THE RACE HORSE.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 4, Issue 220, 6 December 1860, Page 4

THE RACE HORSE.

EXERCISE AND FOOD. Thirty-years ago trainers always took out their horses to exercise twice a day from March to October, both months inclusive; in the middle of summer they were out at sunrise, when the dew was on the ground, their work was finished and stable done up by seven o’clock. They weie again walked out at five or six o’clock p.m., according to the heat of the weather, whilst the stables were cooled and ventilated before the horses were settled for the night. Our modem trainers are out on a summer morning at six or seven o’clock, and remain out till nine or ten o’clock, generally about the hottest part of the day, and the horses rarely are taken out again in the cool of the evening. All this is utter violation of common sense.

The y/merican trainers wisely adhere to the old practice; but they astonish our natives by exposing their horses stripped in the middle of the winter for seven or eight hours during a period of four weeks to harden their constitutions and, as far as we can judge from the running of Mr. Ten Broeck’s horses last spring, the system is not detrimental to them. This last trying winter the only horse in the stable which was not so exposed was Umpire. He alone has suffered from a cough; and I believe his exemption from the ordeal of exposure was owing to the solicitations of English prejudices. In English stables there is an old and foolish habit of restricting the horse to two drinks of water in twenty-four hours —a pailful when they return from, exercise and another pailful when they are made up for the night. If they had constant access to water they would uot overload their stomachs at stated intervals to the detriment. of their wind, The American trainer, with better judgment, allows his horse to drink water eight or ten times in the day in small, quantities. Then with respect to food, the Americans give their horses undergoing the last preparation maize of the best quality mixed with the oats. Our trainers said, “ I want nothing for my horses but good oats and hay ” /dorses are' like . ourselves—they enjoy a variety ; and when they are in strong work, pounded maize, split white peas and beans, and Th or ley’s patent food may be introduced with great advantage; for a delicate horse steamed barley; bruised oats add fifteen per cent, to the nourishment of a horse with a weak indigestion. Wise men never throw away a chance. —Admiral Rous in Rally's Magazine of Sports and Pastimes,