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EX        IBRIS 


&.  Botoning  jf  ullerton 


. 


TKAINING  AND  HOUSE  MANAGEMENT 

IN    INDIA. 


BY  THE  SAME  AUTHOR. 


VETERINARY  NOTES  FOR  fiORSE  OWNERS. 

Fourth  Edition.     Illustrated.     Crown  Svo,  12s.  6d. 

•'  We  do  not  think  that  horse  owners  in  general  are  likely  to  find  a  more 
reliable  book  for  guidance  in  an  emergency."— THE  FIELD. 


RIDING :  ON  THE  FLAT  &  ACROSS  COUNTRY- 

Third  Edition.     Illustrated.     Imperial  16mo,  10s.  GJ. 
"His  instructions  are  simply  invaluable."— THE  TIMES. 


ILLUSTRATED  HORSE   BREAKING. 

Imperial  16mo,  21s. 

"  Far  and  away  the  best  reasoned-out  one  on  breaking  under  a  new 
system  we  have  seen."— THE  FIELD. 


SOUNDNESS  AND  AGE  OF  HORSES. 

Illustrated.     Crown  Svo,  8s.  6d. 
1  The  result  of  much  careful  research."— THE  FIELD. 


INDIAN    RACING    REMINISCENCES. 

Illustrated.     Imperial  IGmo,  8s.  6d. 
1  The  last  page  comes  all  too  soon."— THE  FIELD. 


THE  POINTS  OF  THE  HORSE. 

Illustrated.    4to.     (Nearly  ready.} 


THE  HORSEWOMAN  (Companion  book  to  "  Riding  " ) 
Illustrated.  By  Mrs.  HAYES.    Edited  by  Captain  HAYES.  10s.  6d, 


TEAINING 


AND 


HOBSE  MANAGEMENT 


IN   INDIA. 


WITH  HINDUSTANEE    VOCABULARY  AND   C.   T.  C. 
WEIGHTS  FOR  AGE  AND  CLASS. 


BY 

M.   HOEACE  HAYES,   F.E.C.V.S., 

(Late  Captain  "The  Buffs"} 

AUTHOR  OF  "  RIDING  ON  THE  FLAT   AND  ACROSS  COUNTRY," 

"VETERINARY  NOTES  FOR  HORSE  OWNERS,"  "SOUNDNESS 

AND  AGE  OF  HORSES,"    "ILLUSTRATED  HORSE 

BREAKING,"  "POINTS  OF  THE  HORSE," 

EDITOR  "HORSEWOMAN," 

ETC. 


FIFTH  EDITION    REVISED. 


LONDON  : 

HURST    AND    BLACKETT,   LIMITED, 
13,  GREAT   MARLBORO  UGH   STREET. 


PBEFACE  TO  THE  FIFTH  EDITION. 

I  HAVE  carefully  revised  the  present  edition  and  have 
made  several  additions  and  corrections,  which  were 
suggested  by  the  experience  I  had  gained  during  three 
years'  training  and  horse  dealing  in  Calcutta  and  four 
years'  travelling  through  Egypt,  India,  Ceylon,  China, 
South  Africa  and  other  countries  on  horse  breaking 
expeditions,  since  the  previous  edition  had  appeared. 
The  racing  records,  weights  for  age  and  class,  etc.,  have 
been  brought  up  to  date  as  far  as  possible. 

JUNIOR  ARMY  AND  NAVY  CLUB, 
ST.  JAMES'  STREET,  S.W. 
October  1, 1892. 


651 


PREFACE  TO  THE  FOUETH  EDITION. 

ON  returning  to  England,  after  bringing  out  the 
previous  edition  of  this  work,  I  found  so  much  new 
material  to  add  to  the  chapters  on  Hiding,  Bitting, 
Saddlery,  and  Wasting,  that  I  thought,  instead  of 
unduly  enlarging  the  size  of  the  present  volume,  it 
would  be  better  to  utilise  what  I  had  already  written 
as  the  basis  for  a  systematic  treatise  on  that  subject ; 
the  result  being  Biding :  on  the  Flat  and  Across 
Country. 

