The race horse : how to buy, train, and run him

Abstract

"Introduction.........i

CHAPTER I. PROCURING THE YEARLING. Good judgment in buying rare—Rules for buyers—Prejudice against certain breeds to be discarded—Buy on shape and action, and with regard to the object in view—Quali- ties and soundness of sire and dam to be considered— Roarers and soft breeds to be avoided—The points of a yearling—Head and neck—Forehead—Barrel—Hind- quarters—Colour—Action, both walking and in the paddock—Condition—Examples of a successful applica- tion of rules.........11 CHAPTER II. STABLING. Importance of stabling—Shoula be close to training-ground— Dry, with southern aspect—Well ventilated, lighted, and floored—Kinds of flooring—Admiral Rous on stabling— General description — Drainage — Stalls and boxes — Fittings— Temperature—Water and tanks—Straw and hay barn—Verandahs—Winnowing, chaff-cutting, and slicing macnines — Paddock—Forge—Accommodation for attendants—Importance of details .... 30 CHAPTER III. FOOD. Importance of using the best—Improvement due to food— Qualities of food—Baron Liebig.—Formation of blood and muscular fibre—Nutritive value of oats and hay— Good and bad oats—Description of good oats— Kiln-dried oats — Chaff-crushed oats — Carrots, beans, parsnips, turnips—Green stuff—Indian corn—Effect of good and inferior food on horses—Linseed and its uses ... 44 CHAPTER IV. WATER. Importance of water—Mineral water—Effect of lime-water— Mr. Hinds, V.S., on water—Chalk used in water—Rain or river water the best— Change of water affects horses— Proper temperature........57 CHAPTER V. CLOTHING AND HORSE GEAR. Uses of clothing—Horses must be kept warm—Summer and winter clothing—Clothing should fit—-""Roller unnecessary —Boots are indispensable—Best kind—Knee caps—Fet- ters—Halters—Muzzles—Reins, leading, common, run- ning, and gag-reins, and their uses—Bits—Saddles— Saddlecloths—Cruppers—Breastplates and martingales —Surcingles—Bandages—Blinkers—Brushes, rubbers, combs, sponges, burnishers, chamois, etc.—Forks, dung- baskets, brooms, buckets.......61 CHAPTER VI. SHOEING. Importance of care with horses' feet—A good hoof denotes health—Vicious practices of smiths—A practical know- ledge of the foot necessary—Descriptions of a good foot —The sole—Effects of pressure on sole and frog—Darvill on shoeing—Shoes should be light and short—Forging— French and Italians foremost in shoeing—Blundeville in 1580—Nails, and driving them—Conclusions arrived at— Darvill on plating—Time to plate—The Charlier shoe— Advantages and disadvantages—American and English shoeing..........72 CHAPTER VII. STABLE MANAGEMENT. Good stable management is essential—Must be systematized —Best food to be given—Cleanliness—Ventilation—Stables kept cool—A cool stable a healthy one—Effect on roarers—Importance of fresh air to young horses—Kind and firm treatment—Physic—Dressing the racehorse— Quiet and vicious horses—Grooms not to lose their temper—Stables opened at sunrise—Instructions as to procedure—Exercise—Morning and afternoon amuse- ment for lads—Hours for training—Cost of training— Bandages, hot and cold—Stopping horses' feet—Clay— Experience in the West Indies—The object of grooming —Manes and tails—Eating litter—Best litter—Wheat straw—Other kinds—Change of air—Filing teeth—Value of change of air........89 CHAPTER VIII. PHYSIC. A necessary evil—Nature supplies the best physic—Uses of physic—Effects—Staleness—Plethora—Barbadoes aloes —A ball—Hovv to make and give it—Preparations for physic—Delicate horses—Good-constitutioned horres— Effect of food on physic — Treatment after physic —Gross horses in physic—Benefit derived by stale horses—Horses showgood form after physic—Dangerous except in competent hands—Physic after an injury— Objects attained—Course of procedure—Return toactive work...........in CHAPTER IX. LADS AND RIDING. Town lads make the best riders—Apprenticeship: its advan- tages and disadvantages—Horses should be ridden by light weights—Qualities required in lads—Good riders invaluable—Lads should be taught ab initio—How to teach the'm—The horse's mouth—The whip—Good hands—Effect of a secure and insecure seat—Powerful bits should not be used—Means of controlling horses— The common martingale, running martingale, and gag- rein—Their uses described—Lazy horses—Hustling— Knowledge of pace—Gentlemen riders—Value of time in learning pace—Higher qualification of riders—Riding races—Faults of jockeys—Flogging—Admiral Rous on jockeys — Scrambling —; Waiting races — Examples — Galopin and Lowlander—Lowlander and Hesper— Sharp turns—Starting—Fred • Archer—Short distance riding—The best trainers turn out the best jockeys—Riding two-year-olds —Rous on whip and spur—Tired horses—Pace of the racehorse a mile a minute— Advan- tages of waiting—Jockeys should assist the starter—Not lodge unnecef sary objections, and be honest and sober . CHAPTER X. BREAKING AND TRAINING OF YEARLINGS. Early training condemned—Time for breaking—Should be done carefully—Effects of bad breaking never obliterated —How to break yearlings—Boots always used—Riding yearlings—Leading yearlings—The proper kind of work —Yearlings to be classed in lots for exercise—Pro- gress should be gradual—Force should never be used— Keen intelligence of horses—Asheton Smith on horses and dogs—Backward colts—Teaching colts to race CHAPTER XI. . TRIALS. Object of trying yearlings—Trying two-year-olds—Time trials not reliable—Advantages and disadvantages of the time test—How yearlings should be tried—Weights to be adjusted—Backward colts—Failures to be got rid of— Two-year-old trials—The class of two-year-olds vary greatly in different years—\%£>i and 1880 compared— Consistent running of two-year-olds—Trials of older horses—A trial should be similar in conditions to a race —Good trials—Trials of no use unless the horse is fit, or over similar ground—Timing trials ..... CHAPTER XII. TRAINING GROUNDS AND COURSES. Superiority of English training grounds—The Down country —American tracks artificially constructed of earth, gene- rally flat, monotonous, and cramped—Produce in America an evil effect on the racehorse—Undulating courses tend to produce the best shape and qualities—The Derby course . . .......... CHAPTER XIII. REMARKS ON TRAINING. Paces of the horse—Their uses in training—Staying means wind—Stayers narrow and deep chested—"" Stonèhenge ""on chest formation—Mr. Ten Broeck's horses in England —Horses of to-day stay as well as their ancestors— Prioress, Saunterer, Fisherman, O rmonde—Longdistance racing injurious to horses—Light and small horses stay better than heavy and large ones—Teddington, Stock- well, Hampton—Delicate horses—Overwork a besetting sin—Horses run best when big—Training of to-day differs from the methods of seventy years ago—Require- ments for short racing—Three kinds of horses—Winter training the foundation of future success—Backwardness and its causes— Treatment of horses during the winter— Winter stable hours—Exercise-—A straw ride—Idleness deprecated—Horses should be fit to run on ist May at any distance—Early and late racing profitable—Horses should love their food and work—Clothing in winter— Herbert Spencer on the effects of cold—It stops horses' growth—Delicate horses—Good feeders—Gross horses— Outward signs of condition—Evidence of internal fitness —Treatment before a race—Two-year-qlds in the winter —Their improvement—Last preparation—They run truly—Require plenty of rest—Clothing in training— Admiral Rous on clothing—Learning to start—Putting to rights—Physic—Horse's capacity in mud should be ascertained—What makes a horse go well in mud— Examples—Too much fast work undesirable—Afternoon exercise—Weight of riders to be ascertained—Variation in stable hours—Spring handicaps—Staying and speed do not always increase with age—Gradual preparation important—Leading work—Hurried preparation CHAPTER XIV. ENTERING HORSES AND OTHER MATTERS. Increased value of stakes—Copious entries versus betting— Lord Falmouth's forfeits—Puiling horses—A bad policy —Honesty the best policy—Pulling less common than it is believed to be—The immorality of pulling is purely con- ventional—Turf as compared with commercial morality —Touting........"" . CHAPTER XV. STARTING. Importance of starting in short races—Tricks of jockeys—No whip should be used in starting—Horses should be started on the move and not from rest—Walking, the reverse way—The flags and their uses—The starter's decision should be final . . . . .

