31 



ON THE 



EFFECT OF WEIGHT AND OTHER WEIGHTY EFFECTS 

 AS APPLIED TO HORSES. 



I HAVE been led into considering the eflfect of weight 

 as apphed to horses from having somewhere read an 

 extract from the works of Nimrod, where he is 

 quoted as having given it as his opinion that a heavy 

 weight could get across a country better than a light 

 one, as the former could break down and break 

 through fences that the other could not. 



I do not remember where or when I saw this 

 opinion quoted, so of course do not either vouch for 

 its authenticity, or pretend to state the precise terms 

 in which this opinion was couched, but such was the 

 spirit of it. 



It may appear singular when I assert, that, as a 

 sporting man myself, I never read such popular 

 works as Nimrod's : such, however, is the case, excep- 

 ting his work on "The Road," and that only in part. 

 This neglect in no way arose from my not properly 

 appreciating them : the public opinion taught me 

 better: but so it was, and I am glad it was so, for, 

 however severely anything 1 write may deserve to be 

 criticised, I must now escape the charge of plagiarism 

 — a crime I hold to be about on a par with a man 

 stealing a handsome cloak from another to hide the 

 barrenness of his own costume. I hold it better and 

 more creditable to sport my own threadbare suit, 

 and say to the public it is the best I have. In it, 



