haunches. The custom of ladies rifing in their ftirrup, in a trot, has been, I believe, introduced within these few years.

It would be as unneceffary for me, to write a panegyric upon the pleasure and profit to be derived from exercise on horfeback, as I hope it will be excusable, to make a few concluding remarks. This falubrious exercise, by which the air may be fo amply varied, is peculiarly adapted to debilitated and confumptive habits, and the lax fibre; for it tends to the increase of fubftance, which the labour of walking has, in general, the effect to abrade. The flow trot is the pace of health; and one grand mean of the prolongation of human life. It is, perhaps, the only effectual remedy for habitual coftiveness and wind; all medical ones, in my small experience, having the invariable effect of increafing and perpetuating the cause of thofe complaints: it should ever be taken with the ftomach empty, where the vifcera are found. I have read in a ftrange performance, in which the doctor recommends the constant use of the warm bath, for ftrained finews, and laxations of the joints, that it is dangerous to trot with long ftirrup leathers, where any apprehenfion may be entertained of a rupture; and I think it an excellent caution to valetudinarians. Those who ride

for their health, will find much inftruction in an old book, called Medecina Gymnaftica, written by Dr. Fuller, a phyfician of high repute, in the days of good Queen Anne. Sydenham warmly recommends this exercife to afthmatic patients; and Dr. Darwin, in his celebrated Zoonomia, relates a cafe of Phthifis pulmonalis perfectly cured by perfeverance in exercife on horfeback. It is an excellent bracer, and should ever be joined with the cold-bath, in cafes of debility derived from exceffes of a certain kind. If I wanted any illuftration here, I fhould refer my reader to the records of crim. con. where he will find blazoned the wonderful and attractive powers of grooms and jockies. Had that infpired maniac, Jean Jaques, been as good a jockey as he was an eloquent fcribe, it is probable, the Venetian bona roba, had not infultingly advised him to fludy the mathematics; nor had chere Mamma been driven to the fad and expenfive neceffity of providing him a substitute, The motion of the horse and fresh draughts of pure, elaftic air, are the best, perhaps the only means, to recruit and exhilarate the exhausted spirits, relieve the aching heads, and enliven the imaginations of ftudious and fedentary men; but how much is it to be lamented that under our profuse, and I am forry to add, dishonest and

ruinous

ruinous political fyftem, these comforts are now totally out of the reach of moderate incomes. What a speculation, that the natives of the most plentiful and the richest country in the world, must be compelled to emigrate in fearch of the conveniences of life! but how much more lamentable ftill, that many must be driven to the same extremity in quest of its

neceffaries!

I have heard, and read, the complaints of many, ftating, that they would willingly mount on horseback, for their health's fake, but are at a lofs for objects of amusement in the practice. To thefe, I would recommend to learn Horfemanship, and in time, probably, the management of their horfe might become interesting; to accuftom themselves to ftudy and contemplation on horseback; or to find companions in their own predicament, by which means society might, in time, induce a falutary habit.

CHAP. VI.

ON DRAFT CATTLE, AND THEIR USE AND MANAGEMENT, BOTH IN TOWN AND

COUNTRY.

HORSES, applied to the purpose of

QUICK

DRAFT, are diftinguished by the various appellations of cOACH-HORSES, CHARIOT and PHAETON-HORSES, CHAISE and GIG-HORSES, MACHINERS, MAIL-COACH and POST-HORSES: thofe appertaining to SLOW-DRAFT, are called CART, DRAY, or PLOW-HORSES.

Respecting the highest form, of the fpecies of Coach-horses in this country, I have fcarce any thing to add, to the few remarks made in the fecond chapter. The true horse for quick draft, must be from fifteen to fixteen hands high, with a lofty fore-hand, fubftance fomewhat obliquely placed, and fufficient racing blood to give him good action, and a fine coat. Mr. Culley's favourite form of fhoulder, before noticed, is, no doubt, admirably adapted to this purpose.

The few foreign coach-horses, in use among us, at this time; fuch as, the Friezeland, Hanoverian, and Neapolitan, if they make a more stately and superb appearance, and have more

lofty

lofty action, are neither so useful, nor so speedy, as the English.

I have often remarked, and leave to others to determine the juftness of it, that a small horfe, in fingle harness, looks very mean and contemptible; but if there be a pair, or more, the cafe is altered: alfo, that a pair of horses, galloping, have an unfeemly appearance; but if there be four of them in the carriage, they make a very gallant figure in the gallop.

The fuperiority of the English, in the conftruction and elegance of wheel-carriages, of all denominations, has long been univerfally acknowledged. Our improvements therein, of late years, have held equal pace and analogy, with thofe made in our breeds of horfes; we have difcarded ufelefs and cumbrous weight, to make way for lightness, elegance, and convenience. Within the last fifteen years, mechanic invention has laboured, and brought forth many useful discoveries in this line; among which, the most important, is that of the power gained by the multiplication of wheels. Of this discovery, although not yet brought to maturity, or into general ufe, many of the keepers of flage-coaches have availed themselves, and we now fee Caterpillars and Millipedes, upon every road leading to the metropolis, carrying, with the utmoft convenience, double and treble the number contained by an ordinary coach.

There