CHAPTER XVI. JUDGING. A single judge should be employed, highly paid and trusted —Judge Clarke — Few mistakes made — Blunders of American judges—Instantaneous photography for judging finishes.......... CHAPTER XVII. ACCIDENTS AND DISEASES. Trainers should be capable of diagnosing and treating them— Principal inquiries—Strains—Of the back sinew—Treat- ment—Blistering and firing—Their uses and effects— Absolute rest required — Anecdote — Shin soreness — Splint—Strain of the knee—Of the shoulder—Of the pastern—Of the coffin joint—Accident in New Zealand— Strain of the hip joint—Of the stifle—Of back and loins —Of the hoek—Of strains in general—Ringbone and Sidebone—Navicular disease—Acute laminitis—Chronic laminitis—Dainty Ariel in New Zealand—Bone spavin— Bog spavin —Thoroughpin —Windgalls — External in- juries to joints—Sandcrack—False quarter—Thrush— Corns—Worms—Roaring— Causes—Is hereditary—Cold —Imperfect definitions of—lts true nature—Mistaken ideas as to cold—Benjamin Franklin on cold—Catarrh— Influenza or distemper—Bronchitis—Chronic cough— Acute laryngitis—Chronic laryngitis—Strangles—Pneu- monia—Congestion of the lungs—Tetanus—Spasmodic colic—Flatulent colic—Enteritis and Peritonitis—Crib- bing........... "