PREPARATION FOR A RACE. 341 



ous exercise to brace his nerves. When the horse is taken in 

 after a sweat, he must not be fed until he is cool. The sweat 

 must be rapidly scraped off him with a regular sweat-knife, 

 or a dull case-knife will answer ; he must then be rubbed per- 

 fectly dry with cloths, of which plenty should always be at 

 hand, or with straw. He must be rubbed until no dampness 

 is left. After this his stable-blanket is to be put on, and his 

 legs thoroughly rubbed down, finishing with the dry hand, and 

 rubbing until considerable warmth is felt. Every morning 

 and evening his cords and joints especially should be rubbed. 

 His hoofs should be scraped every night and stuffed with cow- 

 dung, to keep them cool and promote their elasticity. After 

 this, bed him down for the night with good, clean straw. By 

 this treatment you will harden his flesh and " make his wind," 

 without which no horse can be reasonably expected to excel 

 on the turf. If carrots can be ^^rocured, the horse should have 

 three or four per day ; nothing is better for the wind. 



If a horse is badly prepared, there is danger of rupturing 

 important blood-vessels when put to his best. A few years 

 since I knew a gentleman to employ a quack veterinary to 

 prej^are a horse for a three-mile-and-a-half race. The same 

 fellow was also to ride him. Just before starting, a veterinary 

 told him the horse was not well prepared. The former replied 

 that he prepared him himself, and that he understood his 

 business better than the latter. Both staked their reputation 

 on their opinions. Seven horses started, and this one took 

 the lead for the first mile and a half, and would have won if 

 properly prepared, but at two miles he commenced falling off, 

 and at two and a half fell. The rider attempted to bleed him, 

 but could draw no blood. The veterinary told him to "bleed in 

 the belly." The horse was opened, and his blood was found 

 to have been poured out in the cavity of the abdomen. If a 

 horse which has been badly prepared do not die from this 

 accident, he is very likely to become wind-broken. 



