‘There are few trades or professions, each of which has not a uniform
mode of life peculiar to it, subject only to such slight variations as
are incidental and temporary. This observation is particularly
applicable to the life of a stable-boy.
‘All the boys in the stable rise at the same hour, from half-past two in
spring, to between four and five in the depth of winter. The horses hear
them when they awaken each other, and neigh, to denote their eagerness
to be fed. Being dressed, the boy begins with carefully clearing out the
manger, and giving a feed of oats, which he is obliged no less carefully
to sift. He then proceeds to dress the litter; that is, to shake the bed
on which the horse has been lying, remove whatever is wet or unclean,
and keep the remaining straw in the stable for another time. The whole
stables are then thoroughly swept, the few places for fresh air are kept
open, the great heat of the stable gradually cooled, and the horse,
having ended his first feed, is roughly cleaned and dressed. In about
half an hour after they begin, or a little better, the horses have been
rubbed down, and re-clothed, saddled, each turned in his stall, then
bridled, mounted, and the whole string goes out to morning exercise; he
that leads being the first: for each boy knows his place.
‘Except by accident, the race-horse never trots. He must either walk or
gallop; and in exercise, even when it is the hardest, the gallop begins
slowly and gradually, and increases till the horse is nearly at full
speed. When he has galloped half a mile, the boy begins to push him
forward, without relaxation, for another half-mile. This is at the
period when the horses are in full exercise, to which they come by
degrees. The boy that can best regulate these degrees among those of
light weight, is generally chosen to lead the gallop; that is, he goes
first out of the stable, and first returns.
‘In the time of long exercise, this is the first _brushing gallop_. A
brushing gallop signifies that the horses are nearly at full speed
before it is over, and it is commonly made at last rather up hill.
Having all pulled up, the horses stand some two or three minutes, and
recover their wind; they then leisurely descend the hill and take a long
walk; after which they are brought to water. But in this, as in every
thing else (at least as soon as long exercise begins), every thing to
them is measured. The boy counts the number of times the horse swallows
when he drinks, and allows him to take no more gulps than the groom
orders, the fewest in the hardest exercise, and one horse more or less
than another, according to the judgment of the groom.—After watering, a
gentle gallop is taken, and after that, another walk of considerable
length; to which succeeds the second and last brushing gallop, which is
by far the most severe. When it is over, another pause thoroughly to
recover their wind is allowed them, their last walk is begun, the limits
of which are prescribed, and it ends in directing their ride homewards.
‘The morning’s exercise often extends to four hours, and the evening’s
to much about the same time. Being once in the stable, each lad begins
his labour. He leads the horse into his stall, ties him up, rubs down
his legs with straw, takes off his saddle and body clothes; curries him
carefully, then with both curry-comb and brush, never leaves him till he
has thoroughly cleaned his skin, so that neither spot nor wet, nor any
appearance of neglect may be seen about him. The horse is then
reclothed, and suffered to repose for some time, which is first employed
in gratifying his hunger, and recovering from his weariness. All this is
performed, and the stables are once more shut up, about nine o’clock.
‘Accustomed to this life, the boys are very little overcome by fatigue,
except that early in the morning they may be drowsy. I have sometimes
fallen slightly asleep at the beginning of the first brushing gallop.
But if they are not weary, they are hungry, and they make themselves
ample amends for all they have done. Nothing perhaps can exceed the
enjoyment of a stable-boy’s breakfast: what then may not be said of
mine, who had so long been used to suffer hunger, and so seldom found
the means of satisfying it? Our breakfast consisted of new milk, or milk
porridge, then the cold meat of the preceding day, most exquisite
Gloucester cheese, fine white bread, and concluded with plentiful
draughts of table-beer. All this did not overload the stomach, or in the
least deprive me of my youthful activity, except that like others I
might sometimes take a nap for an hour, after so small a portion of
sleep.
‘For my own part, so total and striking was the change which had taken
place in my situation, that I could not but feel it very sensibly. I was
more conscious of it than most boys would have been, and therefore not a
little satisfied. The former part of my life had most of it been spent
in turmoil, and often in singular wretchedness. I had been exposed to
every want, every weariness, and every occasion of despondency, except
that such poor sufferers become reconciled to, and almost insensible of
suffering, and boyhood and beggary are fortunately not prone to despond.
