Riding Fees 



where such virtue does not spring up spontane- 

 ously as a natural growth, and where its professors 

 are not remarkable for the success of their 

 experiments. One cannot live near edged fools 

 — I mean tools — without being sharpened up a 

 trifle, if not in the direction of sound finance. 

 One cannot dwell near the rose, as alleged, with- 

 out finding that, called by any other name, it is 

 just as sweet and expensive. We have to do in 

 Rome as Rome does, even if the noble Romans 

 are sure to beat us all ends up at the finish. 



Again, we must bear in mind that at the present 

 time fees for riding under National Hunt Rules 

 are reduced to three pounds three shillings, and 

 five pounds five shillings for races of less than the 

 advertised value of one hundred pounds ; and there 

 is the five - pound allowance to consider now 

 granted to comparative novices. Results are 

 sufficiently obvious. Good jockeys have to stand 

 down in several instances whilst boys are put up 

 to ride ; and, according to a hunting philosopher, 

 "They don't know the difference between a hurdle 

 and a fence." He adds : " If they were able to 

 realise such variations in the scenery, their per- 

 formance would still lack artistic polish and 

 savoir faire, because you cannot teach a lad to 

 ride a good race until he has gained some idea of 



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