178 RAMBLES AFTER SPORT. 



course, the object of these being to prevent the horses 

 from rushing against each other at the start ; the horse 

 that knocks down these sticks is fined so much each 

 time. The two horses are now set by their trainers^ 

 their forefeet being placed exactly on the line, not an 

 inch out ; sometimes one of the horses is uneasy, and it 

 takes an hour or two of coaxing to set him. How- 

 ever, when they are both set, the trainers retire and 

 leave them with the starter; he advances and pushes 

 them on the rump and side to see if they are perfectly 

 square and firm on their pins ; if he finds them so, he 

 steps aside rather behind them, raises the stick, and — 

 now's the critical moment. If they are badly trained, 

 one of them, when left thus alone, will either lift his foot 

 or move ; when this occurs all has to be gone over 

 again, and the horse is fined so much, the whole of the 

 stakes not unfrequently being won in this manner. If 

 they are well trained, however, they wait as motionless 

 as statues till he gives the grito, or word " go ! '^ and ofi" 

 they do go like a shot from a rifle, with incredible swift- 

 ness. The whole of the proceedings at the starting line 

 are conducted in perfect silence, as sometimes a loud 

 cough by a by-stander is mistaken by the horses for the 

 grito, and sets them ofi", getting the unlucky cougher a 

 good thrashing. The jockeys in these races are boys 

 about nine or ten years old, and they ride bare-backed. 



A statement, made I believe by Sir Francis Head, 

 regarding the fact of hawks feeding on the sore backs of 

 horses and mules, has been frequently questioned. The 

 sight may be seen any day in the country. I myself, 

 returning one day from hunting, saw a miserable mule 

 whose back was literally a mass of bleeding sores. I 

 saw what I supposed were two of these hawks, tearing 



