STARTING. 379 



and prancing within reasonable limits, will generally gain a 

 much better start than another which walks sluggishly into 

 position. Besides, in order for a horse to quickly settle down 

 into his stride, it is necessary for him to be well in hand at the 

 moment of starting. The idea which was held by many 

 English jockeys, that, no matter how good a start a man got, 

 he ought to steady the horse, so as to " get him on his feet/' 

 arose most probably from their inability to collect a horse by 

 their legs as well as by their hands. 



Lads learn the tricks of starting such as stopping a little 



Fig. 244. Knot on end of rein. 



behind and then coming into line at a canter, while the others 

 are walking, on the chance of the starter letting them go 

 quite soon enough, without it being necessary for me to allude 

 to such practices, beyond saying that they do not " pay " with 

 a starter who will not stand any nonsense. 



In many cases the efforts of a jockey at the post are under- 

 stood and assisted by his horse. For instance, the once cele- 

 brated Nutbush, who was well-nigh invincible at five furlongs, 

 would never start, no matter what her jockey did, until the 

 starter dropped his flag. Then she went into her bridle in an 

 instant, and was nearly always clear of her field in the first 

 hundred yards, thus adding an immense advantage to her 

 magnificent turn of speed. 



