GENERAL RULES FOR WORK DURING TRAINING 185 



pretty certain that he does so through weakness, and that 

 he is in a most unfit state in which to continue training. 

 In fact, what such an animal would require would, as a 

 rule, be a few linseed and bran mashes, some green food, 

 and several days' rest. 



Many excitable horses, when in perfect condition, will 

 break out into a profuse sweat if brought on to a race- course. 

 This should not be confounded with sweating from weakness 

 or grossness. 



The great thing to avoid is getting a horse fit too soon. 

 Condition is only relative, for a horse may be in perfect 

 training, although showing little muscle. "What we want, 

 however, is quantity as well as quality of muscle, with 

 clean " pipes " and the " faculty of going " thoroughly 

 developed. This desired state can only be obtained by 

 work, which cannot be continued, if the horse be prema- 

 turely brought too fine, for the consequent strain on his 

 nervous system will be more than it can bear, and he will 

 consequently soon become stale. 



I think experience will bear me out in saying that 

 country-breds, during training, can very rarely stand being 

 galloped oftener than every second day. They should also 

 be run '* bigger " than any other class. 



Horses differ so much in the way they stand work that 

 it is impossible to lay do^vn fixed rules on this subject. 

 A writer on training can only give illustrative work and 

 general rules, just as a whist authority may point out the 

 proper leads and how to play certain hands. In both 

 cases the inferences to be drawn and lessons to be learned 

 will be only for general application. 



In the following pages I shall consider the training of 



