42 THE RACING WORLD 



spectacle one sees on all training grounds — the boys 

 may get on their backs. A few years since a much 

 longer time elapsed before the youngsters were 

 mounted, and in some establishments there is still 

 greater delay ; but I speak of my own practice, 

 which I have found to answer. How necessary 

 good hands and a firm seat are, will readily be 

 understood. The best tempered of yearlings will 

 sometimes buck, kick, and jump about, especially 

 on a cold morning ; and if a horse found that he 

 could get rid of his boy, he would be very apt to 

 amuse himself by repeating the process. After 

 having been trotted and wheeled about, the pupils 

 by degrees are sent for short canters with an old 

 horse in front — a hack will very well answer the 

 purpose at the beginning — and they then com- 

 mence to go in a string at a gradually increased 

 pace, the hack being replaced by a racehorse. 



Before being regularly tried the young ones 

 should have had a few rough spins together, being 

 allowed to come at a good pace for about half a 

 mile, and of course of late years it has become 

 necessary to practice them at the starting gate. 

 You are able to form ideas as to their ability from 

 these little spins, ideas which may turn out to be 

 right or wrong when they are really seriously 

 " asked a question " with an old horse. It is usual 



