28 FLAT-RACING EXPLAINED. 



of the character to which I 1 ave referred. What 

 is done to single them out and phice them on suit- 

 able courses, under suitable condition?;, is best un- 

 derstood by what is to be seen of their perform- 

 ances. 



As everybody who j^oes racing knows, there are 

 horses continually running tluU go for months with- 

 out winning a single race. When this happens, 

 there is, of course, no commiseration or kindly word 

 expressed in respect of the horse, but, on the con- 

 trary, the wretched animal is made tlie object of 

 every kind of abuse for liis supposed cowardice and 

 ungovernable temper. Under these circumstances, 

 unfavorable as they apparently are to any chance 

 of reclamation, it will be determined to get rid of 

 him, and the iiorse will pass into other hands. 



A new order of tbings now springs up, and, in 

 spite of what the horse h.'is gone through, he will 

 begin to win races, and in a sliort time put several 

 to his credit. Now the secret is out. The horse at 

 length got into the possession of some one who had 

 the good sense to discover th? character of ground 

 upon which he could stretch himself, and hence the 

 result. 



It is clear enough there would not be half the 

 number of bad horses, or supposed bad hor.-es, there 

 are if they were properly understood, in the sense 