In  the  third  edition  of  my  Veterinary  Notes  for 
Horse  Owners,  which  was  published  a  few  months 
ago,  I  have  given  a  chapter  on  Shoeing,  which  I 
treated  as  fully  as  the  scope  of  the  book  would  allow, 
and  have,  accordingly,  limited  my  remarks  on  this 
subject,  here,  to  a  statement  of  the  general  principles 
of  the  art  and  to  the  special  points  requiring  attention 
in  India. 

While  revising  the  present  edition,  I  have  endeavoured 
to  apply  the  information  I  have  obtained,  during  the 
past  five  years,  in  England,  and,  especially,  at  New- 
market, for  the  benefit  of  owners  and  trainers  in  India. 
I  have,  also,  added  a  chapter  on  Teaching  Horses  to 
Jump  and  on  Steeplechase  Courses ;  and  have  rearranged 
the  vocabulary. 

M.  H.  HAYES,  M.E.C.V.S. 

Eous  ROAD,  NEWMAKKET. 

November  1,  1884. 


LIST    OF    CONTENTS. 


PART  I. 
HOKSE  MANAGEMENT. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Stables.  PAGE 

Position  and  construction  of  stables — Picketing  horses — 
Poultry  near  stables — Disinfecting  stables  ...  ...  1—12 

CHAPTER  II. 
Clothing— Bedding— Stable  Gear. 

Clothing  —  Bandages  —  Boots  —  Cloths  —  Bedding  — 
Mangers — Feeding  sheets — Nosebags — Fomenting  buckets 
and  shoes  —  Oat-bruising  machine  —  Articles  used  in 
grooming  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  13—22 

CHAPTER  III. 
Varieties  of  Food. 

Oats — Gruel — Gram — Kiilthee— Urud  —  Moong — Mote — 
Barley — Indian  corn — Wheat — Cakes  —  Bran  —  Linseed — 
Rice — Suttoo— Goor— Carrots  and  other  roots — Grass  and 
hay — Straw  and  chaff — Oat  hay  and  wheat  hay — Kurbee — 
Bamboo  leaves — Lucern — Milk— Stowage  of  grain  ...  23 — 43 


X  LIST    OF    CONTEXTS. 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Sketch  of  the  Theory  of  Food  and  Nutrition.    PAGE 

Composition  of  the  body — Waste  of  tissue — Repair  of 
waste — Analysis  of  forage — Analysis  of  the  ash  of  various 
plants  and  seeds — Nitrogenous  food — Fat,  starch,  and  sugar 
in  food — Heat  supply — Mineral  substances — Husk  of  grain 
— Bulk  in  food — Selection  of  food — Hay  and  grass — Green 
meat — Variety  in  food — Salt — Relations  of  cold,  heat,  and 
clothing  to  food — Mastication  and  digestion — Functions 
performed  by  the  blood— Appetite — Influence  of  an  arti- 
ficial state  of  life— Preparation  of  food  ...  ...  ...  44—68 

CHAPTER  V. 
On  Watering  Horses     ...          ...          ...          ...       69—74 

CHAPTER  VI. 

Practical  Rules  for  Feeding  and  Watering 
Horses  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  75—81 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Grooming  and  Stable  Routine. 

On  the  theory  of  grooming — Washing  the  horse — Clipping 
— Grooming — Dressing  the  mane  and  tail — Tapeeing — 
Shedding  the  coat — Care  of  the  feet  and  legs — Trimming 
the  mane  and  tail  — Bots — Stable  routine  ...  ...  82—99 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Management  of  Horses  on  Board  Ship  ...    100—106 

CHAPTER  IX. 

Servants. 
Syces — Grass-cutters — Shoeing-smiths— Riding-lads      ...     107—113 

CHAPTER  X. 

Shoeing. 
Shoeing— Plates— Tips— On  shoes  getting  loose  ...     114—117 


LIST    OF    CONTENTS.  XI 

CHAPTER  XI.  PAGE 

Preparing  Ponies  for  Measurement    ...  ...    118 — 122 

CHAPTER  XII. 

Teaching  Horses  to  Jump         ...          ...  ...    123—130 


PAET  II. 
TRAINING  IN  INDIA. 


CHAPTER  I. 
Racing  in  India. 

