AND HOHSK TRAINING 99 



evening on coming in from the hunt, and on tlu- n.-xt morn- 

 ing feed a cold mash of barley meal. If your horse hIiowh 

 a failing appetite or runs down in condition, ^iv*- him cook- 

 ed grain or cooked vegetahles. 



"Thus you reach tin' month of April and tin- .-nil of the 

 hunting season. As soon as hunting stojjs, let your liorwe 

 rest. Exercise him only at a walk and for his health. Take 

 particular care of the legs and lower his condition hy cool- 

 ing mashes, for a horse cannot he kept with impunity on 

 such substantial and heating feed the year around, ^'ou 

 might then turn him out in a paddock without grass or with 

 grass that you have had cut short. Give him a masli, a 

 full feed of carrots, and only six quarts of oats. Continue 

 this until the 15th of May at least, then stop the carrots and 

 little by little the mashes. Then begin to increase the oats, 

 in order to take up the same work as the preceding' v.-ir 

 and wdth the same gradual progress. 



"During this period of rest, the horse can be given such 

 treatment as the condition of his legs may require. 



"These are the general instructions for putting a hunter 

 in fit condition for his work." {Count Le CoHltcHX.) 



Conditioning for Endurance Races. For this training, refer 

 to what has just been said concerning hunters, and to the 

 29th question, on training for military races. 



The work varies with the length of time available, witli 

 the age and condition of the horse and the nature of the 

 race. The only general rules to be repeated here are: 



Gradually increase the horse's ration with the work. 



Exercise a great deal at a walk in order to develop the 

 muscles. 



Regulate the walk and trot carefully, and have the horse 

 perfectly calm at these two gaits. 



Never use the extended trot. 



Accustom the horse not to pull, s(» that he will n..t 

 waste part of his strength fighting the hand. 



The morning of the race, massage the tendons: rub 

 l>()th the tendons and joints with a fatty substancr. su« li .is 



