70 BREAKING. 



and Cuvier. The late Lord Jersey used to have the most of 

 his horses broke at two-years old, and run them at three, and 

 he succeeded with a small stud. Whilst Mr. Wreford, and 

 many others who were equally fortunate, broke their horses 

 as yearlings (which is the general practice), though some 

 were not raced until they were three-years old. 



As for myself, I am clear on the point. Whatever the 

 age at which the horse has to run, he should be broke and 

 ridden as a yearling. One good and sufficient reason for this 

 practice is, that he is then more tractable, and reduced to 

 submission with less restraint than when older. If, too, the 

 breaking be left late, vicious habits may have been contracted 

 which no training will eradicate. The late Mr. J. J. Farquhar- 

 son, of hunting celebrity, used to keep his horses till four and 

 even five years old running loose in large paddocks, before 

 sending them to be broke. But I never knew him possessed 

 of a good one so treated. A winner he may have had, which 

 is all that may fairly be said in favour of the produce of his 

 stud. A more savage lot of horses in the stable I never saw, 

 or on the turf a greater set of rogues. This experience 

 should, I think, deter any one from following a plan that 

 in my opinion has so signally failed, and which may be 

 said to be the only one tried to such an extent without a 

 redeeming point. 



Those who favour the system of late breaking say : " Our 

 horses are ruined and prematurely brought to the stud 

 through unsoundness and the want of stamina caused by early 

 breaking and running so often." Such an allegation may be 

 easily refuted. For do we not see horses running till ten 

 or twelve years old, broke at such an age ? Historian, Lilian, 

 Reindeer, and a host of others, may be mentioned to prove 

 the absurdity of such a proposition ; for these and many 



