164 HINTS TO housemen; oe, 



but the money is pouched. Let us hope the backers 

 are made wiser men by their losings. 



Among the various ways in which money is made 

 by horses, I know of none by which it can be made 

 more honourably, or to a greater certainty, than by 

 keeping sires (if judiciously chosen). It is true, this 

 requires considerable capital to start with, if entered 

 into on a scale that will produce a handsome remune- 

 ration. Sires of first-rate character, as regards their 

 racing career, not only command very high prices, 

 but are often difficult to be obtained even at such 

 prices : a couple of thousand is often the price asked, 

 nor will they be got for less, and the higher the 

 price the better will the horse pay. "We will sup- 

 pose such a sire purchased ; he will probably be ad- 

 vertised to serve a given number of mares. Fifty 

 guineas is the price some horses have covered at; 

 but we will supppose the horse purchased at two 

 thousand is limited to thirty mares at thirty sove- 

 reigns, nine hundred of his cost price comes back in 

 his first season ; thus, in a trifle over two seasons, 

 the horse has paid for himself; and as such horses 



