68 SUPPLY AND DEMAND. 



walked about and be put through a gentle and short 

 canter every other day, merely to keep him in wind, 

 but nothing more. Any more severe work would only 

 jade and depress him; or, in other words, make him 

 ( train off.' Since you cannot hope to improve on the 

 acme of perfection of condition, your only endeavour 

 should be to keep as near to it as you can without 

 endangering your horse's constitution. 



It is, however, in all cases better to allow horses at 

 this step to get a little jolly and big, giving moderate 

 exercise only in the place of hard ivork, and putting 

 them through a slight sweat two days previous to 

 running, which will ensure a healthy skin and clear 

 wind, without further taxing their already severely 

 tried understandings. 



There is no greater fallacy than the theory of ( keep- 

 ing a horse in condition.' It cannot be done. A horse 

 properly wound up for a race, will only be unwound if 

 trained on. There must always be something to spare 

 so as to stand the continual waste caused by severe 

 exertion ; and if there be no adipose or fatty matter in 

 the system to supply the waste, as there will not be if 

 the horse have been brought quite up to the mark, an 

 injurious and continuous effect will take place in the 

 constitution. 



Therefore, after the horse has run his race, relaxation 

 from work for a considerable time must be allowed, or 

 the constitution of the horse will be severely impaired, 

 and he never can be brought to the post in the same 

 form again. 



