154 TRAINING IN INDIA 



level ground; the reason being that both find the action 

 a novel one to their muscles. 



We may safely conclude that a horse should very 

 rarely be fully '' extended " over a distance equal to that 

 of the race for which he is being trained, and only then 

 towards the latter end of his preparation. " Getting the 

 distance into them " is too often synonymous with " taking 

 the speed and life out of them." 



Eepeated fast work, for comparatively short distances, 

 with intervals of rest between, will be found to be 

 accompanied by less risk of accident, and less danger of 

 making a horse slow, than long fast gallops. 



Fast work is not alone requisite for preserving and 

 improving the speed of the limbs ; but is equally essential 

 for bringing the respiratory muscles into such a condition 

 that they can maintain their action under high pressure. 

 We may rest assured that if a horse be thoroughly fit and 

 well, has had lots of work, and has had his speed developed 

 and his wind made clear by plenty of short spins, with a 

 few fast gallops for nearly the length of the race for which 

 he is going to run, he will, in nineteen cases out of twenty, 

 stay the distance, unless, indeed, it be beyond that of 

 which he is naturally capable. 



From the foregoing remarks we may see that in order 

 to bring a horse " fit to the post " we must give him a 

 large amount of exercise, which should not be at a long, 

 slow gallop. Hence, the exercise which we are unable to 

 give at a fast pace, should be at one which will be as 

 little prejudicial to his speed as possible, such as the walk, 

 trot, and canter, which are totally different in their action 

 to the gallop. 



