211 TEACHING YEARLINGS. 



served in the teaching of yearlings and two-year 

 olds on their first coming on to the downs to be 

 trained, with a view to preserve their tempers, 

 and prevent their becoming tricky; no matter 

 how good the racing properties of a colt may be, 

 if, from improper management, he should, at the 

 above early age, get into any of the habits al- 

 ready mentioned, he is, as I have before noticed, 

 most likely spoiled for ever as a race horse, or, 

 rather, there is no dependence to be placed on 

 him when he is called upon in severe rvmning, 

 nor can his owner ever think of backing him for 

 a single guinea. 



Yearlings that are thus far forwarded by teach- 

 ing are many of them sufficiently well trained 

 for the length they have to come ; and with those 

 that are not so, as the thick ones and the hearty 

 ones, the groom may do a bit of work, and 

 get them into something like condition, that is, 

 he may get them about three parts ready, if the 

 weather keeps open, and they have not been 

 tired ; they also may, if the owner wishes it, at 

 the usual weights and lengths, have a spin to- 

 gether just before Christmas, merely to see what 

 may be good or bad among them. 



