JOCKEYS. 351 



the lads used to walk about for hours enveloped 

 in heavy horse-cloths, trying with all their might 

 to fine down their " too, too solid flesh." 



Jockeys have told the writer that " wasting " 

 is a severe penance, and requires to be done 

 carefijlly. On occasions of quick sweating, pains 

 must be taken to prevent illness, as, if the process 

 be too rapidly carried on, fever or death might 

 result. It is known that a jockey, if not careful 

 as to work and diet, will increase from twenty to 

 thirty pounds during the winter season ; but, by 

 taking vigorous exercise, "buried in flannel," he 

 can come back to his proper weight in about 

 twenty days. When occasion required it, as 

 when a jockey was anxious to ride a favourite 

 horse, cases have been known where a reduction 

 of half a stone was accomplished within twenty- 

 four hours. It is painful to see some jockeys 

 after they have been engaged in *' wasting " ; they 

 look as if all their muscular strength had departed, 

 and as if they could only ride in their bones. 

 Daley, the jockey who rode Hermit in the Derby, 

 was cast by nature in the mould of a thirteen- 

 stone man, and to keep himself at 8 st. lo lb. 

 or bring his weight to that figure when much 

 beyond it must have been an exhausting process. 

 Many a clever jockey has gone to a premature 

 grave from over-exertion in wasting. 



Wasting regimen varies according to taste or 

 the constitution of the man. As some of them 

 say, " What is meat and drink to one jockey is 

 poison to another." Frank Butler's usual diet 

 consisted of a pint of champagne and a slice of 

 dry toast after each walk, while after each race 

 he partook of a small portion of gruel in which 



