TRAINING FOR SPEED. 239 



Never, in training, take a colt, foaming with sweat, to his 

 stall, but cool out in walking. 



Experienced trainers, Marvin included, prefer a skeleton 

 wagon to a cart or sulky for jogging young trotters. 



Our greatest and fastest trotters never reach their best 

 speed until they have undergone a good deal of handling and 

 training. 



Always have a light but firm hold on the reins. In all his 

 work the colt should be taught to go alone without being 

 pulled hard. His mouth may be spoiled for life by allowing 

 him to tug on the bit now, and he is not as likely to make a 

 fast trotter if he is allowed to have his weight upon the driver's 

 arms. 



"While there have been fast trotters and stayers that were 

 hard pullers, there is no doubt they would have been better 

 horses but for that fact ; still it will be remembered when going 

 fast the horse or colt will often require to feel the bit quite 

 sensibly, and that he cannot do his best without it ; and the 

 driver should support him in his fast work with as little pull as 

 possible. 



The horse with a good mouth will always feel the driver's 

 hand, and if the driver thoroughly understands his business of 

 handling a first-rate fast trotter he can play upon the reins 

 equal to a harper upon the strings of his instrument, and the 

 horse will answer every touch with the music of his feet. 



The producing and the maintaining of a good mouth on 

 the trotting horse is of the utmost importance and one of the 

 most essential points in his education. 



When pulling has become a vice and his mouth has become 

 so calloused that he pulls a sulky and driver along by the reins 

 instead of by the traces, he loses a great deal of the power 

 needed when the struggle for supremacy in the race comes. 



It must not be forgotten, however, that a great many trot- 

 ting horses must be pulled considerably to enable them to do 

 their best. 



When this is the case it is useless to expect to remedy the 



