A POSER. 351 



does not affect all horses alike : some may suffer but 

 little from such circumstances, whereas, with others, 

 it puts even their chance out. But worse than this, 

 suppose a horse gets amiss in himself, or a leg begins 

 to tell tales, here the odds increase wonderfully 

 against him, for his exercise or work must be partially 

 or totally stopped for a time, so he will be going back 

 in form, while others are improving ; and even sup- 

 posing the horse is got right again, race-horses 

 cannot be made to work " double tides " to fetch up 

 lost time (at least not in a general way). Condition 

 is never to be hurried into them, though it is sometimes 

 hurried out of them. As they are generally made to 

 do as much as their constitutions, legs, and stamina 

 (at the time) will allow, they of course cannot, or 

 ought not be made to do more. 



Something like this was the opinion of a farmer in 

 my neighbourhood respecting his men. They had 

 asked leave for a few hours to go to a review, 

 promising during that afternoon to make up for lost 

 time by increased labour. '• Why," said the farmer, 

 " that is all very well to say ; but whenever I have 

 found fault with a day's work, you have told me you 

 ' always work as hard as you can.' Now, if you 

 always work as hard as you can^ I should like to know 

 how you are to work any harder ; tell me that, and 

 then you may go." 



I have never -seen a race-horse made harder by 

 more than jDroper work, but 1 have seen a good many 

 made softer by it. 



Judging by his appearance, feel, feeding, wind, 

 and vigour, whether a horse is improving or going 

 back in his work and sweats, is the great point in 

 which the judgment of a trainer is shown. This is 



