EXCESSIVE WALKING. 91 







race, lie would throw them up, giving only short gallops 

 and very little walk, thus bringing their foot back without 

 enough time elapsing to accumulate inside fat. It was 

 a perilous system to follow. I knew several to attempt it, 

 and the result to them was always failure. He knew just 

 how far to go, and when to ease them before their powers 

 were to be tested in a race. I have seen one of his horses, 

 after having concluded the work marked out for him to 

 do, neigh before leaving the track. Another mile or two, 

 with sharp work in the stretches, was sure to be the sen- 

 tence, this display of exuberant animal feelings being 

 always certain to be followed by extended work till the 

 time came for the cessation. 



The general custom then was to walk three times a day, 

 no matter what the animal was. The gallops would be 

 varied according to the different requirements of the 

 horses; but it never entered the trainer's head that the 

 slower gait needed variations on account of difference in 

 temperament or form the nighty, narrow-waisted, deli- 

 cate feeder getting just as much as the sluggish, heavy 

 made, phlegmatic individual, that took everything as qui- 

 etly as if he had no care or ambition to do more than he 

 was absolutely compelled. Races, either running or trot- 

 ting, are short periods of violent exertion, when every 

 muscle is called upon to perform to its utmost endeavor. 

 The training, then, is to enable the animal to accomplish 

 this as easily as possible. 



In ancient times, Hercules and Mercury were associated 

 as patrons of the Olympic games to show that force must 

 be accompanied by address. Our aim, then, should be to 

 balance force and address so that their proportions will 

 harmonize, and while we increase the strength, be cau- 

 tious to employ means that will not interfere with agility. 

 Walking has a great part to perform in fitting a horse 

 for rapid locomotion. 



