INTRODUCTION. Xvil 



certain extent, he should be indulged both in food and 

 water at proper intervals, up to the period of his com- 

 ing out of the stable to run. 



Now, those of my readers who may be experienced 

 in the training of horses, will at once see the folly 

 of such absurd, or I may say, such cruel treatment 

 as was here intended to be carried into effect. ^ No 

 matter what description of horse it may be, as to 

 constitution or temper, — as to the length he may 

 be going to run, — the distance he may have to 

 walk to the course, or the time of day he is to start ; 

 — there is no one circumstance with which I am ac- 

 quainted, that would make it requisite to keep a 

 horse for eighteen or twenty-four hours, without food 

 or w ater ; and more particularly, one that could bear 

 but little setting, which was the case in the present 

 instance. 



Where horses are pretty equally matched, there 

 can be but very little chance for those which have 

 been badly trained, to win against others which 

 have been moderately well-trained ; for, even in the 

 inferior sort of training which takes place among 

 hunting and saddle-horse grooms, some men's ideas 

 are superior to others on this, as on other subj ects ; 

 and in a race, the best horse may be easily beat 

 for want of being equally well prepared to run, ac- 

 cording to his constitution, with those opposed to 

 him. 



It w^as from such examples of abuse as I have 



c 



