LOSS, MAJOR AND MINOR. 31 



creased feed or lessened exertion; but a man 

 might get into a serious predicament by taking 

 one from high feeding and strong work, and only 

 riding or driving him three or four miles a day 

 at the rate of six miles per hour, though he 

 might, to a certain degree, diminish the very high 

 feed he had been accustomed to. For instance, 

 there are numberless horses going in coaches, 

 omnibuses, and occasionally one in a cab let out 

 for hire that do their work well, quietly, and are 

 in good condition ; but give them to a man wha 

 would only require what would hardly be exercise 

 to them, he would find many of them take a very 

 extraordinary mode of showing their gratitude for 

 the indulgence ; and, vice versa, give a lady or 

 gentleman's fat pet to a Newmarket jockey, merely 

 to ride between the heats, if he had several races 

 to ride during the day the boys would kill him 

 by merely bringing the clothes from the starting 

 to the ending post of each race. 



For these reasons, I would strenuously recom- 

 mend persons who do not understand the purchas- 

 ing or management of horses, yet wish to avoid 

 inconvenience and loss, under no circumstances 

 to make purchases on their own judgment, if they 

 would not suiFer in person or pocket. For even 

 supposing they go to a perfectly honest dealer, he 

 is not to judge as to what is likely to suit. He 

 will not sell them a lame or vicious horse : but it 



