170 HOESES AND EIDING. 



are prepared for the race, their sinews are not in the 

 same healthy condition as when they are hunting, 

 and are consequently more disposed to injury. 



And secondl}^, that the nature of the ground on 

 which they gallop in racing, is more likely to injure 

 them in this particular manner. 



I think it is probable that both these causes are 

 in operation at once, and that the great majority of 

 breakdowns is due to both these causes at once. 



That is, that if the horse was trained differently, 

 he would not break down so often, and if he were 

 trained as he is, and raced on different ground, he 

 would not break down so often. 



A horse, in being trained for a race, is galloped 

 every day, some of the time at nearly full speed, with 

 a very light weight on his back. The weight is not 

 sufficient to prevent him from extending himself to 

 the fullest stride he is capable of compassing, so 

 that his sinews and muscles are constantly stretched 

 to the utmost extent they will reach. This must, 

 one would think, in time have an injurious effect on 

 them, and render them less capable of standing a 

 sudden strain. 



Now when a horse is galloping on the turf in 

 summer time, which is when the greater part of the 

 flat races are run, he is shod with polished slippery 

 shoes, and the turf is hard and slippery ; the conse- 

 quence is, that he is liable to slip slightly at any 

 moment, and if he is already stretched to the full 



