HOW TO TRAIN A HORSE. 221 



drive together in harness, solely under a pair of sharp curb-bits. This 

 was thirty years ago. We were told that we could get no speed out of 

 them, and that there would be danger of their falling. The lagt we knew 

 to be nonsense, and the first we found to be a mistake. There were few 

 teams that could out-foot them on the road ; and, trotting at speed, they 

 seemed to be going upon a slack rein. Not so, however; their mouths 

 had never been calloused by the sawing of the "pulling bit," and they 

 were amenable to the slightest sign. In fact, they were kept in perfect 

 form, but it required delicate handling to do it. How much more ele- 

 gant was this than the "g'lang" style adopted by too many persons when 

 driving for pleasure on the road. Train, therefore, a pair of horses or a 

 single light-driving horse, under the curl) always, and, then, if you wish, 

 you may drive them handsomely under the snafile. 



XXI. Perming a Trotter. 



All that is required in a horse for trotting a race, is that he go fast 

 enough. The training of trotters is a fine art, and one in which but 

 few persons gain eminent success. Yet, a fair amount of the speed that 

 is in a horse, may be gotten oat of him, by strict attention to feed, wa- 

 ter, grooming and proper work. He must be exercised every day to 

 bring his muscles into proper condition for fast work, and at some period 

 in each exercise, he must be made to trot as fast as he can, without break- 

 ing into a run. Thus his speed may be gradually increased, until at last 

 he will forget the impulse to run, and if, in urging liim strongly, he goes 

 off his feet, he can readily be made tp catch the stride again, by chang- 

 ing the bit ; that is by pulling him a little out of line, as in making a 

 horse change his leading foot. It is not necessary that you pull him hard 

 to make him trot fast. The pull should only be hard enough to keep 

 him steady and up to his gait. 



The real Avork is done by long continued driving, and by lengthening his 

 stride, by means of every persuasion possible. Do not expect to suc- 

 ceed the first or second year with a colt. A horse seldom comes to his 

 full trotting power, until he is seven or eight years old, and often not 

 until he is eleven or twelve. Hence, the large prices the fast ones bring. 



XXII. To Train a Racer. 



With running horses, as with saddle horses, it is necessary that they first 

 be trained into i^erfect ol)edicnce ; and the lessons in flexions must also 

 be attended to, so that their limbs and bodies may be rendered supple. 

 This part of the training having been thoroughly accomplished, all that is 

 required is to keep them in perfect muscular condition, by proper feed- 

 ing, gi'ooming and exorcise. They are then taught to increase their stride 

 by daily speeding them, extending the trial from time to time until they 



