LIFE WITH THE TKOTTERS. 81 



After thinking the matter over carefully, I concluded to 

 change his shoes, and iDut a little more weight on the forward 

 feet, to balance him going down the hill. I was sure he 

 would out-trot every other horse in the race if it came to a 

 finish. This was the first race I had ever had Rarus in 

 where I felt that he was meeting horses that were anything 

 like his equal in speed, and so I bent all my energies to 

 have him in the pink of condition; my only fear was that 

 the shape of the track might make him unsteady. In shoe- 

 ing him I put about two ounces more on the forward feet, 

 and when we scored for the word in the first heat I was in 

 every way satisfied, and made up my mind that, if he was 

 beaten, the one that did the trick would get a great mark. 



