ON PHYSIC. 147 



horse's constitution from the effects of the medicine, 

 will have improved him in a most extraordinary way. 

 This will, in a very short time, be perceptible in his 

 fresh and hearty appearance when at exercise. If the 

 groom do but regulate the horse's work properly, dur- 

 ing the interval of time between the setting of the 

 physic and the day the horse has to run, there is no 

 doubt but that he will come to post in good form. 



Having offered such observations on the preparing 

 of strong horses for their physic, and having also made 

 such precautionary remarks as to the quantity of aloes 

 to be administered to such horses, as I hope may, in 

 future, prevent grooms from falling into errors, I shall 

 now proceed to give directions on the physicking of 

 horses of a more delicate constitution. I allude to such 

 of them as have more speed, are more lengthy, and 

 are lighter in their carcasses. They generally run 

 short distances, require less work in training, and are 

 therefore much sooner got ready to run than craving 

 horses. Consequently, these light horses are not so 

 liable to become stale, either in their condition, or on 

 their legs ; and to a certain extent, many such horses 

 would be much better without physic. This being 

 the case, it is necessary that I should make some dis- 

 tinction between those which may at times require 

 physic, and those which may not require it ; and this 

 distinction I shall make, by dividing them into three 

 classes. The class of which I intend now to treat, may 

 be called the second class. I should term them (to 

 use the language of the groom) light-hearted horses. 



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