Racing  men  and  horses — On  forming  a  useful  stable — 
The  style  of  race-horse  suited  to  India — The  different 
classes  and  their  respective  form — Timing — Records  of  fast 
times...  ..  ...  .«  ...  ...  ...  131—146 

CHAPTER  II. 

On  the  Theory  of  Training. 

Training — Development  of  muscle — Effect  of  exercise  on 
the  system — Nature  of  Exercise — Food — Health — Sweating 
— Artificial  sweating — Physic— Signs  of  condition  ...  147 — 162 

CHAPTER  III. 
Food  during  Training...  ...  ...  ...    163-166 

CHAPTER  IV. 
Daily  Routine  in  Training      ...    167—171 

CHAPTER  V. 
Management  during  the  Hot  Weather        ...    172—174 


Xll  LIST   OF    CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER  VI. 
Practical  Training.  PAGE 

Remarks  on  race-horses  in  India— Training  quarters- 
General  rules  for  work  during  training — Detail  of  work — 
Sweating — Remarks  on  training  continued— Training  by 
short  repeated  gallops — Remarks  on  training  continued — 
Trials — Training  ponies — Setting — Treatment  after  running 
Racehorses  travelling  by  rail  ...  ...  ...  ...  175—210 

CHAPTER  VII. 
Race-courses. 

On  keeping  a  galloping  track  in  order— Effect  of  ground 
on  horses— Measuring  courses — Lengths  of  different  courses 
in  India  211—216 

CHAPTER  VIII. 
Steeplechase  Courses    ...          ...  ...    217—222 

CHAPTER  IX. 
Betting. 

Principles  of  betting  and  bookmaking — Lotteries—  Pari 
mutuels  and  totalisators — Race  pools  ...  ...  ...  223 — 237 

Hindustanee  Stable  and  Veterinary  Vocabu- 
lary... ...  ...  ...  ...  ...  238—248 

Calcutta  Turf  Club  Weights  for  Age  and 
Class  -  .-  ••  •••  249—264 


HORSE  MANAGEMENT  IN  INDIA. 


CHAPTEK  I. 

STABLES. 

POSITION   AND   CONSTRUCTION   OF  STABLES— PICKETING   HORSES- 
POULTRY   NEAR  STABLES— DISINFECTING   STABLES. 

Position  and  Construction  of  Stables. — In  the 

plains,  stables  should,  as  a  rule,  be  built  on  high 
ground,  devoid  of  objects,  in  their  immediate  vicinity, 
which  might  impede  cooling  breezes.  Their  direction 
should  run  at  right  angles  to  the  prevailing  winds, 
so  as  to  obtain  free  circulation  of  air  through  the 
building  ;  for,  in  India,  our  efforts  should  be  directed 
in  providing  against  the  baneful  effects  of  heat,  rather 
than  against  those  of  cold,  which  can,  nearly  always, 
be  obviated  by  warm  clothing.  In  this  country,  ex- 
perience proves  that  the  chief  requisites,  for  good 
stables,  are  airy  and  dry  positions,  thick  roofs  overhead, 
lofty  and  spacious  stalls,  and  perfect  circulation  of  air, 
As  long  as  men  or  animals  are  protected  from  the  direct 
rays  of  the  sun,  while  the  air  blows  freely  through  the 
habitation,  whatever  it  may  be,  there  is  little  danger 
from  the  effects  of  our  tropical  sun.  The  best  proof  of 

B 


2  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN    INDIA. 

this  important  principle  is  afforded  by  the  fact,  that 
however  powerful  the  noonday  sun  may  be,  and 
however  fiercely  the  hot  wind  may  blow,  neither  man 
nor  beast  will  suffer  much  from  the  high  temperature, 
when  out  in  the  open,  if  they  be  under  the  shade  -of  a 
tree  with  thick  foliage.  But  if,  on  the  contrary,  the 
current  of  air  be  impeded  by  a  wall,  screen,  or  other 
object,  the  distressing  effects  of  the  heat  will  be  felt  in 
a  moment.  Stagnation  of  air,  in  most  cases,  is  the 
cause  of  the  many  instances  of  fever  which  occur  during 
the  hot  weather,  especially  in  large  cities  like  Calcutta, 
where  houses  are  crowded  together.  I  have  seen,  on 
different  occasions,  horses  that  were  almost  dying  from 
the  effects  of  heat  in  stables  situated  on  low  and  con- 
fined positions,  recover  their  condition  and  health,  in  a 
very  few  days,  after  being  removed  to  others  on  high 
and  airy  ground. 

