Trials between horses of superior qualifications, preparatory to their being engaged in matches or stakes of magnitude, are always considered matters of great consideration, and for which the most serious preparations are made. Upon the issue of such trials, engagements are sometimes entered into, upon the termination of which, many thousands eventually depend. It is therefore matter of indispensible necessity, they should not only be run with the most energetic opposition, but that the superiority in speed should be fully and clearly ascertained. Trials of this description are always conduced with the utmost secresy; for the better preservation of which, they generally take place at the very dawn of day, so soon as the lads can see to ride with safety; and these trials are considered of so much consequence at Newmarket, that if any feeder, rider, groom, stable-lad, or any other person concerned, is known to discover the result, or shall be detected in watching trials himself, or procuring other persons so to do, he is dismissed the service of his master with every stigma of disgrace, and rendered incapable of being again employed by a Member of the Jockey Club in any capacity whatever. See JOCKEY CLUB. TRIPPING. A horse who goes near to the ground, is always subject to _tripping_ against every little prominence or projection that happens to lie in his way. Many well-bred horses, exceedingly dull and indolent in a _walk_, overcome with ease all those trifling impediments, when put into a more enlivening and emulative action. This imperfection always displays itself most in _slow_ paces, which is one predominant reason why a DEALER is invariably anxious to let his horse, when shewn out, be seen in a _trot_ or a _gallop_. Horses excellent in their fast paces, are sometimes _bad_ walkers; but instances are very rare, where a good walker is deficient in superior qualifications. It is a remark justified by long and attentive observation, that most thorough-bred horses are sluggish stumbling walkers; they are therefore almost proverbially considered dull and dangerous roadsters. TROTTING—is one of the natural paces of a horse, which, in respect to speed, is wonderfully to be improved by constant practice; and it being a favourite pace with almost every horse of common description for the purposes of the road, they are observed to enjoy it, in proportion as they excel their companions or opponents, seemingly conscious of their own improvements. The qualifying points for a good trotter, are by no means precisely the same as those requisite to form a speedy and successful racer: the action in _trotting_ greatly depends upon the bend of the knee, and the pliability of the joint above, and the joint below: racing is regulated by the geometrical expansion of the limbs, more materially dependent upon the _shoulder_, which is the perceptible fulcrum from whence the velocity of the animal is known to proceed.