AND TRAINING OF TIIE ENGLISH RACE HORSE. 229 
the whole of the dose at once, mixing therein a very large portion of 
aloes, for the reason and under the impression which I have already 
pointed out. Now the common method of preparing the horse, and giving 
the physic, would be very proper to one which may be easily purged, and 
which required but a moderate portion of aloes to produce the elfect. 
Hut to administer physic sufficiently powerful to operate on a horse in 
training, prepared in this way, and which horse it may be difficult to 
purge, is rather a dangerous experiment. Nor is it done but by those 
grooms who are not acquainted with the advantages to be derived, either 
by giving the physic, or by preparing the horse differently. If the horse 
be prepared, and the physic be given in the way I shall by and by have 
occasion to explain, a less quantity of aloes than is usually given will 
purge a strong horse sufficiently well, and less danger will thereby be in¬ 
curred. 
“ Another course of treatment which has at times occasioned the death 
of a horse by physic, is, when a groom has given a dose which may have 
remained in the bowels of a horse for a couple or perhaps even three days, 
without producing any effect whatever (and this is not at all an extra¬ 
ordinary occurrence): the groom considers from the period which has 
elapsed, and the physic not having worked, that it was much too weak, 
and finding that it has not operated on the third day, he gives another 
dose, with an additional portion of aloes in it; and I have known it 
happen, that in the course of an hour or tw o after the second dose has been 
given, the first lias begun to operate ; the consequence of which has been, 
the effect of the second dose has been to continue the operation of purging 
until the horse has died.” 
Seven or eight days should be allowed to elapse before a second 
dose is given. 
Mr. I). remarks with much truth, that the presence of food 
in the bowels “ not only retards the operation of the me¬ 
dicine, but is very often the cause of its not producing any 
effect whatever.” It has now long been our own practice to keep 
horses under preparation for physic without any rack-meat over 
night: we double their allowance of bran-mash, but give no hay 
at all until after the purge has been some hours administered. 
But let us hear Mr. D. himself on this part of the subject. 
“ On the day previous to giving them their physic, it is necessary, with 
a view, in some measure, to relax their bowels, that they should be kept 
during the day on mashes, with a small quantity of hay; and at night they 
should be sparingly fed with it. Let them have half of their usual quan¬ 
tity: some would be much better w ithout any bay ; and sucli of them as are 
much inclined to eat their bedding, should have their setting muzzles put 
on them. On the following morning, each horse should have a double¬ 
handful of mash given him ; and after each has eaten this portion, they 
should be got ready and taken out to walking exercise, for a couple or 
three hours. By taking these precautions,—preparing them with a mash 
or two the evening before, and keeping them over night short, of hay, 
—the next morning, while at exercise, they empty themselves, and their 
bowels become relaxed ; and when they return to the stables, their physic 
should be immediately given them ; and the following morning, it is more 
than probable, the whole of them will be found to purge in due time, with 
a less quantity of aloes than was generally given to such horses. The 