I  have  tried  the  experiment  of  keeping  a  race-horse 
•  in  my  own  house  during  the  hot  weather  ;  but  he 
suffered  far  more,  even  under  a  punkah,  from  the 
confined  atmosphere  inside,  than  he  had  done  in  his 
stable,  which  was  many  degrees  hotter,  but  which  had  a 
free  current  of  air  through  it. 

If  valuable  horses  be  kept  during  the  hot  months  in 
the  plains,  punkahs  may  be  used  with  advantage.  If 
they  cannot  be  conveniently  fixed,  and  the  horses  feel 
the  heat  much,  a  couple  of  coolies  may  be  told  off  to 
each  animal,  to  keep  him  cool  during  the  mid-day  heat 
with  a  Jarge  hand-punkah. 

I  have  always  found  that,  when  proper  precautions 
have  been  adopted,  horses,  in  dry  climates,  such  as 
those  of  the  North-West,  Oudh,  and  the  Punjab,  have 


STABLES.  3 

retained  their  health  and  condition  during  the  hot 
weather,  quite  as  well  as  they  did  during  the  cold 
months.  This  is  in  conformity  with  the  fact  that  the 
horse  is  a  native  of  a  dry,  hot  climate. 

In  order  that  the  stable  should  be  kept  as  dry  as 
possible,  its  walls  should  be  constructed  of  some 
material  which  will  not  absorb  moisture,  such  as  fire- 
burnt  bricks,  or  stone  ;  the  former  being,  I  think,  the 
better  material.  Wood,  also,  might  be  employed, 
though  stables  made  of  it  are  not  nearly  so  cool,  during 
the  hot  weather,  as  those  constructed  of  either  of  the 
other  two.  Throughout  Eastern  Bengal,  the  walls  are 
made  of  strong  bamboo  screens,  which  serve  their 
purpose  admirably.  In  such  a  stall,  a  kicker  may  be 
saved  from  injuring  himself,  by  placing  matting  (Hind. 
Chitai),  say,  three  feet  high,  about  six  inches  from 
the  wall,  while  the  interval  may  be  filled  up  with 
dry  grass,  which  will  give  to  the  blow,  and  will  act  as  a 
padding  to  the  wall. 

The  floors  of  the  stable  should,  if  possible,  be 
laid  down  with  some  material  which  will  not  absorb 
water.  The  flooring  of  stables  which  I  prefer  to  all 
others,  whether  in  India,  England,  or  elsewhere,  is  one 
of  thick  wooden  planks,  so  arranged  that  the  urine  of  the 
horse  may  drain  through  the  interstices  between  them, 
on  a  waterproof  surface.  These  planks  may  be  about 
nine  inches  broad  and  three  inches  thick,  and  should 
be  placed  so  that  they  can  be  readily  removed,  and  the 
under  floor  cleansed.  I  observed  in  the  Durban 
Tramway  Company's  stables  (Natal)  a  good  arrange- 
ment by  which  a  waterproof  drain — the  width  of  which 
was  equal  to  the  length  of  each  stall — of  slightly  curved 


4  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

shape,  ran  underneath  each  long  line  of  stalls  ;  the 
planks  which  formed  the  flooring  being  made  to  fit 
accurately  across  it.  When  the  horses  were  out  at 
work,  the  planks  could  be  readily  removed  and  the 
shallow  drain  washed  out.  To  prevent  the  absorption 
of  moisture  by  the  wood,  it  could  be  tarred  over,  or 
soaked  with  asphalte.  The  special  advantage  of  wood 
for  the  flooring  of  a  stable  is  that  it  is  a  bad  conductor 
of  heat,  and  would  consequently  act  as  a  preventive  of 
chill  and  cold.  Wood  is  often  employed  as  a  flooring 
of  stables  in  the  Straits  Settlement  and  Far  East. 

