J008 PRACTICE OF AGRICULTURE. Part III. 



by making his hoels swell, or his coat unthrifty ; and if such appearances occur, masli him, and begin 

 his scourings, otherwise abstain from physicking until he is in better health. As he improves in condition, 

 increase his exercise, but not to such a degree as to make him sweat. His food must now be the best 

 oats and beans, with wheaten-or barley bread ; the beans and oats are to be put into a bag, and beaten till 

 the hulls are aU {>ff,(And thdn wvnnwd clean ; and the bread, instead of being chipped in tlie common 

 way, is to have the crust clean of?; 



6717. If the horse be in good flesh and spirits when taken up for his month's preparation, cordials are 

 altogether unnecessary.; >ag' the c'biefbusineiss will be to give him good food, and so much exercise as 

 will keep him in wind, without ovier-sweating or fatiguing him. Wlien he takes larger exercise after- 

 wards, towardS'the end of tho'month, it will be proper to hav6 some horses in the place tO rUn against 

 him. iTkris.will -put him upon his mettle, arid the beating them will give him spirits. This, however, is 

 to be cautiously observed, that he has not an injurious, or in the language of jockeys, a bloody heat given 

 him for ten tlays or a fortnight before the plate is to be run for; and that the last'heat that is given him 

 the day before the race must be in his clothe.-i : tiiis will make him run with greatly more vigour wheri 

 stripp^ for the race, and feeling the cold wind on every part. In the second week, the horse should have 

 the same food and more exercise : and in the last fortnight he must have dried Oats, that have been hulled 

 by beating ; after this jockeys wet tliem with the whites of eggs, beaten up, and then laid out in the suii to 

 dry ; and when as dry as before, the horse is to have them : this sortof fofxi being considered by thein aS 

 very light of digestion, and very good tor the creature's wind. The beans in this time should be given 

 more sparingly and the bread should be made of three parts wheat and one part beans, or of Avheat and 

 barley in equal parts. If he should become costive under this course, he must then have bran-water to 

 drink, or some ale and whites of eggs beaten together ; and keep his Ixxiy moist. In the last week all 

 mashing is to be omitted, and barley-water given hiin irt its pldee ; and every day, till the day before the 

 raccj he should have his fill of hay ;' then he must have it given him more sparingly, that he may have 

 time to digest it; and in the morning of the race-day, he must have a toast or two of white bread soakecl 

 in ale, and the same just before he is led out of the lield. I'his is an excellent method, because the two' 

 extreme*; of fulness and fasting are at this time to be equally avoided ; the one afFecting his wind, and the 

 other occasioning a faintness that may make him lose. After he has had his food, the litter is to be shook 

 up, ami' the stable kept quiet, that he may be disturbed by nothing till he is taken out to run. 



6718. In the choice of a rider for winning a race, it is necessary, as far as possible, to select one that is 

 not only expert and able, but honest. He must have a very close seat, his knees being turned close to the 

 saddle 'skirts, ami held firmly there ; and the toes turped inwards, so that the spurs may be turned out- 

 ward to the horse's belly ; his left hand governing the horse's mouth, and his right the whip. During tiie 

 whole time of the race, he must take care to sit firm in the saddle, without waving or standing up in the 

 stirrups. Some jockeys fancy the last a becoming seat; but it is certain, that all motions of this kind do 

 really incommode the horse. In spurring the horse, it is not to be done by sticking the calves of the legij 

 close to the horse's sides, as if it were intended to press the wind out of his body ; but, on the contrary, 

 the toes are to be turned a little outwards, that the heels being brought in, the spurs may just be brought 

 to touch the sides. A sharp touch of this kind will be of more service toward the quickening of a horse's 

 pace, and will sooner draw blood than one of the common coarse kicks. The expert jockey will never 

 spur his horse until there is great occasion, and then he will avoid striking him under the fore bowels 

 between. the shoulders and the girt; this is the tenderest part of a horse, and a touch there is to be 

 reserved for the greatest extremity. 



