WALK—is the slowest of a horse's natural paces, upon the safety,
excellence and ease of which, much of his worth depends. Good walkers
are always in request, and will (if gentle and good tempered) never fail
of finding purchasers, even among the _aged_ and _infirm_. There are
numbers to be seen daily, who are admirable goers in the _fast_ paces,
that cannot _walk at all_; but instances are very rare, of a horse who
is a good walker, not having a gift of his other paces in proportion.
WALNUT,—the name of a horse of much racing reputation. He was bred by
the present DUKE of HAMILTON, foaled in 1786; got by _Highflyer_, out of
_Maiden_, (who was got by _Matchem_,) own sister to _Pumpkin_. In 1790,
then four years old, _Walnut_ started at York, and won a subscription of
25 guineas each, seven subscribers. The same week he won the great
subscription of 295_l._ beating those excellent runners, _Telescope_,
_Enchanter_, _Toby_, _Tickle Toby_, and _Camilla_. At Doncaster he
walked over for the Doncaster Stakes of 10 guineas each, six
subscribers, with 20 guineas added by the Corporation; and the next day
won the 100_l._ plate, beating _Harold_ and _Telescope_. In 1791, he
again won the great subscription at York, beating the Prince of Wales's
_Creeper_, and _Telescope_. At Doncaster he again won the Doncaster
Stakes of 10 guineas each, with 20 guineas added by the Corporation.
The first of his produce, as a stallion, appeared in 1798. A bay filly
(Duke of Hamilton's) won 200 guineas at Doncaster: and a bay colt (Mr.
Peirse's) 200 guineas at York, and 80 guineas at Malton. In 1799, seven
of his get started, who were the winners of ten plates, matches, and
stakes. In 1800, nine appeared, and were the winners of sixteen prizes.
In 1801, twelve started, and won twenty-five plates, matches, and
sweepstakes, of which Lord Strathmore's colt won seven; _Lignum Vitæ_,
five; _Jack's Alive_, three; and _Richmond_, two. In 1802, the Duke of
Hamilton's bay filly won two sweepstakes at Ayr; 80 guineas, 50_l._ and
20 guineas, at Hamilton. Lord Strathmore's bay horse, two fifties at
Chester, and the King's Plate at Newcastle. _Risby_, 150 guineas at
Catterick, and 86_l._ 15_s._ 0_d._ at Morpeth; and _Lignum Vitæ_ won the
first class of the Oatlands Stakes, 450 guineas, 50_l._ and the King's
Plate, at Newmarket; 120 guineas at Newton; 70 guineas at Stamford; 220
guineas, and the King's Plate, at Litchfield.
WARBLE—is a small hard tumour, produced upon the side or the back of a
horse, by the heat and friction of an ill-fitted saddle. It is sometimes
occasioned by the pad of the saddle's becoming exceedingly hard, and
inelastic, from its long and constant absorption of perspirative matter;
to prevent which, the pads of saddles should be occasionally inspected,
beat with a stick, and the stuffing restored to its elasticity, by the
use of a proper awl, or point of a packing-needle. Upon their first
appearance, if they are attended to before the injury is repeated, they
never fail of submitting to a plentiful bathing of hot vinegar, followed
by a gentle friction with camphorated spirits, if twice or thrice
repeated; but if they are neglected in the first instance, and the same
saddle (or harness) persevered in without alteration, the surface will
become an eschar, and ultimately a _sitfast_, (which see,) and then can
only be removed by instrumental extirpation.
WARRANTY—is the personal assurance the purchaser of a horse receives
from the seller, at the moment of terminating the bargain, if such
purchase absolutely takes place, that the horse in question is _no more_
than a certain number of years old, (as the case may be;) that he is
perfectly free from every kind of _vice_, _blemish_, and _defect_; that
he is completely sound, "_wind_ and _limb_"; or, in other words, that he
is in a state of perfection. Much professional jargon has transpired
during the last half of a century in the courts of legal litigation upon
this subject: and a great law authority who presided once (rather
inadvertently, it is supposed) presumed to declare in open court, "that
paying 20_l._ for a horse, was a price sufficient to have the SOUNDNESS
implied by the _sum paid_, and that he should consider the _warranty_ to
extend to full _three months_ from the day of purchase." Whether this
assertion was merely a lapse of the tongue, or a temporary deviation
from sagacity and discretion, is not now worthy disquisition; as it must
certainly be admitted to have been one of the most absurd, unequitable
and ridiculous opinions ever promulgated in a court of judicial
investigation.
