THE METHOD IN SHORT AND IN LONG TRIALS. — r41 
And so with trials, it will be found that no era of ease and 
pleasure has set in; that which, to the uninitiated seems easy 
of accomplishment, the experienced knows to be not only 
difficult but often totally impracticable. 
We hear of most wonderful trials in private ; but we never 
see them repeated in public. The cause of this I will 
endeavour to explain. 
In a trial certainty should not be looked for. It is a matter, 
to a limited extent, of opinion and judgment. Neverthe- 
less, a certain approximation to the truth may be arrived at 
with a tolerable degree of accuracy. 
In short trials, old jockeys are often requested not to bustle 
their horses the first fifty yards, but to let them get well 
“on their legs” first ; particularly the old ones. The advice 
is necessary and often attended with good results ; but, un- 
fortunately, it too often happens from over-cautiousness that 
not only fifty but 150 yards are got over in this way, and 
then only is the pace made good ; a mistake by which the 
course is so much shortened. Again, in some cases, it occurs 
that the young horse overpowers his rider, and the old one 
never fairly gets on his legs. The result is in both cases, 
although the causes are different, precisely similar, viz :— 
failure. Pretty much the same may be said of long courses. 
In a two-mile course it often happens that the first half mile 
is traversed at a slow pace to enable the horses to get well 
together, and on their legs as it is termed, being steadied 
down hill and round turns; after which they do the 
remainder at their best speed. 
This is the sort of trial that many rest satisfied with, and 
upon which they build their hopes of success; and when 
beaten in public they wonder at the difference between the 
running then and the running in the trial. The horse is 
