HORSES 27 



run on ground that differs in this essential. Some 

 horses are of litiie u.^e on a strictly level course, 

 and are only seen to advantage when the winning- 

 post stands, or is placed at a spot, very much below 

 the level of the starting post. Then, again, others 

 are of little account on either of the courses just 

 mentioned, but have sterling qualities when put to 

 race where there is a steep incline, and this right 

 up to the finish. 



Next to be considered are a class that, whatever 

 their peculiarity might be in point of gradient, 

 never show anything approaching their best form, 

 or, in other words, "high class speed," unless in a 

 sense the ground is as hard as a brickbat. These 

 horses, in a wet season, are generally of little good 

 for racing, and it is quite by chance they can be 

 made to pay their training expenses. 



But perhaps the most rcriuirkiible, those possess- 

 ing the greatest peculiarity, are horses capable of 

 racing in the deepest ground, and with mud almost 

 up to their fetlocks skim along apparently without 

 an effort, looking to be going on the surface as light 

 as a feather. These horses, however, Invariably 

 are useless when the ground is hardt being too slow, 

 unless placed in very moderate company. 



In every training establishment, there is neces- 

 sarily a rare mixture of horses haviug peculiarities 



