ON TRAINING GROUNDS. 187 



in and adjacent to Nevvniaiket, these downs, from their 

 extent and variety, may perhaps be said to be more 

 convenient than any we have in the south of England. 



The principal public training grounds in the north of 

 England (in Yorkshire) are four, each of which I shall 

 here separately describe, as the advantages in favor of 

 the feet of horses that are in strong work, when work- 

 ing over the soft and elastic surfaces of these training 

 grounds, must, I think, be very considerable, when 

 compared with the hard, unyielding surface of the 

 grounds in the south. 



Black Hamilton is the most extensive ground of 

 the four ; its surface is on a red clayey soil, in conse- 

 quence of which, it becomes very hard in dry weather, 

 and would very much injure the feet of horses, if it 

 were not that the turf is intermixed with a great deal 

 of moss, which gives to it great elasticity, and prevents 

 the concussion that would otherwise take place in the 

 feet of such horses as have long lengths to go in their 

 gallops and sweats. A small portion of this ground is 

 situated in front of Hamilton House stables, Low 

 Hamilton House, and the Blucher Inn stables. This 

 space of ground is walled in on the west, north, and 

 east, the south part lying open to the high road leading 

 from Thirsk to Helmsley. It is a very convenient 

 piece of ground for the horses to go to walking exercise 

 in winter, when the weather may be uncertain ; or for 

 them to walk or canter on in the hot summer evenings, 

 or at any time when strong work may not be necessary 

 for them. 



