EVERY MAN IITS OWN TRAINER. 123 



is the case keep him in those shoes as long as it is safe to use 

 them without breaking. In putting on a new shoe add two 

 ounces, as follows : If it is worn away to twelve ounces make 

 the new shoe fourteen. The new shoe feels different, conse- 

 quently it is well to add the extra weight. If you have an 

 engagement in the near future in a race have your black- 

 smith file off the toe of the shoe similar to the old one, as I 

 have seen many a race lost by changing shoes a day or two 

 prior. 



I said heretofore that a shoe wears away more on some 

 soils than others, consequently you should watch your shoes 

 so as not to be caught. Some tracks will wear a shoe more in 

 one week than in six on others. I will cite a case of my own 

 where I nearly dropped my bundle with King Almont in a 

 race at Boston by his shoes wearing out so much faster than I 

 had any idea they could. I had him shod just a week to a 

 day before his race, with a pound shoe, which he always wore. 

 The iron was very soft, which was the cause of it. I started 

 him in the race and knew he was in good condition. He was 

 neither short of work or over-worked and I thought he ought 

 to win easy. He was a big favorite — $100 to $40 — and I had 

 put on $()50 on him at that odds. When I came to start he 

 seemed to be unbalanced and broke, did not act like himself, 

 and it unbalanced me to find out what was the matter, for I 

 got beat two heats that I tried to win in about 2:26. I knew 

 he was able to trot in 2:22 or 2:23. Then I commenced to 

 look matters over thoroughly. My friend Ager came hurry- 

 ing up to the stable to know what was the matter, as he was 

 in with my play in the pool box. We had about made up 

 our minds our money was gone. I finally went to my horse 

 and picked up his foot and to my surprise his shoes were worn 

 down almost as thin as a case-knife. My feelings were imme- 

 diately relieved as I could then see what the trouble was. I 

 added three ounces to his toe weight and he went off and 

 won the next heat in 2:24 very easy, and the next two in 

 about the same time. The next day when 1 changed his 



