124 TRAINING. 



have more or less flesh on him, according to circum- 

 stances. 



Presuming, then, that he has been enjoying the 

 cool pendal, devoid of heavy jhools ; that his feet are 

 well open at the heels ; that he is to escape the anti- 

 quated and prejudicial drastic purgative balls, now 

 that he is in good condition, and that you have full 

 three months before the races, commence with one 

 mild drench of physic the high feeding, and strong 

 exercise, about to be pursued, render this indispen- 

 sably requisite, as a safeguard against the numerous 

 little ailings that are so apt to arise and cause an over- 

 throw. In accordance, therefore, with the universally 

 adopted precept, that " no horse can run without 

 physic," give the aloes and Epsom salts, &c. ;* and if 

 he belongs to any of the first enumerated class, un- 

 der " DIFFERENCE OF FORM," he should not purge more 

 than six or seven times, and he must have nothing 

 but walking exercise for the first three days after the 

 physic has set. That over, proceed to the daily can- 

 ters ; and though he has been in strong exercise be- 

 fore, commence with only a mile and a half : in a 

 week increase it to two miles ; in a fortnight to three, 

 and then quicken the canter, with due regard to the 

 state of his body, &c., never urging him beyond a 

 hand gallop during the first month ; and during the 

 whole time of training he is never to be pressed to 

 his full speed, excepting at the trials ; but the pace 

 is always to go on so gradually increasing, without 

 any irregularity in the distance, that his powers may 

 be arriving at their highest pitch by the commence- 

 ment of the last fortnight. If you are training for a 



* See " PHYSICKING." 



