THE SPORTING WORLD. 231 



mail and horse were at all events quite unwilling 

 to change their habits. To have put a cart 

 liorse into a trot in those days would have 

 been held the act of one demented. It was 

 supposed to be as. unnatural a pace for the cart 

 horse as I can conceive a canter would be to 

 the hippopotamus. We have, however, foimd 

 (thanks to the Belgian farmer) that the cart 

 horse can trot, and so far from sufferiug from 

 it is in better health, better wind, and more 

 capable of strong exertion than he was when in 

 a state of his former obesity and consequent 

 plethora. Tlie farmer benefits by increased 

 activity in the horse, and the animal does his 

 work sooner, and more of it, with no more 

 fatigue to himself than when labouring at his 

 former pace. 



Having stated this analogetical circumstance, 

 we will see how far foot races would benefit 

 men. Of course there are some, nay, many 

 countrymen of such imperturbable habit that it 



