188 The Practical Stud Groom. 



FORCED GROWTH. 



The objective of most stud masters, whether breeding 

 thoroughbreds for sale or to carry their own racing jacket, 

 is the production of race-horses of the highest class. As a 

 Field Marshal's baton was said to be enclosed in the knap- 

 sack of every soldier of France, so, too, should every stud 

 groom regard every foal in his charge as a promising 

 aspirant to the "Triple Crown." One has only to study 

 the history of the Derby to realise the vast gulf of dis- 

 appointment, ill-luck, and failure which lies between antici- 

 pation and realisation. Some breeders have seen the 

 "shortest of short heads" rob their champion of victory. 

 Again, non-entry or "striking out" have converted what 

 would have been a " certainty " into an " ineligible," and 

 so on. Nothing shows the elusive character of this coveted 

 prize more than the familiar spectacle of from ten to fifteen 

 runners out of an original entry of over three hundred. No 

 wonder that a feat so extraordinarily difficult of achievement 

 is so highly prized when accomplished. 



It is said that horses run in all shapes. Be this as it 

 may, to ensure much success on the Turf a horse must have 

 the following essentials, viz., hard bone, great muscular 

 development, large lung capacity, and a strong constitution. 

 At first sight it would appear that all the stud groom has 

 to do is to see that the young aspirant to the Blue Riband 

 has dry, sound, limestone uplands to graze on for the pro- 

 duction of big, ivory-like bones; plenty of liberty for the 

 development of muscles; fresh air for lung development; and 

 no "coddling" in stables to ensure a hardy constitution. 

 But, unfortunately, it is not all quite such plain sailing as 

 that; owing to the conditions prevailing on the English 

 Turf, it is a case of being betwixt the Devil and the Deep 

 Sea. Enormous stakes are offered for two-year-olde to 



