156 CONFESSIONS OE A HORSE DEAL'EB. 



Lincoln ; all these in one season, every race four miles, 

 and every race contested. In 1740, being eight years 

 old, he won at Shrewsbury and Oswestry, carrying* 13 

 stone. At Newmarket, in 1720, there were twenty-six 

 matches, none less than four, some six miles. Fancy 

 the very best of our present breed of race-horses carrying 

 ten to thirteen stone four miles ! even allowing them to 

 run at a slower pace, they could not carry the weight 

 Many break down at two years old with only a baby on 

 their backs, after costing their owners thousands to 

 bring them to the starting post. 



Again, what purpose does the breeding of these stilty 

 blood-sticks serve, and what are they worth when proved 

 not fast enough for racing ? Absolutely nothing, for 

 they cannot carry an average-sized Englishman on a 

 fair hard road, and their perpendicular shoulders and 

 straight knee action render them very unsafe to ride. 

 Thus, the breeders of such horses experience great losses 

 by their hobby or avocation being a game of pure chance, 

 so many blanks being drawn for one prize, for, no mat- 

 ter how good the pedigree or performances of their sires 

 or dams, they cannot all win Derbys or Legers, and there 

 are thousands that never win a shilling. But, if the old 

 racing weights and distances were revived, the horses 

 bred for racing purposes would be useful for general 

 purposes, if, after the trial, they were found too slow for 

 running, and this, to a considerable extent, would create 

 a supply of useful saddle-horses, and, if not at a remu- 

 nerating price to the breeders, would at least pay some- 



