The Sporting Dictionary, and Rural Repository, Volume 1 (of 2) / Of General Information upon Every Subject Appertaining to the Sports of the Field

by William Taplin

FEATHER WEIGHT

,—in the SPORTING WORLD, signifies the lightest weight that can be put upon the back of a HORSE, in whatever MATCH he may be engaged, and totally depends upon the will of the owner; who is not under the necessity of bringing his RIDER to the scale either before or after the race, in an engagement where "feather weight" is particularly expressed. On the contrary, when a horse runs for any PLATE, MATCH, SWEEPSTAKES, or SUBSCRIPTION, at a fixed weight, according to his AGE, HEIGHTH, or QUALIFICATION, his RIDER must be publicly weighed upon the course previous to starting; and at the termination of every heat, if the rider dismounts before his horse is led up to the SCALES, (generally affixed to the starting-post,) or when there, not weighing his proper weight, the HORSE is deemed distanced, and can start no more for the prize in question.