EVILS OF CHILDREN AS JOCKEYS. 201 



little less than an absolute certainty for him. We find one 

 horse running no less than thirty-six times (one year), winning 

 but four races with a boy up, and over^short courses (not one 

 exceeding six furlongs) ; whilst FisJiei'man ran with a man on 

 him, over long courses, 133 races, winning ninety-six — within 

 a fraction of three out of four, against, in the other case, 

 one in nine. 



This one contrast should suffice, even if other conclusive 

 arguments had not already been adduced, to show the neces- 

 sity of having a man and not a boy to ride. As it is, in the 

 fields of to-day, amongst the ten or a dozen boy-riders, or 

 often double as many, not a man is to be seen ; and the lads, 

 left to themselves, ride harum-scarum, with the result, if dis- 

 aster be escaped, of a bad start, a cannon, and a complaint 

 against one or more of the jockeys for foul riding : the owner 

 blaming the starter, the starter the boys, and the public every 

 one concerned in it ; and whilst no one is pleased, the owner 

 often suffers severely, being misled by what has occurred in 

 respect to future and more important events. 



The Jockey Club, it must be said, have applied a partial 

 remedy; and could their all-powerful aid be invoked, the im- 

 portant task would be finished. They have wisely proscribed 

 yearling races, and the running of any but two-year-olds half 

 a mile, and they have at head-quarters also taken the initia- 

 tive, and added to other improvements the introduction of 

 welter-weights ; so that it only requires a little alteration — 

 more long races with heavy weights, and fewer short courses 

 with light weights — to complete the reform, so happily begun 

 and so much needed. This change would create a demand for 

 staying horses, which breeders would soon supply. It would, 

 too, enable us to find the best of our non-stayers ; and be 

 the means of showing many a supposed coward in a very 



