186 TEAINING IN INDIA. 



If a horse can be held with a snaffle, never employ 

 any other bit for him. Never use whip or spur in a 

 training gallop, unless with a very sluggish horse, with 

 one that is apt to bolt off the course, or with young 

 animals that go awkwardly and require a deal of 

 collecting. 



The longer distance a horse has to go, the finer 

 should he be drawn. 



As a rule, do not have a less interval than ten days 

 between each sweat. Rarely sweat later than ten days 

 before a race ; for a horse should have just enough time 

 before 'running, to be eased off, so as to get a little 

 " above himself; " sufficient, in fact, to allow his nerves 

 to regain their tone. 



A horse should never scrape quite clean and watery 

 sooner than the last ten days of his final preparation ; 

 for if he does so, he is almost certain to become stale. 



Assuming that a horse, in training, continues in good 

 health and spirits, with his legs cool and fine, that he 

 is never off his feed, and that his dung is in good order ; 

 we may safely be guided .by the way he scrapes, after 

 his morning gallop, in judging of the manner in which 

 his condition is progressing, and whether he requires a 

 sweat, or more or less work, so that his sweat may be 

 gradually reduced down to the desired consistency. 

 When a horse is gross, his sweat is thick and greasy to 

 touch ; but when he is in perfect condition, it is 

 generally scanty, comes off as clear as water, and dries 

 almost as soon as the scrapers have passed over the 

 surface of the skin. He will then have the smallest 

 amount of fat in his system compatible with his nerves 

 remaining for but a very few days in good order. Of 



