FOLLY OF EARLY RISING. 359 



this is all happily changed. No exercise takes place 

 until the sun has wanned the atmosphere. The time 

 is appropriately fixed about nine o'clock, before the 

 heat is excessive : 



' Now ere the sun advanced his burning eye, 

 The day to cheer, and night's dank dew to dry.' 



In this way the new school avoids all dampness to the 

 horse's feet, so productive of catarrh, the forerunner 

 of all disease, and often terminating- fatally in 

 death. The father of the late Lord Shaftesbury had 

 a great abhorrence of a cold. By avoiding all risk 

 of such a thing as much as possible, he lived to a 

 great age, and when told by any friend that he was 

 pretty well ' except a slight cold,' he would reply, 

 ' What ! would }^ou have the plague ?' This maxim 

 should be borne in mind by those who wish to escape 

 simple ailments, as they are termed, the dreadful 

 effects of which have been shown. 



It is but fair to say that the credit of this great 

 discovery is entirely due to the intelligence of our 

 jockeys. Nine o'clock, or a little after, is in all con- 

 science early enough to exercise any horse, and before 

 that hoar or in wet weather they will not ride for 

 anyone. Though in strict justice to the trainer, it 

 may with equal truth be avowed that at least one has 

 set his face against the evil practice : as the lameness 

 of so many of his horses was ascribed to rheumatic 

 affections arising from damp and cold, more than from 

 any other cause whatever. This trainer won the 



