204 TRAINING AND RACING. 



one can be kept at work for six months before he runs 

 for the first two or three year old events, but out here, 

 the hot weather allows but little more than tliree months, 

 during which to prepare a maiden, without suffering 

 many of the best stakes, which are reserved for his class, 

 to pass by uncontended for. We should not lose sight 

 of the fact, that it often takes more time to teach a horse 

 to gallop than to get him into condition. 



I have seen it remarked in the " Field," that it takes 

 at least two years' conditioning to enable a horse to live 

 among the first flight in " the Shires." This being the 

 case, it certainly would require no shorter period to 

 bring a young one probably fresh off the ship fit to 

 race over a distance in India. 



Small, compact horses mature earlier than those of a 

 larger and looser frame, and consequently may be run 

 at an earlier age. 



Sluggish horses can almost always both stand work 

 better and stay longer than impetuous ones. 



Old horses require usually less work to get into gallop- 

 ing condition than young ones do, though they require 

 more time to put up muscle. 



In India, horses are rarely trained specially as in 

 England for one particular race, as there are few 

 events worth doing this for. The usual practice is to 

 give horses, within certain limits, more of a general 

 than of a particular preparation. However, one should 

 never sacrifice the speed of a flyer by giving him long 

 work, when it has been proved that, fit and well, he 

 is unable to stay a distance. 



Ponies, 13 hands and under, had best be trained for 



