BREAKING THE RACE HORSE. 289 



of time to teach the two-year-olds the whole of the in- 

 struction contained in Chapters V. and VI. I wish here 

 to draw attention to what I have said on page 226 

 respecting the desirability of having every animal (ex- 

 cept the school horse) taught to readily change, of his 

 own accord, the leading fore leg at the canter or gallop, 

 when a turn is made to the side opposite to it. As a case 

 in point, I may mention that the great difficulty experienced 

 by many race horses in coming round certain sharp turns 

 on particular racecourses, such as Tattenham Corner at 

 Epsom, or when galloping on a more or less circular track, 

 is generally due to the fact that these animals lead with the 

 wrong fore leg (gallop " falsely," see page 223) while making 

 the turn, instead of changing the leg when they come up 

 to it, or starting with the fore leg nearest to the inside of 

 the course, and continuing to lead with it. This tendency 

 makes some horses act well only on a right-handed track ; 

 others, only on a left-handed one. The muscular strain 

 entailed by having to gallop falsely militates against the 

 animal's chances of success far more than the momentary 

 diminution of speed which a change of leg would cause. 

 Besides, when galloping falsely, it is impossible for the 

 horse to make a turn sharply. 



In order to change the leading leg at the gallop or fast 

 canter, it is necessary for the horse to slacken his speed 

 for a stride or two. The habit of a horse galloping or 

 cantering always with the same fore leg leading is extremely 

 liable to cause that leg to become prematurely worn 

 out ; because nearly twice as much work will, on that 

 account, be imposed on that limb as on its fellow. On 

 a comparatively straight course, or on a course the turns 

 of which lend themselves to the purpose, and especially 

 over a long distance, it would be manifestly an advantage 

 for a race horse to do half of the journey with one fore 



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