NOTKS ON Kt^riTATlON *>;i 



If the horse is too fat, give him a purge during tlic lirht 

 days of training to decrease thr siz<" of the intcstiiwH. and at 

 the end of the first week give liini a sweat t(. ehminate part 

 of the fat from the tissues. (See Question VIII). 



Thin horses or small eaters do not need either purges or 

 sw^eats. 



3rd and 4th Weeks. If the legs keep in good sliai^e and 

 the appetite continues good, increase the speed and dura- 

 tion of the gallops, diminishing proportionately the length 

 of time at the trot. Twice a week give a good gallop, hut 

 not at full speed. A second sweat should he given at the 

 end of this period if the horse is still too fat. 



5th and 6th Weeks. Same work, increasing the sp»'fd 

 and taking the horse once or twice over a distance nearly 

 equal to that of the race. 



7th and 8th Weeks. Give several gallo])s from one- 

 half to three-quarters of a mile, increasing the gait during 

 the eighth week at the end of the stretch, (iive also two or 

 three gallops about two miles long, but never force the pace. 



Two days before the race, gallop from a half mile to 

 a mile, increasing the pace as nmch as possible the last 

 quarter of a mile, but of course without overtaxing the 

 horse. The day before the race give him only a half mile 

 gallop at a moderate gait. The morning of the raee, exer- 

 cise for an hour at a walk. 



Training for obstacles is only secondary, provided the 

 horse already knows how to jump. It is sutlicienl to take 

 him over a few obstacles at an ordinary gait, fmni time to 

 time, after the second or third week. 



During training it is essential that the liorse he calm 

 and that he lower his head and stretcli the r(»ins without 

 boring on the hand. 



It should also be clearly underst<.od that the pn.gram 

 of work is subordinate to the horse's appetite and to the 

 condition of his legs; the gallop must be replaced hy the 

 trot or walk, entirely or partly, every time the tendons be- 

 come heated, or the hors*- refuses his oats. 



