BEFORE THE DAYS OF THE SOCIETE D'ENCOURAGEMENT 13 



beauty, the principal of which in a horse is to hold its head in 

 a graceful attitude. The ]3res6rvation and multiplication of this 

 breed is owing to laws enacted by Henry VIII., and to prizes 

 established in different parts of England for the victors at races. 

 In short, these horses are, with respect to others, what gladiators 

 were among the ancient Greeks and Romans. These races are 

 not like those of Barbary horses at Rome and other cities of 

 Italy. Each horse is ridden by a jockey, who is, generally 

 speaking, only a common groom, unentitled to the least share in 

 the honour of the victory, which is divided between the horse 

 and the owner. The horses are sometimes mounted at races by 

 noblemen who are willing to run the risk. They are less ex- 

 posed to the danger of falling, bruising themselves, or dislocating 

 a limb — a circumstance which occurred a few years ago to a 

 young nobleman at his first race, at Newmarket — than to be 

 deprived of respiration by the velocity of the motion. In order 

 to cut the air, the groom, who almost lies upon the neck of the 

 horse, holds the handle of the whip fixed before him, or shakes 

 it above his mouth. Previously to the commencement of the 

 race, the jockey, the saddle, and the whole trappings of the 

 horse are weighed in the presence of the judges, and care is 

 taken that all the horses admitted to run be of an equal weight. 

 A^ictory is often due to the knowledge which the jockey has of 

 his horse, and to the directioii he gives him forward, or managing 

 him properly. . . . The English in general have a degree 

 of friendship and affection for horses which few men ever show 

 for their own species. They seldom or never strike them. 

 They seldom even speak to them except in a gentle and 

 affectionate tone of voice. The horses of gentlemen of fortune, 

 both in town and country, mostly die in the stable where they 

 were foaled. They are treated like old friends, who, when 

 advanced in years, are taken care of in consideration of past 

 services. The English are as fond of riding as the Italians are 

 of music. It rouses them ; it prevents, suspends, and removes 

 the effects of melancholy upon the constitution ; it is an 

 habitual want and a necessary remedy. The English ladies 

 frequently ride on horseback, though they sit sideways upon 

 their horses. This manner of riding they have derived from 

 Anne of Luxembourg, consort of Richard II., whose example 



