DEFECTIVE WIND. 55 



wishes the horse and himself under the earth; 

 when, to mend the matter, " hold hard," sings out 

 some slang Cad, — thus making assurance doubly 

 sure, that you are laughed at so long as you are 

 in sight, and, still more direful consequence, never 

 being permitted a sight of the lady again. 



If, however, a man's poverty or parsimony in- 

 duces him to put up with a most objectionable 

 animal in order to get one whose appearance will 

 gratify his pride at little cost, he may buy worse 

 bargains than a horse moderately defective in 

 wind. There is no danger at any rate to be an< 

 ticipated from him, and he can do slow work 

 without distress ; and, I should say, continue it as 

 long as other horses. He will stand a canter up 

 Rotten Row ; but beware of touching him with 

 the spur, or starting very suddenly, for if you do, 

 expect the abhorred " contretemps." You may 

 then clap your spurs to him in earnest, and hide 

 your diminished head. 



This reminds me of an anecdote of that capital 

 sportsman, — capital, but somewhat eccentric fel- 

 low, — the late John Warde, Esq. He had a horse 

 he wanted to get rid of from his being touched in 

 his wind. A very spicy young gentleman, who 

 had come from London for a day or two's hunt- 

 ing with the Hungerford Squire, heard of this 

 horse, and called on Warde about him. Now this 

 was precisely the kind of being Warde detested ; 



£ 4 



