FOOD. 97 



he was in the plethoric state 1 liavejust described, and 

 I believe he was not put in training after. 



I have here related the above fact, merely to point 

 out to those of my readers who may not be well 

 versed in the management of race-horses, that there is 

 no real advantage to be gained in turning them out, — 

 at least, the craving ones. It is much against them, if 

 they are afterwards intended to be trained. These 

 horses require, when in training, to be kept in pretty 

 strong work to keep them clean in their muscles, and 

 clear in their wind. Such work being continued re- 

 gularly for a long time (as it often is with country 

 plate horses) brings them not only stale on their legs, 

 but stale in their constitutions, and sooner or later ren- 

 ders them unfit to run in their best form. It therefore 

 becomes necessary to refresh such horses during the 

 periods which intervene between one meeting and an- 

 other. Some of them, as I have already noticed, are 

 refreshed by physic alone, but this is generally done 

 to save time. 



When all the conveniences can be had for the pur- 

 pose, the most natural and judicious way of refreshing 

 such horses is, by giving them rest for a sufficient 

 time, and soiling them in the stables for ten days, a 

 fortnight, or three weeks, as the judgment of the train- 

 ing groom may best approve. 



The descriptions of green food given to race-horses 

 for this purpose, are tares, vetches, lucerne and clover 

 grass. These grasses should be sown so as to have a 

 succession of crops in the highest perfection for the 



H 



