116 THE TROTTING-IIORSE OF AMERICA. 



heat engagement. A great burst of speed is not to be 

 looked for anywhere in a race of ten miles ; but victory is to 

 be expected more from a steady rating-trot, which can be 

 taken up at the beginning and maintained to the end. In 

 nineteen cases out of twenty, this will cut down the oppos- 

 ing horse in a race of this length, even when his speed is 

 greatly superior, unless he has been taught to keep this 

 even rate in his preparation. If this tuition has not been 

 j/iven, he will either make bursts above the distance-rate 

 every now and then, or he will pull and fight at his driver 

 in his efforts to do so. In either case, the rating-horse has 

 got him, provided his driver keeps up the rate, and does not 

 let the other have a chance to recuperate when he begins 

 to tire. 



Of course, no horse who is not naturally stout and well 

 on his legs ought to be matched and trained for a race of 

 ten miles. This being found to be the case, the work must 

 be given like that for the three-mile heats, but larger in 

 amount. Thus, on two days in a week, make it a fourth 

 longer, and on other days an eighth longer. At the same time 

 that care is to be taken not to dog and worry the speed out, 

 there is no occasion for the ripping spurts which intervene 

 in the other training : the horse is only to have enough of 

 them to keep him cheerful and lively, and to vary the par- 

 tial monotony of the steady work. This preparation will 

 be greater in length than any of the others, for a horse is 

 not to be got up to the ten-mile mark at a good rate in a 

 few weeks. While he is undergoing it, he may have all the 

 grain he will eat, even if it is fourteen or fifteen quarts ; 

 but you must see that he eats all up and keeps the manger 

 clean. Long and strong work demands strong feed and 

 plenty of it. A horse may do a long day's work now and 

 then in stable-condition, but this is as nothing to being 

 called upon to do a large amount pretty rapidly every day. 

 The strong feed and strong work, as I said in a former part 

 of this work, are dangerous to infirm legs ; but a horse to go 



