TRAINING FOR RACING, POINT-TO-POINT 369 



walking exercise, only having a quiet canter or two at a 



slow pace, just to warm him up, and set the circulation 



going. A point, which is frequently not attended to, is that 



horses should always be trotted for a few minutes as soon 



as they come out of the stable, for this is a time when they 



are very likely to take cold, owing to the blood not being 



in full circulation. As soon as every minute vein is supplied 



to its full capacity, cold and blustering weather can be 



endured with impunity. When a horse is doing fast work 



he should not be required to go quite his full " distance," 



that is the distance which he is capable of doing at full 



speed. All horses, excepting those phenomenal animals to 



whom all distances seem alike, have a limit to their 



capacity, one being able to race for a mile, another for two 



miles, and others for not more than five or six furlongs, and 



it is the business of the trainer to find out what the distance 



is of each horse under his charge. If the distance of a horse 



is a mile, he should very seldom be allowed to gallop a 



full mile at speed in training, and never beyond it, except 



at a steady pace, so that the task, being well within 



the compass of his powers, does not become irksome 



to him. By continually being asked to do more than 



he is capable of doing easily his speed is quickly impaired, 



his dash destroyed, and in all probability he will turn 



cunning. Even for a long steeplechase of three, or indeed 



four miles, the animal does not need to exceed two miles 



very often, only occasionally going three miles, besides the 



smart mile work which has been already mentioned. When 



galloping in company care must be taken to assort horses, 



as nearly as may be, of similar capacity in speed and staying 



power, to prevent the risk of an inferior animal turning 



jady from always galloping in company with one which is 



much too good for it. The lads riding should never be 



allowed to push their horses in canters or gallops, and 



disobedience to orders should be severely punished. They 



should sit still and hold their horses, so that the belief may 



be instilled into them that the riders really wish to go a 



little more slowly — provided an animal is not a real slug in 



its work. 



25 



