CONDITIONS AND DIFFICULTIES 209 



to do so, it is fatal, for some jockeys drive them 



into the ground or of! their legs. 



I consider Mr. Willoughby, after so many of the 



horses in the last Derby field had lost their tempers, 



^ . . would have been iustified in telling the 

 The start '' ° 



for the jockeys to walk up. The fact of doing 



1914 DGrbv 



this starting some little distance from 

 the tapes would have taken the attention of such 

 an unruly field, and, I'm sure, enabled him to get 

 them away on fair terms. It is hardly reasonable 

 to expect such high-couraged horses, after a battle 

 of kicking and biting, to tamely walk up and stand 

 with their nose on the tapes. 



In the old days, the trainers, as already stated, 

 often gave raw eggs, and much bread was used 



during the preparation, particularly for 



of the the long distance racing ; and with two 

 race-horse, • r. 



past and suits 01 sweaters and an extra rug they 



present subjected most of their charges to four- 

 mile sweats, taking the horses home to scrape and 

 rub down. Then having put on a dry suit they 

 would give them a short, sharp gallop ; afterwards 

 walk half an hour before going in. These sweats 

 were given two or three times a week, according to 

 the constitution and condition. 



It is seldom a trainer sweats his horses now, 

 everything is done with such a rush. Many owners 

 are too anxious to see their horses run as early as 

 14 



