94 ESSAYS ON HORSE SUBJECTS 



patient can stand exercise. Sometimes a couple 

 of days after the temperature has become normal 

 and the appetite is regained in a measure, the 

 patient shows strength enough in movement to 

 justify one in concluding that he can stand a 

 short walk. He may be only able to stand a few 

 minutes' or he may be able to stand ten minutes' 

 gentle leading, but usually each succeeding day 

 it will be found he can stand a little more. If he 

 can stand ten minutes a day, it is better, if possi- 

 ble, to divide it into two periods of five minutes 

 each. In my opinion this applies to all exercise, 

 whether that given during convalescence or con- 

 ditioning for market, for the show ring, or for 

 the race track. Exercise rouses the circulation, 

 and in fact all the activities of the organism, with 

 beneficial results. 



Much better results can be attained by stimu- 

 lating the functional activity of all the organs of 

 the body twice in the twenty-four hours, than 

 once. The period of convalescence is very much 

 shortened by pursuing this plan, and the horse 

 can be put to work much sooner, and with less 

 danger of relapse. Those in charge of horses 

 will often keep a convalescent one in a box stall 

 until he gets full of life, then hitch him up. He 

 will be for a few minutes full of vim and go, but 

 will soon begin to sweat from the too violent ex- 

 ertion he gives himself. Violent exertion abrupt- 



