ON DRIVING. 



33 



his business and has squared himself for a settled trot. 

 Now watch him closely, with hand and eye, to catch 

 the least attempt at a skip ; you will feel it on your hand 

 a second before it comes; just then, without the least 

 delay, move your bit in his mouth and give him a little 

 extra steady pull; the chances are he will be headed off, 

 no skip or break, and he will square away more steadily 

 than before. Now you know he has been going pretty 

 near his top rate and will not bear any more pressure ; 

 take him in hand now a little more and keep him within 

 himself somewhat ; the distance to speed him should be 

 regulated by his condition and the state of the weather; 

 of that the driver must be the judge, only do not risk 

 hurting your horse by too long a brush. To go a mile at 

 or near a three-minute gait is enough for almost any horse 

 not in absolute training and in tip-top condition ; it is 

 the protracted strain that injures the horse's legs and wind- 

 works, which an occasional let-up would prevent. One 

 word more, and I have done 

 with the amateur : walk your 

 horse quietly now for the last 

 mile just before getting to the 

 stable; take him there cool if 

 possible, and have him at- 

 tended to properly before feed- 

 ing; but always examine his 

 front feet immediately on his 

 being taken out of harness, as 

 a stone wedged between the 

 frog and shoe .might, if allowed 

 to remain overnight, produce a 

 stone bruise and lame him ; or 

 a nail picked up, although it 

 may not have gone in far enough to hurt him, yet if 



ru 

 \ u 



ILLUSTKATING HOW LARGE AND 

 SMALL STONES BECOME IMPACTED 

 BETWEEN THE SOLE AND THE 

 WEB OF THE SHOE. 



