—was one of the best racers of his time; he was bred by Lord Godolphin; foaled in 1740; was got by the Goldophin Arabian out of the large Hartley mare, got by Mr. Hartley's blind horse; her dam Flying Wig, by Williams's Woodstock Arabian; grand-dam by the St. Victor Barb, out of a daughter of Whynot, son of the Fenwick Barb. He became a STALLION of much celebrity, having been the sire of Sir Isaac Lowther's Babraham, Mr. Leedes's Young Babraham, Babraham Blank, Jack of Newbury, Traplin, Aimwell, Louisa, Molly Long Legs, Harry Long Legs, Fop, Lovely, Americus, and many other excellent runners.
BACK
—of a horse, the very part upon which the centrical point of beauty principally depends. If he is long in the back, narrow across the loins, flat in the ribs, and light in the carcase, (however well he may be otherways furnished with good points,) he will never be considered either a handsome or strong horse. Horses of this description are in general good goers as to speed, but very little to be relied on in hard service, or long journies.
BACKING
—is the term used for the first time of mounting a colt (or taking seat upon the saddle) after he has been previously handled, quieted, stabled, and accustomed to the mouthing-bit, the cavezon, martingal, lunging-rein, saddle, and the whole of the apparatus with which he has been led his different paces in the ring: all this he should be brought to submit to most quietly, as well as to the being saddled, and every part of liable discipline, before any attempt is made to back him; if not, it cannot be termed a systematic completion of the business. As backing a colt (after every precaution) requires a certain degree of cool and steady fortitude appertaining principally to the breaker, whose province it is, (and is but little attempted by others,) a minute description of the means and ceremony could prove but of little utility here, and is of course for that reason dispensed with.
Opinion and practice have very much varied in respect to the age most proper for backing a colt, or even taking him in hand. Not more than half a century past, colts were never touched (upon the score of handling) till rising four, backed and brought into very gentle use when rising five, and never seen in constant work till nearly or full six years old. But so wonderfully has fashionable refinement operated upon the human mind, and so constantly is it agitated by the fascinating effusions of novelty and innovation, that we now find colts handled at two, broke (and racing) at three, and in constant work at four, in every part of the kingdom; in consequence of which impatient and premature improvement upon the judgment and practice of our forefathers, we now daily observe horses at five, six, and seven years old, more impaired in their powers, than they formerly were at double that age, to the evident production of strained sinews, swelled legs, splents, sprains, wind-galls, and the long list of ills so admirably calculated for the support of the new generation of veterinarians, who are daily emerging from obscurity, and for whom employment must necessarily be obtained.
BACK SINEWS
,—so called in a horse, are the tendons extending from the junction of the knee, at the back of the shank-bone to the fetlock joint, where they are inserted. These parts are so much acted upon, and partake so palpably of the labour in which the animal is constantly engaged, that they are eternally liable to injury from over work, rolling stones, deep ground, or projecting prominences in the pavement of large towns. When injuries of this kind are severe, and threaten, by swelling and inflammation, some duration, a repetition of work should be by all means avoided. A speedy and permanent cure principally depends upon the first steps taken for relief, to which mild treatment, attention, unremitting care, and rest, will conjunctively contribute. In most cases too much is done in too short a time, to gratify either the impatience of the owner, or the pecuniary sensations of his medical monitor; burning applications (increasing the original inflammation) of what they term hot oils, followed up by blisters of extra strength, and lastly, the humane (and frequently ineffectual) operation of the firing irons, constitute the routine of professional practice, to the utter rejection of milder means, and the indications of nature, who, with the assistance of rest, would frequently effect her own purpose, and complete a cure.
BACK RAKING
—is an operation of which confident grooms, and indolent farriers, are too frequently fond. It is introducing the hand at the sphincter ani, to extract the indurated fæces, or hardened dung, from the rectum, in which the horse must experience considerable pain, that would be better avoided by the more humane and considerate administration of a clyster. By this a repetition of the more slovenly and less efficacious operation would be rendered unnecessary, as well as the original intent more expeditiously promoted. There can be but little doubt, under the present improved practice, that means of relief so singular and unnatural, will soon give place to, and be totally superseded by, methods of greater neatness and humanity in their operation, and greater certainty in the effect.