180 TRAINING OF MEN AND ANIMALS. 



a moderate dose). Oats are the most esteemed proyender 

 for horses; and of these they have three feeds daily, of as 

 much as they can cat m ith appetite. Their drink is soft 

 water at least twice a day, always cold, except during 

 physic or illness. Their skins are kept perfectly clean 

 when in the stable, by friction with the brush and curry- 

 , comb, which clean and brace the skin and muscles. It is 



necessary to health and strength that they should be 

 sweated, and this is done by putting on a few extra 

 clothes and cantering them five or six miles according to 

 their age and other circumstances. They are exercised 

 twice a day ; a mile or so in a gallop before they take 

 water ; and afterwards a short or long canter, as circum- 

 stances and their constitution require. The training is 

 completed by good keep and a proper proportion of 

 work, which enables them to bear fatigue. This is kept 

 up for two or three months only, and effects no more than 

 a temporary change in the animal. Running horses cer- 

 tainly live as long as others ; they are not sooner worn 

 out by the treatment they undergo, but on the contrary 

 they bear fatigue much better than other horses. 

 Mr. Holcroft's Mr. Holcroft's observations in the same treatise, near- 

 aceountofrun-iy coincide with those of Mr. Robson. This celebrated 

 nine horses and . . i- j tvt i • ■l- 



their treatment dramatic writer lived at JNewmarket, m his youth, under 



John Watson, the groom, who was employed in the two- 

 fold office of training the horses and riding them. John 

 Watson died at a very advanced age. I quote Mr. Hol- 

 croft's words, page 11, 

 They arc pur- ' ' When the racing season is over, these horses have most 

 ged and exer- ^^ ^^^ green meat for some time, and repose from their 

 severe exercise ; their high spirit and vices soon begin to 

 shew themselves, much to the terror of timid boys. 

 Having fed grossly for a time, they are regularly purged, 

 I forget how often, but 1 believe every other day, for 

 three doses ; and that these purgations are repeated, at 

 intervals, three times. They then gradually begin to in- 

 crease their exercise, so that, early in the spring, they re- 

 main out of the stable about eight hours in four-and- 

 twenty, and take what are called four brushing gallops, 

 two in the morning's exercise and two in the afternoon's ; 

 a brushing gallop means a gallop of nearly a mile, begiu- 



ning 



