04 PREPARATION. 
the ground was whilst the horse was with my father. For he 
won directly afterwards, and whilst in the same condition as 
on leaving Danebury, for it rained heavily in the short 
interval before the improvement was shown. On the other 
hand, the benefit of his system was exhibited in the improve- 
ment of Azry, Pounce, and many other horses. In no single 
instance, however, can I call to mind that any horse was 
made better in the hands of the great Whitewall trainer, who 
always professed he adopted the same method of preparation. 
And if he could not show the superiority of big condition 
over light, I may ask who can? For no one ever had more 
chances. 
I have no faith in a fat racehorse or a burly pedestrian, and 
nothing will, without proof, lead me to think otherwise than 
that both are gigantic mistakes.1 I know my theory and 
1 Man, as a pedestrian, has to undergo great stretches of endurance, his treat- 
ment being analogous in many respects to that of the horse, as I have described it. 
? 
Briefly epitomised, it is thus given by the author of ‘‘ Aberdeen: ?— 
“After taking physic twice he commences his training ; walks and runs about 
twenty miles a day. He rises at 5 A.M., runs half a mile at the top of his speed, 
uphill, walks six miles at a moderate pace, and at 7 breakfast ; walks six miles 
after at a moderate pace, and at 12 lies in bed for half an hour. Then he walks 
four miles and returns to dinner, immediately after which he runs half a mile at 
the top of his speed, winding up with another six miles walking exercise before 
returning home. Thus prepared for three or four weeks he takes a four-mile 
sweat, running in flannel at the top of his speed the first thing in the morning, 
proceeding with his usual work after. Added to which he amuses himself by 
playing at cricket and similar games.” 
If the violent exercise taken aftet a heavy meal and the excessive speed of his 
sweats be excepted, the method of his preparation to render him fit to run is pretty 
much the same as that of the horse, and where it differs I cannot agree with it, 
The book further says :— 
“It is as difficult to run a mile at the top of one’s speed as to walk a hundred: 
and he is fit, if he can do the first well, to accomplish the latter.’ Moreover, 
it says: ‘‘It takes some months to complete. Crib weighed 16st. at the com- 
mencement of his preparation, and lost, in five weeks, two stone, being further 
reduced to 13st. 5lbs., having had three sweats in the last month, and walked 
and run thirty miles a day, besides exercising himself in other ways,” 
Poor Crib, I think, from such severe work, could have been little more than a 
