78 PREPARATION. 
be roarers, and been the fatal forerunner of other diseases. 
This practice was the undoubted cause of E/cho’s death whilst 
under the skilful treatment of the late Prof. Spooner, of the 
Royal Veterinary College, for an enlarged hock. 
I have already referred to Mr. John Lawrence’s book, “ The 
History of the Horse,” published in 1809, and may submit 
from it certain extracts showing the preparation at that time 
thought requisite to get a horse fit to run. He confirms what 
I have said of its severity, the six-mile sweats twice a week, 
which now, where not happily abolished altogether, are 
reduced to four miles, and once a week. “The horse,” Mr. 
Lawrence remarks, for one thing, “‘was purged too much, and 
shut up from the light of the sun as if it would endanger his 
eyesight, and kept in the atmosphere of a hot-house as if in 
training for the climate of Africa, or a hotter place.” We 
happily, to-day, give more, both of light and air, but perhaps 
few of us to the required extent ; though the difference must 
be very marked, even as it is. Even in bridles there is a great 
change now to those in vogue some forty years ago. The 
majority of boys had then to assist them in managing horses, 
otherwise uncontrollable, martingale-drawing-reins and saddle- 
drawing reins. Now such things are scarcely known even 
by name, and never used. Again, curb-bridles, once con- 
stantly used at exercise, and often in the race itself, are 
seldom seen in our days either in the one place or the other; 
though I prefer their use to martingales, so much in request 
just now. 
Sir Charles Bunbury’s method of training, we are told, 
consisted in gentle usage and little work. Noone that knows 
anything of training, I think, would disagree with the former, 
or approve of the latter system. Nor do I agree in thinking, 
as some do, that by walking many hours a day a horse may be 
