EVERY MAN HIS OWN TRAINER. I23 . 



is the case keep him in those shoes as long as it is safe to use 

 them without breaking. In putting on a new shoe add two 

 ounces, as follows : If it is worn away to twelve ounces make 

 the new shoe fourteen. The new shoe feels different, conse- 

 quently it is well to add the extra weight. If you have an 

 engagement in the near future in a race have your black- 

 smith file off the toe of the shoe similar to the old one, as I 

 have seen many a race lost by changing shoes a day or two 

 prior. 



I said heretofore that a shoe wears away more on some 

 soils than others, consequently you should watch your shoes 

 so as not to be caught. Some tracks will wear a shoe more in 

 one week than in six on others. I will cite a case of my own 

 where I nearly dropped my bundle with King Almont in a 

 race at Boston by his shoes wearing out so much faster than I 

 had any idea they could. I had' him shod just a week to a 

 day before his race, with a pound shoe, which he always wore. 

 The iron was very soft, which was the cause of it. I started 

 him in the race and knew he was in good condition. He was. 

 neither short of work or over-worked and I thought he ought 

 to win easy. He w.as a big favorite — $100 to $40 — and I had 

 put on $650 onhim^at that odds. When I came to start he 

 seemed to be unbalanced and broke, did not act like himself, 

 and it unbalanced me to find out what was the matter, for I 

 got beat two heats that I tried to win in about 2:26. I knew 

 he was able to trot in 2:22 or 2:23. Then I commenced to 

 look matters over thoroughly. My friend Ager came hurry- 

 ing up to the stable to know what was the matter, as he was 

 in with- my play in the pool box. We had about made up 

 our minds our money was gone. I finally went to my horse 

 and picked up his foot and to my surprise his shoes were worn 

 down almost as thin as a case-knife. My feelings were imme- 

 diately relieved as I could then see what the trouble was. I 

 added three ounces to his toe weight and he went off and 

 won the next lieaf in 2:24 very easy, and the next two in 

 about the same time. The next day when I changed his 



