EVERY MAN HIS OWN TRAINER. 163 



a let-up occasionally to freshen him, and be sure to stop if 

 you see that the colt is not at himself and is not improving. 

 When he is about two years old you will shoe him. If he is 

 a pure, good-gaited colt he will need from 8 to 10 ounce 

 shoes in front and from 4 to 5 behind. Of course as he gets 

 age and strength his work will increase, but the brush should 

 never be greatly lengthened. For an aged horse, the brush 

 work should not exceed a quarter of a mile, and you will 

 seldom need to keep the horse " on his toes " for that dis- 

 tance. Always leave a link to call for. Keep the colt or 

 horse fresh and eager, so that he will take the work willingly, 

 not as a task, and go on his nerve and courage, not have to 

 be forced along. When your horse gets stale and track sick 

 you have overdone it, and may as well make up your mind 

 that you have taken a long slide down hill, and will have to 

 go back and make up the lost ground as slowly as before. 

 Remember that the short brush makes speed, and SPEED is 

 t\\e first essential. After you have your three-year-old going 

 quarters in 35 seconds — if that is fast enough to suit you — 

 you can condition him for mile and repeat performances. 

 You may have him keyed up as hard as nails, but if your 

 competitor can go a quarter in 35 seconds, and you can go in 

 37, he will beat you all the way, and do it easily while you 

 are struggling and straining. He will be fresh after your colt 

 is dead tired, and no matter how game your colt is, the other 

 one will have him a beaten horse before you know it, simply 

 because he can do with ease what you cannot do with your 

 utmost effort. When you have developed whatever measure 

 of speed you believe suf^cient to win your race, you can fit 

 the colt for the race as Sunol was fitted, but remember j^// 

 must first have the speed. Gameness and condition and all 

 that won't prevail against a competitor who can throw dust 

 in your eyes without half trying. 



This brings us to Sunol — and then we are done. Sunol 

 is a finely shaped bay mare, of the most racy form, sixteen 

 hands high at the rump and fifteen-two at the wither. She is 



