SWEATING CRAVING HORSES. 269 



On the ground which race horses are to sweat 

 over, there is, of course, a rubbing-house, where 

 the stables are not conveniently near, (but in the 

 present instance we will consider them as being 

 sufficiently near), at a suitable distance from 

 where the horses may have to pull up. That 

 there may be no very difficult turns on the ground, 

 it should be of spacious dimensions, as of four, 

 or at least two miles in circumference; and if it 

 has a little degree of ascent and descent, I should 

 prefer it to its being a dead flat ; and further, if 

 we had the power of selection, and such a ground 

 could be found, I should choose one where the 

 commencement was a level surface for the first 

 mile and a half, or two miles, where the ground 

 is four miles in circumference, and then a gra- 

 dual rise for half a mile, then descending for 

 about the same distance, and then proceeding on 

 along a level surface until within about half a 

 mile of its conclusion ; in which latter part should 

 be another very gradual ascent (similar to that 

 of the finishing of some of our race grounds) to 

 where the horses pull up. Why I wish the ground 

 to vary a little is, that when the trainer is giving 

 orders how his horses are to go in their sweats, 

 he may direct the pace to be increased at those 



