DIRECTIONS AS TO WORK AND TREATMENT. 57 



whether summer or winter, and having as light a saddle 

 and lad placed on him as is deemed prudent, he should 

 be sent along over the whole distance at very nearly 

 his top speed ; always bearing in mind never to allow 

 the horse to run himself out, — i.e., exhaust his powers ; 

 but still make him do his utmost, just keeping him in- 

 side the mark. Immediately it is over, let the girths be 

 slackened, and the horse led about till he has done blow- 

 ing (which will be in about ten minutes), then let his 

 clothes be put on, his mouth washed out with nitre and 

 water, and the sooner he is walked back to the stable 

 the better. On removing the rugs the horse will be 

 found to have sweated considerably, and, indeed, this 

 is all the sweating either desirable or necessary, when 

 the horse's skin is clean and his frame spare. His 

 clothes should be removed immediately and his skin 

 rubbed perfectly dry (which will take from twenty mi- 

 nutes to one hour), after which dry clothes should be 

 thrown over him, and his legs and feet well washed, 

 rubbed dry, and flannel bandages applied. This done, 

 the rug must once more be removed, and the brush ap- 

 plied briskly all over him until every particle of dust, 

 dirt, and scurf has been removed. 



This brushing will take a full hour ; after which his 

 eyes and nose will require sponging, and his mane and 

 tail combing, when his toilet may be considered accom- 

 plished. A feed of corn and some water may be given, 

 and rest for four or five hours, at the expiration of 

 which the exercising cloth and hood must once more be 

 put on, and an hour's stroll on some turf gone through, 



