WE ARE ALL HEAVY ENOUGH: QUEUE, IN POCKET? 143 



weight on horses in different situations, one thing is 

 quite clear, which, if we always bear in mind, will be 

 greatly advantageous to our horses, and in fact to 

 ourselves — We are all heavy enough : but be we 

 light or heavy, the oppression of that weight can be 

 rendered twofold by carelessness and ignorance, or 

 very materially lessened by a small exercise of judg- 

 ment and consideration. 



When I began these papers on the effect of weight, 

 I supposed some one accusing me of having selected 

 a subject that could require but little consideration, 

 and that he had jumped to the conclusion that all 

 that could be said upon the subject merely amounted 

 to the evident fact that weight made horses go slower ; 

 but on looking a little closer into the matter, we have 

 found that weight is not in all cases such a stojyper as 

 it may be supposed ; and that though we are quite 

 aware of the great exertion the carrying a heavy 

 weight calls forth, still want of judgment in the rider 

 often occasions much greater distress to the horse than 

 any reasonable additional weight he may have put on 

 him. 



I have as yet only called the attention of the reader 

 to the effect of weight as applied to the saddle-horse, 

 as race-horse, hunter, or hack : let us now see how 

 weight acts upon the horse in harness, and how far 

 in this situation want of judgment in the driver is not 

 also as fatal to the animal as when he is used under 

 the saddle. I am indeed perfectly convinced that a 

 much greater number of horses are doing their work 

 under disadvantageous circumstances in harness than 

 when ridden, and this is perfectly easily accounted 

 for when we bear in mind how many more circum- 

 stances there are to facilitate or act against the powers 



