194 TRAINING. 



purgatives or laxatives had been administered; 

 besides, it is two to one against physic at this 

 time having the exact effect that is wished with 

 a nervous flighty horse; it very commonly dis- 

 agrees, or it oj)erates too strongly ; in either case 

 more or less debility ensues, and a month is 

 not sufficient to restore the strength. Should 

 heats have to be run, a pound too much flesh, 

 recollect, is far better, for a light clear-winded 

 horse, than a pound too little. The last descrip- 

 tion of horses are generally easily purged, and, 

 in lieu of physic, oftener need gruel with four 

 or five cordial balls, or cordial drenches, every 

 week : they should have gentle training, and 

 not be put to trial until within five weeks of 

 running, and then never overtasked. 



If a slight sprain, blow, or other injury oc- 

 curs ; or the space between the shank-bone and 

 suspensory ligament, and between that and the 

 back sinews, should "fill," and there is no time 

 to be lost, a drench of physic may be admissible, 

 as the only means of cooling the leg and pre- 

 venting loose flesh being thrown up ; and the 

 horse afterwards very gradually brought about 

 by flannel, or linen bandages, single^* being kept 



* In bandaging for a strain, let the bandage begin at the 

 bottom of the pastern, close to the hoof, and go spirally up- 

 wards, instead of downwards. 



