236 Indian Racing Reminiscences. 



that gram, like beans, was too " heating ; " while oats 

 were too dear. Hence, I resolved to make a mixture 

 of three parts of rice and one of gram, which would be, 

 approximately, similar in composition to oats, and at 

 about one-third of the price. The experiment was 

 entirely successful. Although the art of combining 

 grains so as to form a suitable food for horses is not of 

 very special use in England, where oats, beans, and ha}- 

 are the staple forage, still it is of great importance to 

 those who may have to travel in foreign lands, where, 

 singly, none of the indigenous grains may form an 

 appropriate food, although a judicious mixture, of two 

 or more of them would make an excellent article of 

 diet. I have treated this subject fully in my work on 

 "Training and Horse Management in India." 



I got up at daybreak on my first morning in Cachar 

 and strolled on to the racecourse, where I saw our 

 adjutant, Captain Goodridge, and Mr. Daly, a police 

 officer, giving a couple of 12-hand ponies their gallops — 

 if the tardy pace at which these diminutive animals 

 progressed might be so designated. As the annual 

 racc-mceting was to come off in about two months' time, 

 these erentlemen were much interested in the condition 

 of their ponies, and eagerly asked my opinion and 



