200 TRAINING AND RACING. 



precludes exertion. When perspiration is thus artificially 

 induced, the increased excretory action is confined to 

 the pores of the skin, so that the blood rapidly becomes 

 charged with effete matter which the lungs fail to eli- 

 minate \vith due promptness, as the respiration is not 

 accelerated by exertion. Hence the lungs become gorged 

 with insufficiently aerated blood, which causes the 

 breathing to become laboured, while the action of the 

 heart is tumultuous. These abnormal conditions cause 

 general distress, and tend to injure the healthy working 

 of the heart ; results that speedily if oft repeated 

 upset the nervous system, and render the animal stale 

 and incapable of prolonged and vigorous exertion. 



Physic. Before commencing training, it is generally 

 advisable to give a moderate dose of physic, in order to 

 eliminate from the system an excess of the products 

 resulting from the waste of tissue, which are not excre- 

 ted with sufficient rapidity for the new state of hard 

 exercise, and to get rid of the superabundant nutritive 

 material absorbed from the chyle. The diseases known 

 as azoturia and lymphagitis are respectively brought on, 

 when these two conditions exist to a highly injurious 

 extent. In both, a purgative is most advisable. Although 

 we may not have either complaint developed, still 

 feverishness, "filled" legs, dark coloured urine, &c., often 

 result from similar causes, when the precaution of giving 

 a horse a dose of physic is not observed before putting 

 him into training. 



Signs of Condition. When a horse is in perfect con- 

 dition, his coat will be soft and glossy like satin ; his eye 

 bright, but tranquil ; his sweat scanty, will dry readily, 



