THE TROTTING-HORSE OF AMERICA. 287 



mate of Rose. A match for a thousand dollars, Flora in 

 harness and Rose under saddle, was still pending between 

 the mares. The former race came off on the 8th of July ; 

 the second was on the 20th. Meantime, Flora had been 

 doing good work, and had beat Belle of Portland two-mile 

 heats. That race was, without doubt, of much service to 

 her. 



I think, that, when a trainer has a horse of fine pluck and 

 good constitution, a race or two in public does as much or 

 more than weeks of preparation towards the production of 

 good condition. The bustle and the shouting, and the being 

 brought into the midst of crowds of people, stirs the blood, 

 and acts upon the nervous system ; besides which, the race 

 demands some sort of exertion that a trainer would not be apt 

 to employ in the regular work. In regard to training, I ven- 

 true to lay this down as a rule, that a good stout horse is never 

 got to his best until he has been ridden or driven so as to be 

 tired a few times. And here is the distinction between 

 stout, aged horses and young colts. The latter should never 

 be driven to the extent of getting tired : the former will 

 never be got into their best condition until they have been 

 tired often. But still the treatment, and the extent to which 

 the work must be carried, will vary with each particular 

 horse ; and in this it is that the trainer must exercise judg- 

 ment. If all horses were alike in character, health, consti- 

 tution, and ability, precise rules could be laid down for 

 training ; for what had produced a good effect in one case 

 would do so in all, if applied. But horses differ ; no two are 

 exactly alike: and therefore it is impossible to give any 

 thing further than general rules, the right application of 

 which to particular cases must be made by each man for 

 himself. In the second race between Flora Temple and 

 Rose of Washington, the former had come to her condition 

 in some measure. She distanced Rose the first heat, in 

 2m. 31s. 



