DANGER OF EXCESSIVE WORK WHEN UNFIT. 83 
circumscribed limits of a straw bed, I know not: probably 
both have their influence. The result, however, is a fact 
there is no denying; for unfortunately there have been 
too many proofs, one of which should be sufficient to rout 
a thousand speculative theories to the contrary. 
On the first day on which the horses leave the straw bed 
for the downs, they should have an hour's exercise in the 
former before leaving for their canter. This quiets them, 
and helps to keep the boys on their backs ; for if taken from 
the stable direct to the exercise downs, many would get 
loose, and probably hurt themselves by galloping too far, 
or by some accident. Sometimes after a week’s gentle work 
the legs will fill. In this case they should have a dose 
of physic, and indeed any that are very big should have 
some before doing more work. 
When trained for short courses, the amount of work is 
very much the same as that recommended for two-year-olds ; 
but for longer courses more time and longer gallops would 
be required to complete the preparation. After the usual 
amount of walking and trotting exercise, as previously 
described, they must first gallop a mile, gradually increasing 
the distance to the required length, whether it be two, three, 
or four miles. It would be the excess of folly to say how 
often they should do this, or how fast; as this would entirely 
depend on the individual horse’s condition at the commence- 
ment of training, and his constitution. Nor should the state 
of the ground be totally ignored. All these things can only 
be ascertained by experience and personal inspection, and 
unremitting observation of the progress made from day to 
day. On broad principles only we can say the animal should 
be made to go steadily a short course for a week or two, till 
his condition enables him with ease to go faster; then the 
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