STARTERS AND STARTING 157 



wood. At other places the starter is engaged by 

 the management, or the clerk of the course, 

 sanctioned by the Stewards of the meeting ; and a 

 hack is provided for him, which may be a pleasant 

 animal to ride, or on the other hand may not. At 

 some meetings he gets over a good deal of ground 

 during the course of the racing, though, as already 

 remarked, when two or three events start at or 

 about the same spot, a long way from the stands, 

 he does not always ride backwards and forwards, 

 trusting to one of the jockeys to bring him the 

 draw. 



I am asked to add some stories, but this is 

 trying me a little too high, for my memory is not 

 very responsive. There is one anecdote of the 

 characteristic idiot who, knowing nothing of 

 horses, assumes an exhaustive knowledge of them. 

 Some of the best animals in training were running 

 at a certain meeting, but none of these was for- 

 tunate enough to meet with his approbation, and 

 he descanted on their weak points to the admiring 

 ladies who were with him listening to his pro- 

 nouncements. At last he found a horse that came 

 up to his estimate of what a thoroughbred should 

 be. " Now that," he said, " is a creature that 

 does credit to his breed ! He has strength as well 

 as symmetry, good bone and admirably developed 



