THE PROPER HOURS FOR EXERCISE. 8i 



their natural courage, by racing with those they know to be 

 their superiors, it is seldom regained, and they thus often 

 become rogues, and worse than useless. With regard to 

 sweating, whatever may have been the plea for its practice 

 with older horses, it should never have been used, I am 

 convinced, with the two-year-old. 



The hour at which exercise should be taken is important. 

 In winter the weather may regulate it ; and almost any time 

 of the day will do, so long as the horses get sufficient — 

 an hour and a half or two hours. But in the summer it is 

 very different ; for in hot and dry weather exercise should 

 not be commenced later than 5 a.m., and after an hour and 

 a half or two hours the horses may be taken in, and in the 

 afternoon be again brought out at 4 o'clock for three quarters 

 of an hour or an hour. 



The advantages of early exercise are obvious. The ground, 

 in the first place, is much better in the morning. It has been 

 rendered more elastic by the night's dew, and so is condu- 

 cive to the growth of the feet ; and the atmosphere being 

 cooler, horses do their work with less fatigue, and escape the 

 immoderate sweating which, under the broiling heat of a 

 midsummer's sun, with ground as hard as a turnpike road, 

 would be likely to break some down and enervate others, 

 if it did not cause prostration only to be overcome by a long 

 rest, I feel it needful to dwell on this point ; to impress 

 indelibly upon the mind of the reader the absolute necessity 

 of adherence to this rule in fine weather. The little extra 

 trouble it may entail should be reckoned as nothing when 

 regard is had to the compensating advantages ; one of which, 

 not previously named, is the alternate and more equal division 

 of time allotted to rest and labour. 



Now the time of dressing and feeding is included in that 



G 



