TEMPER IN HORSES. 307 



feet to urge him to a better pace, or even to keep 

 him at the one he is going. Indeed, he will some- 

 times require a blow with the whip, or at least to 

 be very much roused, to make him extend his 

 stride towards the finish of his race. This is the 

 sort of horse that used to distinguish himself over 

 the Beacon Course at Newmarket, when four-mile 

 races were more in fashion than they now are, and 

 was, of course, not thought the worse of by his 

 owner, whatever he may have been by his jockey, 

 for takino^ so much ridino: to makins: liim do his 

 best. 



But the most ticklish and difiicult horse, next to 

 the determined restive one, or bolter, is what is 

 known by the appellation of the " Flighty Horse,'" 

 one v/hich is as difficult to train as he is to ride, 

 being delicate in constitution, of extremely irritable 

 temper, and very easily alarmed, either in his 

 stable or out of it. Nothing, in short, can be done 

 with him, but by the very gentlest means ; for if 

 once ruffled, he is very hard to be appeased. The 

 jockey, then, that has to ride a horse of this de- 

 scription, should have a temper the very reverse of 

 his, and a hand as delicate as a woman's. He 

 must also indulge him in every way in his race 

 save one, which is, in not allowing him to overpace 

 himself. But here, also, he must be careful ; for 

 this horse will neither bear to be pulled nor hustled, 

 but must be let to go nearly in his own way, with 

 the exception of being kept well together by a steady 

 hold of his head. If challenged in the race, he 

 must accept the challenge, and come out of the 



