276 PRACTICABLE REFORMS 
The sale of racehorses with their engagements is another 
matter on which some observations may be offered. 
When sold as yearlings, the rule is clearly defined and well 
understood, both by vendors and purchasers. A list of the 
engagements is given in the printed catalogue of the day ; 
and these are taken over by the purchaser. If no engage- 
ments are specified, it would be taken for granted the animals 
had none; and if it should turn out otherwise, the seller 
would not be able to compel the purchaser to take them 
over afterwards, if he refused to do so. But older horses are 
often sold with or without their engagements, and sometimes 
under what are termed Lord Exeter’s conditions, which are 
not always well understood, though really so simple as to 
need little explanation ; the fact being that horses, bought 
under such conditions, are virtually bought without their 
engagements—for the purchaser need neither run them, nor 
pay their forfeits. On the other hand, should the buyer 
prefer running, no one can prevent him doing so, so long 
as the nominator is alive, and the new owner pays one halt 
the stake and gives the original vendor one third of the 
results if the horse wins. These very excellent conditions 
were made by the late Lord Exeter, and no purchaser 
can wish to buy under better. But in selling horses in the 
ordinary way, with their engagements, one objectionable re- 
sult is that the seller passes the right to scratch from his own 
to other hands. It may then happen that the minor forfeits, 
a mere bagatelle when duly declared, are neglected and swell 
to a serious item, which it is compulsory on the vendor to 
pay in default of the purchaser doing so; the remedy of the 
former being to place the latter's name on the forfeit list until 
he refunds the amount. 
Now there is evidently some need of redress here in justice 
