CLIPPING AND CUTTING. 183 



long runs, coming out again in reasonable time, and 

 also in condition. 1 have no ^vish for fat horses, but 

 I hate a frightened, harassed, staring-coated looking 

 wretch, which ill-constitutioned ones generally are. 

 I do not mind horses being, like myself, light in flesh, 

 but I must have them lookins;, what I do not, bloom- 

 ing. Clipping will of course give a short coat ; but 

 if from want of constitution we want condition, the 

 coat will still stare^ and only represent the hard 

 shoe-brush instead of the blacking one. To please 

 me he must look like that accommodation for the 

 destitute, a silk hat, where a fine gloss is to be 

 had for ten shillings : condition is rather more 

 expensive. On the other hand, I never wish for this 

 hard constitution in a race-horse ; in fact, I think it 

 objectionable ; for with a horse of this sort we must 

 bring him out too high, or knock his legs to pieces, 

 and his energy too, to get him in proper form. Here 

 geldings have the advantage. Most men are too 

 sanguine as to what their colts are likely to do to cut 

 them : they might regret having done so by one colt in 

 fifty : I should say this would be the maximum : this 

 is, however, matter of opinion among men : I have 

 mine, and as probably no other person would have it, 

 I intend to keep it. 



There are some thorough-bred sires that almost 

 invariably get large bony stock. To some of these, 

 from objectionable blood or want of racing qualities, 

 I should never put a racing mare under the idea of 

 getting a race-horse ; but such are the horses to put 

 mares to to get hunters. 



Breeders of race-horses have now a great advan- 

 tage over those of by-gone days. Now with a colt 

 of favourite blood that can run a bit, the foreijxn 



N 4 



