574 HISTORY OF THE 



riders employed were the grooms of the training 

 stables, part of whose routine of duty this was 

 considered, and who thought themselves fortunate 

 if, in addition to their wages, their success on any 

 occasion was rewarded with a small gratuity by 

 their master. 



In many sporting pictures of the events of the 

 days of the " olden time," we find portraits intro- 

 duced of these riders both, in their every-day dress, 

 which was generally the livery of their master, and 

 in the costume in which they rode, which latter 

 had by no means the appropriate and elegant ap- 

 pearance of that worn by the dandy jockies of the 

 present day.* 



We have no positive data to enable us to ascer- 

 tain with certainty the period when the business 

 of riding races was first raised by the patronage of 

 the sporting public to the rank of a separate pro- 

 fession ; but we are strongly inclined to suppose 

 that this took place very early in the eighteenth 



* Some idea may be formed of the figure of fun these riders must 

 have presented from the following directions, given about' a century 

 backj as to their racing costume, by the author of the " Gentleman's 

 Recreation." " Your clothes," says this authority, " should be of 

 coloured silk, or of white Holland, as being very advantageous to 

 the spectator. Your waistcoat and drmvers (we presume by this, that 

 indispensable article of modern costume, breeches, was not then in 

 fashion, at least, with jockies) must be made close to your body, and 

 on your head a little cap tied on. Let your boots be gartered up 

 fast, and your s])urs must be of good metal." 



