288 ON THE DUTIES OF PUBLIC AND 



and perhaps not in a racing neighbourhood ; as, 

 for example, at the Earl of Egremont's, at Petworth. 

 He has therefore an opportunity of keeping his horses' 

 properties secret, confiding them to his master only, 

 and he can enter freely and without fear into conversa- 

 tion with his employer, upon the qualifications of the 

 horses. This retired situation, removed from the pub- 

 lic eye of curiosity, enables them, both before Christmas 

 and in the spring, to make the necessary trials of the 

 various powers of their horses, and to form, in a quiet 

 way, a correct judgment, under what weight and what 

 length each horse will run to the greatest advantage. 

 By comparing the results of these trials with the mea- 

 surement which they may have had an opportunity of 

 making, in public running, of the powers of other 

 horses, the owner will be in a situation of entering or 

 matching his horse in public running, to a decided 

 advantage. 



It is by training grooms that race-horses are brought 

 to post in the highest possible state of condition. 

 vSuch horses are trained by these men, according to 

 their ages, tempers, constitutions, and the running 

 properties each may possess, in the length he can best 

 run, under certain weights. These points can only be 

 known to the trainers who direct and superintend the 

 feeding, watering, and working of the race-horses en- 

 trusted to their care, and who should consequently be 

 the only persons to give orders, how such horses are to 

 be rode in their different races. Trainers also know best 

 how to select those jockeys who are in high practice, 



