X. 



Work after the Sweat. Trial after the Sweat. Preparation for the Trial. 

 Amount of Work. No arbitrary Rule possible. The Mile-Trial. 

 Of Condition, Game, and Bottom. Work after the First Kace. Prep- 

 aration for Three-mile Heats. Much slow Work reduces Speed. 

 Time of Three-mile Preparation. Of the Trials. Work after the 

 Final Trial. 



A ETEE the horse has had the sweat, as before directed, 

 _JL_ the regular work is to be resumed and carried on as 

 before, and the feed is to be the same as it was before the 

 sweat. It will be well to bear in mind the object of the 

 sweats, which is to loosen the flesh, and to remove the fat 

 and other superfluities which add nothing to the horse's 

 strength, impede his wind, and make so much more weight 

 for him to carry in his training and in his races. On the 

 other hand, the regular work is not to take away the sub- 

 stance, but to increase the volume of muscle, harden its 

 consistency, and increase its elasticity and strength. Thus 

 the sweats merely reduce, while the regular work reduces 

 the soft parts to some extent of itself, but builds up and 

 develops the moving powers. It follows, that, when the 

 horse in hand is of a weak and soft habit, great care must 

 be taken that he is not sweated too much in clothes ; for, if 

 he is, he will shrink in the course of work, and become thin 

 and dry after one or two races. If the time of training 

 could be extended, and there was no danger to the legs and 

 constitution in making the work severe, the sweats might 

 be dispensed with almost or quite altogether. But this is 

 not the case ; and therefore the sweat in clothes is resorted 



106 