In confirmation of which, let it be supposed, that a horse is sold by
either gentleman or dealer, known and declared to be _bona fide_ sound
at the moment of transfer, and absolutely never to have been otherways;
in equity, and in justice, what can the late owner of such horse have to
do with his state of futurity? Is not a horse of this description,
though _sound_ and _perfect_, as likely to become _diseased_, to fall
_lame_, or even to _die_, on that, or the following day, as at any other
period of his life? Where then can be found the consistency, the equity,
or, indeed, the common honesty, of requiring or expecting any man to
warrant for _weeks_, or _months_, what it is not within his power to
insure for a _single hour_? The equitable intent of a _warranty_,
between persons of mutual good intent and integrity, cannot be
reasonably expected to go beyond the hour of _purchase_ and _sale_; for
as neither can explore, with certainty, the abstruse pages of the great
volume of time yet to come, there cannot be the least plea for a
retrospective compensation. See "LAW SUITS," and "SOUNDNESS."
WARREN,—the name applied to a privileged place, by prescription or grant
from the King, in which to keep beasts or fowls of WARREN. These in
ancient records were said to be the _hare_, the _coney_, the _pheasant_,
and the _partridge_; but the word now principally applies to any
particular district, or tract of land, set aside entirely for, and
appropriated to, the breeding and preservation of rabbits as private
property. These become a most valuable and profitable stock; paying a
much greater annual rent than can be expected from a light and sandy
soil, under any other mode of cultivation. There is a distinction
between a WARREN and FREE WARREN, (which see.) The franchise next in
degree to a park, is a free warren, and appertains chiefly to the
privilege of killing game within its boundaries. A warren, in its
general signification, extends no farther than a peculiar spot, of much
magnitude for the infinitely numerous production of conies, with which
the neighbouring inhabitants, and the markets of the Metropolis, are
supplied; and these invariably pass under the denomination of rabbit
warrens.
WARTER—is the name of a horse of much celebrity, whose performances upon
the turf rendered him of constantly increasing value, and insured him a
succession of different owners. He was bred by Mr. G. Crompton, foaled
in 1794; got by _King Fergus_, dam by _Highflyer_. In the York spring
meeting, when three years old, he won a sweepstakes of 20 guineas, six
subscribers, beating _Dapple_, and _Telegraph_. At Doncaster, in
September, he won the following extraordinary race, well worthy a place
in the cabinet of every sportsman in the kingdom.
Thursday, September 28th, 1797. One hundred pounds in specie for three
year olds, 7st. 5lb. and four year olds, 8st. 7lb. Maiden colts allowed
2lb. Maiden fillies allowed 3lb. The winner of any subscription or
sweepstakes carrying 4lb. extra. Two mile heats.
Heats.
Mr. G. Crompton's b. c. _Warter_, 5 0 5 1 0 1.
Sir C. Turner's ch. c. _Pepper-Pot_, 3 0 1 5 0 2.
Sir F. Standish's br. c. _Stamford_, 1 3 6 2 _Dr._
Mr. Wentworth's b. c. _Cardinal_, 2 5 2 3.
Lord H. Hamilton's b. c. by _Trumpator_, 7 4 4 4.
Mr. T. Hutchinson's _Hipswell_, 6 6 3 _Dr._
Mr. Sitwell's ch. c. _Commodore_, 4 _Dr._
The odds at starting were 5 to 2 against _Stamford_, 3 to 1 against
_Cardinal_, and 5 to 1 against _Warter_: during the different heats, and
at the termination of each, the bettings varied exceedingly.
In 1798 he won 50_l._ at Preston, beating three others. Two days after,
at the same place, he won 50_l._ at four heats, beating the famous
_Patriot_ (by _Rockingham_) and another; and 50_l._ at Doncaster. In
1799, then Mr. Heathcoate's, he won the main of the Oatlands, 100
guineas each, beating _Oscar_, and the then celebrated _Diamond_; and 50
guineas at Newmarket; the gold cup at Stamford; 50_l._ at Oxford; and
the King's Plates at Burford and Litchfield. In 1800 he won 250 guineas,
and 100 guineas, at Newmarket. In 1801, first Spring Meeting, he beat
_Jack Andrews_ three miles over the Beacon Course for 200 guineas each.
The same year, when Lord Sackville's, he won the King's Plate at
Guildford; the same at Winchester; and 200 guineas at Brighton. In 1802,
in the Craven Meeting at Newmarket, he won a sweepstakes of 100 guineas
each, beating _Cockfighter_ and _Hippona_. At Bibury, a sweepstakes of
25 guineas each, seven subscribers; and is since withdrawn from the
turf, and announced as a stallion at Cottesmore, in the county of
Rutland, at three guineas a mare, and half a guinea the groom.
WARTS—are spongy excrescences, sometimes appearing upon different parts
of the body, and in great numbers: they are exceedingly difficult of
instrumental extirpation; for, from their being critically seated,
profuse bleeding might probably follow. This mode of operation becomes
the less necessary, because a moistening of the surface once in three
days, with butter of Antimony, will effect certain obliteration, without
the least inconvenience, even upon the eye-lids, which are of equal or
superior irritability with any other part of the body.