" THE METHOD IN SHORT AND IN LONG TRIALS. 141 



And so with trials, it will be found that no era of ease and 

 pleasure has set in ; that which, to the uninitiated seems easy 

 of accomplishment, the experienced knows to be not only 

 difficult but often totally impracticable. 



We hear of most wonderful trials in private ; but we never 

 see them repeated in public. The cause of this I will 

 endeavour to explain. 



In a trial certainty should not be looked for. It is a matter, 

 to a limited extent, of opinion and judgment. Neverthe- 

 less, a certain approximation to the truth may be arrived at 

 with a tolerable degree of accuracy. 



In short trials, old jockeys are often requested not to bustle 

 their horses the first fifty yards, but to let them get well 

 "on their legs" first; particularly the old ones. The advice 

 is necessary and often attended with good results ; but, un- 

 fortunately, it too often happens from over-cautiousness that 

 not only fifty but 150 yards are got over in this way, and 

 then only is the pace made good ; a mistake by which the 

 course is so much shortened. Again, in some cases, it occurs 

 that the young horse overpowers his rider, and the old one 

 never fairly gets on his legs. The result is in both cases, 

 although the causes are different, precisely similar, viz : — 

 failure. Pretty much the same may be said of long courses. 

 In a two-mile course it often happens that the first half mile 

 is traversed at a slow pace to enable the horses to get well 

 together, and on their legs as it is termed, being steadied 

 down hill and round turns ; after which they do the 

 remainder at their best speed. 



This is the sort of trial that many rest satisfied with, and 

 upon which they build their hopes of success ; and when 

 beaten in public they wonder at the difference between the 

 running then and the running at the trial. The horse is 