Happy had been the meal where I had enough; rich to me was the rag that
kept me warm; and heavenly the pillow, no matter what, or how hard, on
which I could lay my head to sleep. Now I was warmly clothed, nay,
gorgeously, for I was proud of my new livery, and never suspected that
there was disgrace in it; I fed voluptuously, not a prince on earth
perhaps with half the appetite, and never-failing relish; and instead of
being obliged to drag through the dirt after the most sluggish,
obstinate, and despised among our animals, I was mounted on the noblest
that the earth contains, had him under my care, and was borne by him
over hill and dale, far outstripping the wings of the wind. Was not this
a change, such as might excite reflection even in the mind of a boy!
‘Boys, when at full liberty, and thus kept in health and exercise, are
eager at play. The games most common at Newmarket, were fives, spell and
null, marbles, chuck-farthing, and spinning tops, at which, as well as
marbles and fives, I excelled. Another game called holes, was
occasionally played by a few of the boys. This was a game of some little
study, and was much delighted in by the shepherd boys and men, who
tended their flocks on that vast plain (as then it was) on which
Newmarket stood. Three squares were cut in the earth, one within the
other, in each side of which were three holes. Each antagonist had nine
warriors or bits of stick to combat the opposing nine. What the rules of
the game were, I have forgotten; but I believe the most essential of
them was, that he was the victor who could imprison his adversary’s men,
or leave them no further space to move in. If the choice of the move
were given, I, and other good players, knew how to win at this game with
certainty. Till I discovered the secret, I was greatly devoted to the
game.
‘In order to have fair play allowed me at these different games, I had
my little infant labours of Hercules to perform; or, to speak more
properly and plainly, to fight my way, and convince all the boys of my
own age, I was not to be cowed by them. All boys are wranglers; and out
of this propensity the elder boys at Newmarket take pleasure in creating
themselves diversion. Jack Clarke, who was about seventeen, was a very
good natured, peaceable lad: but all the others in our stable were very
assiduous in exciting the little ones to quarrel, and persuading him,
who would have wished to remain at peace, to believe he must certainly
be a coward. This stigma I was not willing to be loaded with: the
consequence was, that battle after battle was fought, first between me
and Jack, and then between me and Tom, for two of us were so named. Jack
had been a shepherd boy, was older by some months than myself, preceded
me as a jockey, was a most inveterate, obstinate, and unfair antagonist,
for he would bite, kick, or do any thing to gain the victory, was quite
as strong as myself, and excessively hardy. However, he entirely wanted
method and presence of mind; and after three or four desperate contests,
he was obliged fairly to own he was not my equal. Tom, who came into the
service after me, was likewise older, larger-limbed, and had more
strength; but my conquest of him was much more easy. He had bones,
sinews, and thews, as Shakspeare says, but little heart; he was
prevailed on to venture a second combat, but not a third. I had the good
fortune also to face and outface those among Lord March’s boys, who
lived opposite to us, and with whom we had continual intercourse; so
that, though I was but thirteen, I became the acknowledged hero among
the boys of both stables, under fifteen years of age. Thus much for the
footing on which I stood with my rivals within the first half-year after
I came to live with John Watson. It must be remembered, that all the
tricks of which Jack Clarke had warned me, had been tried upon me in
vain. These things, together with my aptitude at play, soon placed me as
the leading boy of the young fry.
‘From nine o’clock in the morning till four, the whole time is at the
boy’s own disposal, except that of breakfasting and dining, which he is
seldom apt to think ill employed. But in summer, spring, and autumn, the
stables are again opened at four, and woe to him who is absent! I never
was but once, when unfortunately Captain Vernon himself happened to
arrive at Newmarket. I never saw John Watson so angry with me before or
afterwards; though even then, after giving me four or five strokes
across the shoulders with an ashen plant, he threw it away in disgust,
and exclaimed, as he turned from me—“Damn the boy! On such a day!”
‘The business to be done in the afternoon is but a repetition, with
little or no variety, of that which I have described for the morning,
except that they return to stables at seven, or rather earlier, again
dress their horses, give them a first feed, go to supper themselves,
give a second feed, prepare the horses’ beds, pick and prepare the hay
with which they sup, and by nine o’clock the stables are once more shut
up, containing both horses and boys.