354 A MIRROR OF THE TURF. 



cool to strip, his body is rubbed dry and fresh 

 clothed, when, besides the reduction of weight, 

 the effect is visible in his skin, which has a re- 

 markable transparent hue. The most mortifying 

 attendant on wasting is the rapid accumulation 

 of flesh immediately on a relaxation of the 

 system, it having often happened that jockeys 

 weighing not more than seven stone have 

 gained many pounds in one day from merely 

 obeying the common dictates of nature, com- 

 mitting no excess," 



It is essential that all jockeys should be 

 careful about being of the proper weight, or 

 when they are over it, of having the over- 

 weight declared when going to ride, otherwise 

 they would lose the race if they should happen 

 to be first at the winning-post. When the jockey 

 cannot ride at the prescribed weight it is made 

 up by placing slabs of lead on the horse inclosed 

 in woollen pockets. In all races the clerk of 

 the scales requires to be very particular in seeing 

 that jockeys weigh exactly the weight allotted to 

 their horse. The weighing-out of a jockey for 

 his race is a work of nicety : he is placed in the 

 scale along with his saddle, and he must be in the 

 very pink of condition if he can ride a severe long 

 race and afterwards scale the weight he drew 

 before mountinof the horse. Trainers and owners 

 have frequently experienced an anxious moment 

 at the weighing-in of their jockey after the race ; 

 the bridle has sometimes to be taken off the horse 

 and thrown into the scale before the " all right " 

 of the clerk can be given. 



Among the miscellanea appertaining to the 

 subject of jockey life it may be mentioned that 