6719: As to whipping the horse, it ought always to be done over the shoulder, on the near side, except 

 in very hard running, and on the point of victory; then the horse is to be struck on the flank with a 

 strong jerk ; for the skin is the most tender of all there, and most sensible of the lash. When a horse is 

 whipped and spurred, and is at the top of his speed, if he claj) his ears in his pole, or whisk his tail, it is 

 a proof that the jockey treats him hard, and then he ought to give him as much comfort as he can by 

 sawing the snaffle backwards and forwards in his mouth, and by that means forcing him to open his 

 mouth, which will give him wind, and be of great service. If "there be any high wind stirring in the 

 time of riding, the artful jockey will let his adversary lead, holding hard behind him, till he sees an op- 

 portunity of giving a loose ; yet, in this case, he must keep so close behind, that the other horse may keep 

 the wind from him ; and that he, sitting low, may at once shelter himself under him, and assist the 

 strength of the horse. If the wind hapi)en to be in their l)ack, the expert jockey is to keep directly 

 behind the adversary, that he may have all the advantage of the wind to blow his horse along, as it were, 

 and at the same time intercept it in regard to his adversary. 



6720. When running on level smooth ground, the jockey is to beat his horse as much as the adversary will 

 give him leave, because the horse is naturally more inclined to spend himself on this ground; on the con. 

 trary, on deep earths, he may have more liberty, as he will there spare himself. 



6721. In riding up hill the horse is always to be favoured, by bearing him hard, for fear of running him 

 out of wind ; but in running down hill, if the horse's feet and shoulders will bear it, and the rider 

 dares venture his tieck, he may have a full loose. If the horse have the heels of the rest, the jockey must 

 always spare him a little, that he may have a reserve of strength to make a jiush at the last post 



6722. On the jockey's knowing the nature of the hoi'se that is to run against him, a great deal depends ; for 

 by managing accordingly, great advantages are to be obtained : thus, if the 0|)posite horse is of a hot and 

 fiery disposition, the jockey is either to run just behind him, or cheek by joul with him, making a noise 

 with the whip, and by that means forcing him on faster than his rider would have him, and consequently, 

 spending him so much the sooner; or else keep him just before him, in such a slow gallop, that he may 

 either overreach, or by treading on the heels of the fore-horse, endanger tumbling over. Whatever be 

 the ground that the adversary's horse runs worst on, the cunning jockey is to ride the most violently over; ' 

 and by this means it will often happen, that in following he either stumbles or claps on the back sinews.. 

 The several corrections of the hand, the whip, and the spur, are also to be observed in the adversary, and 

 in what manner he makes use of them : and when it is perceived by any of the symptoms of holding down 

 the ears, or whisking the tail, or stretching out the nose like a pig, that the horse is almost blown, the 

 business is to keep him on to this speed, and he will be soon thrown out or distanced. If the horse of the 

 opponent looks dull, it is a sign his strength fails him; and if his flanks beat much, it is a sign that his 

 wind begins to fail him, and his strength will soon do so too. 



6723. The after-management of a horse who has run includes the treatment between the heats, and the 

 treatment after the race is over. After every heat for a plate, there must be dry straw, and dry clothes, 

 both linen and woollen, ready to rub him down all over, after taking off the sweat with what is called a 

 sweat-knife; that is, a piece of an old sword-blade, or some su(^h thing. After the horse has been well 

 rubbed, he should be chafed all over with cloths wetted in common water, till the time of starting again. 

 When it is certainly known that the horse is good at the bottom, and will stick at the mark, he should be 

 rid every heat to the best of his performance ; and the jockey is as much as possible to avoid riding at 

 any particular horse, or staying for any, but to ride out the whole heat with the best speed he can. If, 

 on the contrary, he has a fiery horse to ride, and one that is hard to manage, hard-mouthed, and difficult 

 to be held, he is to be started behind the rest of the horses with all imaginable coolness and gentleness ; 

 and when he begins to ride at some command, then the jockey is to put up to the other horses ; and if they 

 ride at their ease, and are hard held, they are to be drawn on faster ; and if it be perceived that their wind 

 begins to rake hot, and they want a sob, the business is to keep them up to that speed ; and when they are 

 all come within three quarters of a mile of the post, then is the time to push for it. and use the utmost 

 speed in the creature's power. 



6724. Wl en the race is over, the horse is immediately to be clothed upand rode homo ; and immediately 



