have power, if in their belief such extra weight was imposed on the horse 

 for an improper or fraudulent purpose, to substitute another rider or driver of suitable 

 weight ; and if they believe the horse has been prejudiced in the race by such over- 

 weight, he shall not be allowed to start again or continue in the race, and all outside 

 bets on such horse shall be declared off. [See also Rule 28.] 



A horse prevented by this rule from continuing in the race shall not be distanced, 

 but ruled out. 



Rule 23. — Length 0/ Whips. — Riders and drivers will be allowed whips not to 

 exceed the following lengths: For saddle horses, 2 ft. 10 in.; sulkies, 4 ft. 8 in.; 

 wagons, s ft. 10 in.; double teams, 8 ft. 6 in.; tandem teams and four-in-hand, un- 

 limited : snappers, not longer than three inches, will be allowed in addition to the 

 foregoing measurement. 



Rule 24. — Judges' Stand. — None but the Judges of the race in progress, and 

 their assistants, shall be allowed in the Judges' stand during the pendency of a heat, 

 except members of the Board of Appeals. 



