ON PLATING RACE-HORSES. 337 



it may be bad judgment to run such a horse over a 

 small round course, yet, if such should happen, it may 

 be advisable for the safety of both the rider and the 

 horse, to give the latter some hold of the ground, by 

 turning up the heels of his hind plates. But with a 

 horse of the middle size, that has a short but quick 

 stride, gives his race kindly, and is handy at his 

 turns, there may be no occasion to turn up the plates. 

 However, an experienced training groom, before his 

 horse is plated, generally puts himself in possession of 

 the sort of course he is going to run over, by previously 

 cantering his hack over it, and he should afterwards 

 regulate the plating of his horse according to circum- 

 stances. 



The plates being made according to the directions 

 given, the groom must then decide whether they shall 

 be put on in the stable or on the course. This will 

 depend on the distance the former is from the latter, 

 and the sort of feet the horse may have. 



Many of our country courses iiave not a stable near 

 them. On such occasions, the horses are often obliged 

 to stand at stables in the adjoining town, which is 

 sometimes at a \ery considerable distance, perhaps two 

 or three miles. This is much too long a length for 

 horses to walk in their plates ; indeed under almost any 

 circumstances, it is too far, unless it be on turf. If 

 there is no other way to the running ground except on 

 the hot surface of a hard turnpike road, I should 

 strongly recommend the groom to have his horse plated 



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