156 TKAINING IN INDIA. 



as the walk, trot, and canter, which are totally 

 different in their action to the gallop. 



Food. The old writers on training were accus- 

 tomed to lay considerable stress on the necessity of 

 "hard" food, and a restricted allowance of water, in 

 order to reduce the size of a horse's stomach and intes- 

 tines, and to harden his muscles. At first sight, the 

 former consideration seems to be a most important one ; 

 because, if these organs be distended by the bulky 

 nature of the food, the diaphragm will be impeded 

 in its effort to afford room for the action of the 

 lungs. As the question of food is entirely dependent 

 on conditions of health and nutrition ; the trainer may 

 rest assured that if they be duly maintained, the 

 animal's organs will accommodate themselves, in the 

 best possible manner, to the work which he is called 

 upon to perform. 



When a horse's powers are fully taxed, we may 

 safely rely on his appetite being the best guide for 

 determining the amount of his hay, corn, and water ; 

 for he will instinctively choose the proportion best 

 calculated to furnish material for the repair of tissue, 

 always supposing that he shows no signs of ill-health, 

 and is sound on his legs. 



Health. As the due nutrition of the system is 

 dependent on the state of the general health, we should 

 endeavour to secure the former by maintaining the 

 latter in the best possible condition ; thus avoiding the 

 too common error of neglecting the cause for the effect. 

 Hence, if the slightest symptom of indisposition can 

 be traced to the effects of the food, its nature or 

 amount, as the case may be, should be at once changed. 



