EARLY WORK. 221 



get his wind at each turn, and after this sharp brush 

 that I have just described give him a little longer to 

 breathe than you did before. Xow straighten him out 

 and brush him up the stretch again about the same dis- 

 tance, going up to his clip about the last of it, and that 

 will be enough work for that day. Take him in, where 

 no cold draft can blow on him, and take off the harness 

 and boots, give him a swallow or two of water, rub 

 him off lightly, and let the boy walk him a little, then 

 put him in his box and leave him undisturl)ed, so that 

 he can lay down, as a colt A^oungster will, and rest. 



As I have said, young colts require little jogging and 

 no sweating or scraping. Young animals do not take 

 on fat internally like matured ones, and there is in fact 

 no superfluous flesh in this rapidlv growing period. 

 The colt requires not to be reduced, but ratlaer to be 

 made stouter and strono^er. Phvsicino:, sweatino- and 

 scraping are just the things no colt can take and 

 thrive. It stops his growth and muscular development 

 to strip him of his flesh, for the growing body, the 

 maturing muscle and bone, need that nourishment 

 which is onlv afforded in a condition of marked thrifti- 

 ness. Only in this condition will the colt be in good 

 fettle and spirit, and capable of taking his work with 

 relish and being benefited by it. It therefore behooves 

 the trainer to watch constantly that the colt does not 

 "go back" in condition, for this loss of condition may 

 be at first almost imperceptible. It is all the better if 

 the colt carries a fair degree of flesh, which will not 

 be of the "soft" kind with the work here prescribed. 

 Keep him in good, vigorous condition, so that he will 

 perspire freely with work, but leave heavy blankets, 

 hoods, sweating and scraping alone 



