VIII. 



Treatment the Winter before Training. Frozen and Slippery Roads Bad. 

 Fattening up, an Evil. The Feed in Winter. Treatment in complete 

 Let-up. Clothing. The Feet. " Freezing out " Mischievous. 

 Horses that need Blistering. Food and Treatment. Stabling all 

 Winter. Treatment and Exercise. Constitution to be kept in 

 View. Shedding-Time. Walking Exercise. Jogging. No Fast 

 Work at First. No Physic commonly required. 



1) EFOKE entering upon the training of the trotter, it 

 I 3 will be necessary to say something in regard to his 

 treatment during the preceding winter ; for upon that a good 

 deal depends as to the method and time which will be re- 

 quired to get him into condition. If he has been trained and 

 trotted in the previous summer and fall, his system at the 

 beginning of the cold weather is sure to be somewhat in an 

 inflammatory state from high feeding ; and it is probable that 

 his legs will be a little stale from the amount of work they 

 have undergone, and the severity with which he has, perhaps, 

 banged them about. Various methods and degrees of treat- 

 ment may be adopted, and the choice of them should de- 

 pend altogether upon the state and constitution of the 

 horse. If he is of a hardy habit, is in robust health, and 

 his legs are all right, he may as well be driven moderately 

 during the winter, and kept as road-horses are. Care is to 

 be taken, of course, that he is not suffered to extend him- 

 self upon rough, hard roads ; and I think those w^ho have 

 him in charge should be wary of sleighing, and of driv- 

 ing when the roads are frozen and slippery. The horse 

 may be shod how you please ; but ingenuity cannot prevent 

 his slipping and sliding to some extent, when before a sleigh 



90 



