548 THE HORSE. 



defend them. The Steeple-chase, or, as our ancestors termed 

 it, the Wild-goose chase, is well calculated certainly to shew 

 the fearlessness of the rider, but scarcely his humanity and 

 judgment. At any time, the high leap is a severe tax on the 

 muscular powers of the horse ; but when he is out of breath, 

 and sinking under the exertion of severe riding, the forcing 

 of him over an obstacle is injurious and cruel. The riding 

 across a country is the regular exercise of a hunting field ; 

 but in the Steeple-chase, it is the wanton abuse of the powers 

 of a generous creature intrusted to our humanity. It is not 

 justified by any end of utility ; any enjoyment beyond the 

 barren applause for risking the safety of the rider and the 

 life of his victim. We say, then, let those unhappy exhibi- 

 tions of fool-hardiness and cruelty be proscribed by public 

 opinion, and abandoned by the youth of the country. 



The Rules and Conditions of Racing have been gradually 

 reduced to a system, and recognised by common consent. 

 The regulations of Newmarket have the highest authority, 

 and are adhered to in their essential details at the other 

 races. The race may consist of heats of one or more miles, 

 in which the winner of the majority of heats becomes the 

 victor ; or of matches, consisting of a single race, by which 

 the contest is at once determined. The system of heats is 

 adopted in the case of royal and other public plates and 

 prizes ; the single race generally in the case of private and 

 subscription matches or sweepstakes. But, as an addition 

 to the weight carried makes an amazing difference to an 

 animal moving at its utmost speed, the regulation of the 

 weight is an essential element in the conditions of a race. 

 When the animals are of the same sex and age, the weights 

 should be the same, in order to shew their relative powers ; 

 but, when animals of different age and sex contend together, 

 they are put as nearly as possible in a state of equality by 

 the difference of weight assigned to each. A larger weight 

 is carried by stallions than by mares or geldings. The usual 

 difference between a colt and filly of the same age is 3 or 4 lb.. 



