112 Training the Trotter , Coacher and Roadster 



tended for vehicles, but simply for the exercise of the 

 youngster before hitching. 



Plan for training the young colt. — Very early in 

 the colt's life one should decide upon a method of 

 procedure. This should include the daily routine 

 work as well as a consideration of the time it is 

 desired to race him, since this will modify the method, 

 as racing at two years old calls for a different plan 

 of preparation than if not raced until later in life. 

 Thus the daily feeding, watering, grooming and exer- 

 cising should be so arranged as to meet the conditions. 

 The importance of an orderly procedure in all that 

 pertains to the care and management of the colt in 

 training for speed or high action cannot be over- 

 estimated. He must be so skillfully handled as to 

 bring out the best there is in him. 



The colt should be fed regularly and up to the 

 limit of his appetite from the beginning, in order to 

 keep him strong. It is not possible to get the colt, 

 under fifteen months of age, too fat if properly 

 groomed and exercised. He should be provided 

 with fresh water at all times, in order that he may 

 not drink to excess (p. 355). 



Grooming the colt requires special attention. 

 The colt should be thoroughly cleaned each morning, 

 giving extra care to the legs and feet. The hoofs 

 should be cleaned twice daily by removing all for- 

 eign materials that have collected in the clefts and 

 about the frog. They should be kept level and so 



