AND EXERCISE BOYS. 231 



It is tolerably well understood, tliat boys are, more or 

 less, inclined to be tricky ; nor are those in race-horse 

 stables different from the generality in this particular. 

 They are often in the habit of playing each other a 

 variety of mischievous little dirty tricks, which, of 

 course, are not of much consequence : but some boys, 

 when not strictly watched, are apt at times, to practise 

 rather dangerous tricks on the horses they look after, 

 and in which, I confess, I have often been an accom- 

 plice ; and, as I have reason to suppose human nature 

 has not much changed since, I shall, as I proceed, 

 make mention of such of them as I think necessary, 

 to put those grooms who may not have been brought 

 up in training stables at a very early period, on their 

 guard. I know some men, who did not begin to train 

 horses until they were some way advanced in years, 

 and to such, these hints may be found useful. 



I expect training grooms teach their boys to ride 

 much in the same way now as they formerly did, being 

 fully aware that they are, at times, necessitated to put up 

 their best riding boys to ride their light weights, when 

 jockeys cannot be had, or when these cannot perhaps 

 get themselves down to the weight. Under these and 

 other circumstances, it used to be the custom with 

 most grooms, to caution and instruct their boys at the 

 time of their riding different horses in their gallops and 

 sweats, and more particularly in the concluding of the 

 latter ; at which time it generally is that the trainer is 

 endeavouring to ascertain the length of rally that a 

 craving or hearty horse (but not a flighty onej can 



