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CHAPTER XVII. 

 RACE RIDING. 



General Remarks — The Jockey's Seat — Handling the Reins — Starting — Judging 

 Pace — Different Ways of Riding a Race — Waiting — Using a Pace-maker — 

 Making the Running — Waiting in Front — Keeping with One's Horses — General 

 Remarks on Race Riding — Peculiarities of Horses — The Seat when Finishing — ■ 

 Tactics of Finishing — Riding Rogues — Riding Pullers — Orders — Use of the 

 Spurs — Use of the Whip — Effect of Punishment on Horses. 



GENERAL REMARKS. 



If a horse were a mere machine, a jockey's business would be 

 the delightfully simple one of regulating his speed, so that he 

 might gallop over the appointed course in the shortest possible 

 space of time. Horses, however, will not bear being treated in 

 this mechanical manner ; for they have individual peculiarities 

 and infirmities, which have to be studied by the rider who 

 strives to be the first to catch the judge's eye. As riding, 

 then, is not an exact science to which cut-and-dried rules can 

 be applied ; I must content myself, in this chapter, with noting 

 down a few hints and practical remarks which I trust will be 

 useful to novices. 



THE jockey's SEAT. 



The correct seat of a jockey, so far from being a " sealed 

 pattern " attitude, has to conform to varying conditions of 

 horse, ground, and distance, which a capable jockey will 

 be able to recognise, and will be ready to fulfil, as occasion 

 may demand. Thus, from the way the animal is going and 

 from the nature of the ground — according as it is up-hill. 



