304 LIFE VriTII THE TIIOTTEKS. 



liave learned from ph.j'^sicians and men who have trained 

 people for athletic feats where it required the highest 

 standard of x)hysical develoi^ment to succeed. They tell me 

 that the foundation to build on when training a man is to hrst 

 have his .blood in perfect condition; then the stomach, 

 and if he is a well-bred and game man the rest will come 

 after. That is my idea about a race-horse. If, from any 

 symptoms you may see in your horse you think the blood 

 or stomach is out of order get the best vetei inary surgeon 

 you know of to take charge of the case. Do not undertake to 

 doctor him yourself unless you consider yourself a first- 

 class veterinary, I am of the opinion that no man ever lived 

 who was an expert at more than one trade. We often see 

 a great many things advertised as being good for this and 

 that ailment of the horse. When I read them over I 

 always think of what my colored boy " Senator " once said 

 to me. On returning home from a trip he told me that one 

 of the horses had been slightly ill and he had given him 

 some medicine out of a certain bottle that he had found in the 

 chest. I asked him why he had given the horse the medicine, 

 and he replied it was i)rinted on the bottle that it Avas good 

 for a horse, and he didn't suppose anybody would print a 

 lie; but as the horse died, Senator lost confidence in pub- 

 lished statements. No matter how smart a man is, no mat- 

 ter how well he may have learned his particular trade, 

 nothing but constant, every day j)ractical experience will 

 make him an expert in his chosen profession. Tliat is why 

 I say never call in a blacksmith, no matter how well he can 

 make a horseshoe, if you want the horse doctored. 



After having made a' perfect study of the horse' s habits, 

 how to feed and manage him in the stable, etc., you should 

 by this time have some jDlan as to how you think he ought 

 to be worked or trained. Never start in to train a horse 

 without liaving some idea in your mind as to how you are 

 going to do it. That is, about how much work he ought to 

 have, what kind of work, whether fast or slow, on the track 

 or on the road. When you commence training a horse, make 



