174 THE RACE AND ITS RESPONSIBILITIES. 



wet or dry, and how differently horses are affected by running 

 over it in its different states ; and yet another thing not to be 

 omitted from the calculation, the superiority of one horse to 

 another over different race-courses of the same length. With 

 regard to the latter, the shape ought not to be totally ignored : 

 whether it have sharp angles or be straight, whether the ascent 

 be steep or gradual, or the gradient of decline be little or 

 much, or whether it be wholly a flat course. By carefully 

 considering these things, advantages may be gained that would 

 not appear to a superficial observer. 



When speaking of the external conformation of the horse, 

 how often do we hear that he has a back that will carry him 

 up the hill, but that his shoulders will never allow him to come 

 down it ? Without defining the reason, which I think is very 

 obscure, we know, as a matter of fact, that some horses do run 

 better over one course than another even of the same length. 

 One animal may have pluck and stamina enabling him to run 

 over a severe course, whilst another may lack both, and yet be 

 better over an easy one than the former. And this will happen 

 though both may be trained alike, and there be nothing to 

 indicate from external appearance why one can stay and the 

 other cannot, or why the one should show to better advantage 

 over one course than another. 



It would seem to be Mr. Copperthwaitc's opinion that train- 

 ing has something to do with this matter ; although it should 

 be said that his observations on the point bear as much or 

 more on the subject of severe training — a subject on which, it 

 has been already shown, I think he is mistaken. Therefore, 

 before giving instances of the different running of horses over 

 different courses, I shall briefly notice his remarks. " No 

 doubt," he says, " the Derby course is about the most severe 

 and trying in England." Here I disagree with him, for I think 



