INTRODUCTION. VU 



When, however, I left my stable companions, I had 

 the good sense to discontinue all such improper prac- 

 tices. 



In the above-mentioned stables, at the period of my 

 life of which I am speaking, and at which particular 

 time impressions on the expanding mind of youth 

 become permanent, was I taught that experience, 

 which nothing but such a situation could have af- 

 forded ; and from this source, as also from subsquent 

 residence in different stables, under various grooms, 

 I have derived the practical information I possess on 

 the subject. Without such opportunity at this eaily 

 period of my life, I could never have acquired the in- 

 formation which I am now in a situation to communi- 

 cate ; and as far as my talent for observation went, I 

 may say that I lost very few opportunities, either as 

 boy or head lad, of obtaining all the knowledge which 

 the circumstances afforded. 



As I appi'oached the state of manhood, I began to 

 think that I had lived quite long enough under the 

 immediate control of different grooms. Being aware 

 that the dail}^ system of working and feeding race- 

 horses was invariably conducted on the same general 

 principles, differing only in application according as 

 the tempers and constitutions of the horses \ aried ; and 

 finding that I had nothing more to learn, I left the 

 training stables, and shortly afterwards engaged myself 

 as groom to a single gentleman, who kept some well- 

 bred horses as hunters. One or two of these were now 

 and then engaged to run in the spring at such gentle- 



