DETAILS OF WORK. 285 



2:37. We are now, it must be remembered, in pre- 

 scribing this work, supposing that the horse under 

 preparation can speed a 2:20 gait; but at whatever 

 rate he can go the reader will see that we approach 

 his limit slowly and cautiously. This mile in 2:37 or 

 2:38 will be easy for him, but he should be asked to 

 come the last quarter fast. Now, after unharnessing 

 and a light rub-out, put on a blanket, remove hi's 

 boots, hand rub his legs, and then walk him in a sheet 

 for say twenty minutes. Then put him in the sulky 

 again, score up four or five times until he is good and 

 ready to "go," and send him a mile in say 2:33 to 2:35, 

 finishing strong as before. Then properly care for 

 him as already described in a previous chapter. The 

 body wash there given is very good, and I have also 

 found a lotion of arnica, rum and water to be excel- 

 lent for the muscles after work. There are dozens of 

 preparations for this purpose perhaps equally as good 

 as the two I have given, and important ingredients in 

 most of them are witch-hazel and arnica, which are 

 always beneficial on strained or work-sore muscles. 



On Thursday our horse will only require a light jog 

 for exercise, neither far enough or fast enough to tire 

 him in the least. On Friday, after the usual warming 

 "P j«g. gi^^e him three or four quarters— one fas't 

 enough to keep his speed at an edge. On Saturday we 

 will jog him smartly for two miles, say, and then work 

 him four miles at regular intervals—that is, at inter- 

 vals of twenty to twenty-five minutes. The fii'st mile 

 should be in about 2:38 or 2:40, the second in 2:30 to 

 2:32, the third say in 2:26 to 2:28, and the fourth in 

 2:23 to 2:25— always finishing fast and strong. 



