ON THE RACE COURSE. - 203 



running might likely be made, or, where perhaps with 

 some horses it were proper to be made, to run up such 

 ground would be preferable to running down it, and it 

 would be giving an equal chance to different descrip- 

 tions of horses ; for the greatest part of the ground of 

 a two mile course is mostly flat, which, when not too 

 deep, is an advantage to the long striding horse ; but if 

 there is a pretty good hill in it to ascend, the little close 

 made horse, if he has good action, can generally climb 

 it the best 3 and if by making a course to run to the 

 left hand, we avoid running down a very steep hill, 

 it would be preferable to have it go in the above direc- 

 tion. 



I have already observed with regard to running over 

 a two mile course, that the post the horses start from, 

 is also the winning post ; but in order to decide cor- 

 rectly the coming in of the horses, a second post is 

 necessary, and this must be placed immediately oppo- 

 site, or in a parallel line with that behind which the 

 judge stands; as one of the principal objects in placing 

 this post here, is, its being a fixed point to enable the 

 judge to decide accurately on the smallest part of that 

 horse's head which may first appear in a line with 

 these two posts. The post I have here mentioned may 

 be called the starting, the winning, or the weighing 

 post; as on a two mile course it answers all these pur- 

 poses. It is to be observed, that in fixing the above 

 two posts, they are to be so situated on the course, as 

 to divide the best part of the ground into two portions : 

 one of these portions of ground is for the start, the 



