184 TRAINING IN INDIA 



The longer distance a horse has to go, the finer should 

 he be drawn. 



As a rule, do not have a less interval than ten days 

 between each sweat. Earely sweat later than ten days 

 before a race, for a horse should have just enough time 

 before running to be eased off, so as to get a little " above 

 himself; " sufficient, in fact, to allow his nerves to regain 

 their tone. 



A horse should never scrape quite clean and watery 

 sooner than the last ten days of his final preparation, for 

 if he does so, he is almost certain to become stale. 



Assuming that a horse in training continues in good 

 health and spirits, with his legs cool and fine, that he is 

 never off his feed, and that his dung is in good order, we 

 may safely be guided by the way he scrapes, after his 

 morning gallop, in judging of the manner in which his 

 condition is progressing, and whether he requires a sweat, 

 or more or less work, so that his sweat may be gradually 

 reduced down to the desired consistency. When a horse 

 is gross, his sweat is thick and greasy to touch ; but when 

 he is in perfect condition, it is generally scanty, comes off 

 as clear as water, and dries almost as soon as the scrapers 

 have passed over the surface of the skin. He will then 

 have the smallest amount of fat in his system compatible 

 with his nerves remaining for hut a very few days in good 

 order. Of course he should be wound up to this concert 

 pitch only just before his race. I am here taking for 

 granted that the animal is of the sort which bears being 

 drawn fine. 



When a horse, after slight exertion, breaks out into a 

 watery and copious sweat and dries slowly, we may be 



