EVILS OF "BIG" CONDITION. 97 



for it after, and retain their form not merely for weeks or 

 months but years, I will give one instance, which I think 

 should be sufficient to establish the truth of my argument. 

 Three of the horses that ran at Goodwood ran afterwards at 

 Ayr in six races, winning five. Other stakes were likewise sub- 

 sequently won by the others that ran there. Mr. H, Robinson 

 used to say, " I like my horses to run big with plenty of 

 work." So do I, and I should like to know who does not ; 

 but the thing is not possible. What do we work our horses 

 for, but to try and remove the fatty matter ? Unless this be 

 done you may as well keep them in the stable, for a " fat," 

 or if the term be preferred, a " big " horse must tire. It is not in 

 the nature of things that he should do otherwise. He is not 

 only a little big to all intents and purposes, which is clearly 

 seen ; but he is internally burdened with a weight of fatty 

 incumbrance, his breathing is obstructed by adipose matter 

 which rightlv can only be removed by work. Without going 

 so far as to say that after a certain period of preparation is 

 reached before completion, every pound lighter the animal is 

 by that amount he is so much the better, yet it is clearly an 

 approximation to the truth of the principle I advocate ; for 

 what does not assist progression retards it. A severe pre- 

 paration, some will say, is the cause of breaking down many 

 horses that would otherwise stand and run for many races. 

 This is a proposition I am not exactly prepared to admit or 

 deny. Historian ran under a severe preparation till ten years 

 old ; while others we see are continually breaking down when 

 young under a more lenient system. But, for argument's sake — 

 only admit as a fact that some horses do so break down, yet 

 surely in doubtful cases it is far better for them to break down 

 at home before you have backed them, than in the race, with the 

 mortification of a double disappointment, losing the race and 



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