246 JUDGES, BUT NOT BIG WIGS. 



Such men must undoubtedly expect to lose by their 

 horses. Why should they not ? They lose by their 

 furniture, their clothes, their carriages, and indeed 

 by everything ; yet they abuse the dealer if they lose 

 by a horse. 



Having said that gentlemen in a general way must 

 lose by horses, I will now endeavour to show that 

 there are some gentlemen who not only do not lose, so 

 far as price goes, but who really keep half a dozen or 

 more horses at very little expense. Mind, I do not 

 mean they make money by them : that is quite a dif- 

 ferent thing ; but they get their show and amusement 

 for a hundred or two a year, which costs others a 

 thousand or much more. This can only be done by 

 men, who, from practice and decided partiality to 

 horses, have acquired a quick eye, good taste, and per- 

 fect judgment in choosing their horses a perfect 

 knowledge of the best stable-management of them 

 afterwards and, finally, fine judgment, fine hands, 

 a fine seat, and fine nerves in riding or driving them. 

 This is only to be acquired by beginning early : riding 

 must from infancy have been as natural to him as 

 walking, or, with a few exceptions, he will never 

 become a horseman. A tailor may begin at five-and- 

 twenty to first get on a horse, and yet make a capital 

 dragoon : he would never, however, be made (at least 

 not one man in a thousand would) a hunting rider. 

 Look at the difference between the manner and seat 

 of a man who began from childhood, and the school- 

 taught adult ; the first steps into his saddle without 

 hesitation or preparation : the moment he is there, you 

 see he is at home and in his element as much as a 

 duck is the moment she touches the water. The other 

 prepares himself for the exploit: then prepares to 



