

CHAPTER IV. 



Speed and Endurance Carnivorous Horses Horse Flesh as Food 

 Horse Baiting. 



THE maximum speed of the racehorse appears to be 

 at the rate of a mile in a minute ; for few, if any, 

 horses can retain the full velocity of this rate for even 

 that time. A mile has, however, been run at New- 

 market by a stop-watch in one minute and four and a 

 half seconds. It is said, but never was proved, that 

 Flying Childers did run at Newmarket one mile in the 

 minute ; certain it is that this celebrated horse, when 

 carrying nine stone two pounds, ran over the round 

 course, which is three miles, six furlongs, and ninety- 

 three yards, in six minutes and forty seconds. Bay 

 Melton ran four miles at York, in 1763, in seven 

 minutes forty-three seconds and a half. Eclipse also 

 ran the same distance, on the same course, in eight 

 minutes with twelve stone. The most extraordinary 

 instance on record of the stoutness as well as speed 

 of the racehorse was displayed in 1786, when Mr. 

 HuelTs Quibbler ran twenty-three miles round the flat 

 at Newmarket in fifty-seven minutes and ten seconds. 



