SHOEING COLTS. 77 



four weeks of the repeat work at the brush sys- 

 tem they can then be given two repeats every 

 other day. Start them at 2:50 and drop them 

 down three or four seconds a week, letting them 

 step the last eighth within themselves, but up 

 close to their speed limit. Gradually increase the 

 brush at the finish of the miles until they can step 

 the last quarter fast, then, later on, increase the 

 fast brush to a half mile and so on, in the same 

 manner as you would prepare an old horse for a 

 race. I think colts should be worked some every 

 other day, or three times a week, but after they 

 can brush a fast quarter or half, the fast work 

 should be limited to about once a week, going 

 the other two workouts of that week say in 2 40 

 and 2:35 ^3i'^^ day, letting them step the last part 

 of the last heat up near the limit. When you 

 get your colt to within a month of a race he should 

 have three heats, once each week, letting" him step 

 the last one within five seconds of when you 

 think he will have to go, provided he can do it well 

 within himself." 



W. H. Smollinger writes : "It seems to me that 

 the trainers should be able to give more practical 

 information than those who, like myself, can only 

 speak from the experience gained by observation. 

 And yet, taking into ■ consideration that you can 

 count, almost on the fingers of one hand, the 

 trainers that have been successful with colts, and 

 that their methods are as many and varied as the 



