342 THE HORSE. 



I will endeavor to reconcile this seeming incongruity. Ex- 

 ercise boys have not^ generally speaking, tine hands ; therefore, 

 to a certain degree, it is objectionable as a school for a jockey. 

 But to set against this, in the first place, there is no other in 

 vehich the other requisites in a jockey can be taught, or of 

 course learnt ; for training stables are the only places where a 

 boy can become acquainted with the habits, temj^er, style of 

 going, and powers of speed of the race-horse ; and, what is of 

 quite as much consequence as all these put together, it is the 

 best school to enable him to become a good judge of pace 

 "Without these acquirements no man can ever be a jockey. 



Having thus far answered the supposed remark, I hope it 

 will be borne in mind, that, although I said jockeys have most- . 

 ly been exercise boys, I in no way even inferred that exercise 

 boys mostly become jockeys ; for the fact is, there is not one in 

 a dozen of these boys that has either head or hands for the pur- 

 pose ; and it is because a boy is found to possess these in greater 

 perfection than other boys in the same stables that gets him first 

 put upon a race-horse as a jockey. 



I have now laid before my readers what I conceive to be 

 the difi'erent effects of learning to ride without and wath stir- 

 rups, and of learning to ride with them only ; and, whether 

 man or boy, I should most strongly recommend the beginner to 

 adopt the former course, satisfied as I am that for general riding 

 it will give both the best seat and best hands. 



There are three descriptions of persons among men grown, 

 who, if they mean to make riding a pursuit, would benefit by 

 some advice on the subject; the one is the man who has never 

 ridden at all; the other one who has ridden a little, and, find- 

 ing himself in difliculty, is satisfied he knows nothing about it ; 

 the third is one who has ridden a good deal, and that very bad- 

 ly. The first would be altogether the readiest pupil, and very 

 likely would, in the shortest time, become a horseman. ' He 

 will do as he is advised, because he has no inducement to do, 

 nor does he know how to do, otherwise ; and, beginning right, 

 the right way will become his most natural habit, and of course 

 the one the easiest to him ; and having in commencing no 

 habits at all, he will have no bad ones to correct. 



The next would give a little more trouble ; for as he has 



