240 TRYING OF YEARLINGS. 



convenient and private piece of ground, with 

 posts erected at a suitable distance apart, to try 

 these young ones for a little longer length (as a 

 few strides) than they have to run in their races. 

 (See the Racing Calendar). Now, the best way 

 is to try each class separately, under the usual 

 weights, as eight stone on the colts and seven or 

 eleven on the fillies, care having been taken 

 by the groom that the colts are in all respects 

 ready to be tried at the appointed time. 



On the morning of the trial, the groom says 

 to the head lad — " You must ride one of the 

 three-year olds to the beginning of the trial 

 ground, to set them on their legs; let the boys 

 give them a short gallop a little way along the 

 bottom from the start, and then pull them up, 

 and walk them quietly back again towards the 

 start; and as they are doing so, tell them to 

 walk their colts up in line with each other; then 

 tell them to keep a steady hold of their colts' 

 heads, and, on seeing as they approach the win- 

 ning-post, that they are all ready, and that you 

 are yourself ready with your horse to take them 

 off, give them the word ' away.' But, from the 

 pains we have taken in teaching them,/They, for 

 young ones, know pretty well whatjthey are 



