SKITTISH.—A horse is said to be SKITTISH, who is considerably above himself both in _spirit_ and _condition_; displaying much more of pleasure in exercise, and the enjoyment of air and conditional freedom, (from the narrow confines of a stable,) than the least tendency to habitual _vice_. A skittish horse will jump two or three feet at the flight of a sparrow, or dance a _saraband_ upon the rumbling approach of a carriage: he is (unless weary with work) always alive with _gaiety_ and _motion_, without the least intentional injury to those who ride or drive him. There are those who confound the terms, and consider a SKITTISH and a STARTING horse one and the same thing; but they are in the eye of accuracy by no means _synonymous_.
SKYSCRAPER,—the name of a horse of much present celebrity: he was bred by the late DUKE of BEDFORD, and got by _Highflyer_ out of _Everlasting_. In the Craven Meeting, at Newmarket, 1789, when two years old, he received forfeit from three for a sweepstakes of 200 guineas each across the flat. The same Meeting he beat Mr. Fox's _Maid of all Work_ across the flat for 500 guineas. The second Spring Meeting (then three years old) he won the Prince's Stakes of 100 guineas each, eight subscribers; the Derby Stakes at Epsom, 50 guineas each, thirty subscribers. At the same place he received 70 guineas compromise from the Earl of Egremont's _Tag_. In the first October Meeting he received 250 guineas forfeit from Mr. Ladbroke's _Magpie_, two middle miles of Beacon Course, for 500 guineas, half forfeit. In the second October Meeting he won a sweepstakes of 100 guineas each, from the Ditch-in, nine subscribers. The next day he won the 50_l._ Plate for three year olds, beating _nine_ others. The same week he received 122½ guineas forfeit in a Post Match with Lord Derby. In the Houghton Meeting he received 130 guineas compromise from Mr. Fox's _Sister to Lethe_, 300 guineas, _half forfeit_. The same week he received 130 guineas compromise from Mr. Fox's _Braggadocio_, across the flat, for 300 guineas, _half forfeit_.
In 1790, at the first Spring Meeting, he won the Jockey Stakes of 100 guineas each, (half forfeit,) fourteen subscribers, of which nine paid forfeit. In the same week for the Claret Stakes of 200 guineas each, _half forfeit_, he received from his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales's _Sujah ul Dowlah_, his Royal Highness the Prince's _Deir Sing_, Duke of Orleans's _Jericho_, Lord Egremont's _Calomel_, and Sir C. Bunbury's _Glaucus_. In the first October Meeting he received 100 guineas forfeit from _Montezuma_. In the same Meeting he won half a subscription of 30 guineas each, (seven subscribers,) beating the famous _Escape_, then the property of his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales.