204 THE PEKFECT HOESE. 



Educate him in the desire, and confirm him in regu- 

 larity of stroke, and the speed is sure to follow in due 

 time. If you find that he is getting a little sluggish 

 in his movements, let him rest: hold up for a week. 

 It is evident that he is being overdone ; and to overdo 

 at this point of his education, will, in the majority of 

 cases, prove fatal to the colt's promise and the owner's 

 hopes. Another sure sign that you are exacting too 

 much of him is seen when he begins to hitch in his 

 gait. This hitching comes from driving too fast and 

 too far ; at times from over-weighting the colt. I quote 

 the following from thatlnost admirable work by Hiram 

 Woodruff, " The Trotting-Horse of America." Speaking 

 of this matter of over-working, he says, — 



"The work must be according to his constitution, to 

 the rate of his growth, and to his heartiness of feeding. 

 This jogging will probably be about five or six miles a 

 day, and the spurts not above a quarter of a mile. He 

 must be carefully watched to ascertain whether he im- 

 proves or not. If not, he is to be let up a bit : for his 

 improvement at this age ought to go on all the time; 

 and will, if he is all right. Rapid improvement, how- 

 ever, must not be expected : ever so little will do ; but 

 it ought not to stop altogether. At this time, you will 

 often sec him break his gait ; and this is an indication 

 that he has had too much work for his age, and has got 

 sore on it. But it may not arise altogether from over- 

 work: therefore put the rollers on, and work him 

 gently, changing them from leg to leg as required. 



