CONCLUSION. 147 



bottle) of sherry or port ; or a wine-glass and a half 

 of brandy, mixed with two wine-glasses and a half 

 of water, or the same quantity of gin and water, are 

 the proper allowance. Choose from these four ac- 

 cording to your fancy ; but take care to give it fifteen 

 minutes before starting. There is always half an 

 hour between heats, so he will have a quarter of an 

 hour's breathing-time to be rubbed down in, before 

 swallowing it. Give it two or three minutes earlier 

 in preference to two or three minutes later ; this is of 

 consequence, in order to have the desired effect ; but 

 do not half stifle him with " blue ruin" the instant 

 the heat is over, or he will be flying under, instead 

 of over, the turf. 



If, after a hard-contested race your horse's powers 

 should have been over-strained and his strength ex- 

 hausted, rub him quickly dry, put the jhool on, and 

 lead him under a tree, or to a cool, shady spot ; then 

 give four drachms of carbonate of ammonia, powder- 

 ed, and made into a ball with water and linseed-meal ; 

 after which, handrub the legs well, give a little water 

 to drink, and a cold bran mash. Lastly, lead him 

 into a cool, open stable, and leave him in a loose stall, 

 with a large bed under him. Look in an hour or so 

 afterwards, and if the distress should still appear to 

 be great, the breathing quick, the flank tucked up, 

 and the eye red, take away from three to four quarts 

 of blood, and leave him again to himself for twelve 

 hours. 



The racer cannot be kept in that excited state at 

 the top of his condition for any length of time : " At 

 the top of condition, on the brink of disease." 

 And if he has to run at other races five or six weeks 