In  many  parts  of  India,  Jcunkurm&y  be  obtained,  and 
can,  then,  be  applied  in  the  same  manner  as  it  is  used 
for  metalling  roads.  In  default  of  it,  pounded  bricks, 
which  are  employed  for  the  same  purpose,  may  be 
substituted.  After  these  floors  are  laid  down,  the 
stables  should  not  be  used  until  they  are  thoroughly 
dry,  and  the  concrete  has  become  hard  and  solid. 
Horses  stabled  in  stalls  laid  down  with  concrete  are, 
during  the  prevalence  of  Loodianah  fever  and  influenza, 
much  less  liable  to  be  attacked  by  these  diseases,  than 
they  would  be,  if  the  floors  of  their  stalls  were  capable 
of  retaining  moisture. 

If  it  be  not  practicable  to  have  the  floors  made  of 
waterproof  material,  they  should  be  kept  covered  with 
five  or  six  inches  of  sand,  the  tainted  parts  of  which 
should  be  daily  removed,  and  replaced  by  a  fresh 
supply. 

Damp  stables  are  the  sources  of  many  serious  ail- 
ments to  the  horse,  who  can  keep  health  and  condition 
alone  in  a  dry  habitation.  This  most  important  fact 
should  never  be  lost  sight  of  by  the  horse  owner. 


STABLES.  5 

The  floor  of  the  stable  should  be  made  level,  so  that 
the  horse  may  have  an  even  "bearing"  for  his  feet. 
The  syce  should  keep  the  stall  dry  and  clean,  without 
any  provision  for  the  drainage  of  urine  being  required. 
I  may  remark  that  this  form  of  construction  is  in 
accordance  with  the  practice  followed  in  all  the  best 
racing  stables  at  Newmarket,  where  it  has  been  found 
unnecessary  to  drain  the  stalls  and  boxes  by  giving  a 
slope  to  their  floors.  The  ground  around  stables, 
however,  should  be  thoroughly  well  drained. 

The  form  of  stables  I  prefer  is  one  with  a  single  row 
of  boxes,  having  a  verandah  about  12  ft.  wide,  on  the 
outer  line  of  which  the  roof  is  supported  by  a  row  of 
pillars,  which  are  the  same  distance  apart,  one  from 
another,  as  are  the  partition  walls  of  the  stalls.  The 
verandah  should  be  protected  by  bamboo  frames 
covered  with  thatch  (Hind.  Jhamp) ;  so  that,  in  the  hot 
weather,  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  may  not  play  on  the 
interior  of  the  building ;  and,  in  the  cold  months,  the 
horses  may  be  protected  from  draughts. 

Loose  boxes,  to  be  thoroughly  comfortable,  should  be 
at  least  12ft.  by  16ft.  In  India,  10ft.  by  12  ft.  would 
be  a  minimum.  The  walls  between  the  boxes  should 
be  made  about  7  ft.  high,  so  as  to  be  just  sufficient  to 
prevent  the  animals  smelling  each  other  over  them. 
Stalls,  for  large  horses,  should  be  6  ft.  by  12  ft.  Ponies 
may  be  contented  with  one  of  5  ft.  by  10  ft.  At 
Newmarket,  stalls  are,  generally,  made  6i  ft.  wide. 
If  narrow  stalls  are  used,  the  syce,  when  removing  a 
horse,  should  back  him  out,  instead  of  turning  him 
round. 

If  not  more  than  five  or  six  horses  are  kept  in  one 


6  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

stable,  they  will  be  able  to  get  better  rest,  than  if  more 
animals  were  present. 

The  roof  of  the  stable  should  afford  perfect  protec- 
tion from  the  direct  rays  of  the  sun  ;  for  which  object, 
thatch  will  be  found  to  be  the  best  material.  Flat 
masonry  roofs  may  be  protected  by  having  earthen 
vessels  (Hind.  Gurra),  filled  with  water,  placed  on  them ; 
while  tiled  roofs  may  be  covered  by  jhamps.  If  expense 
is  no  object,  double  roofs  may  be  employed  with  great 
advantage.  The  stable  may  be  admirably  ventilated 
by  a  space  of  a  few  inches  being  allowed,  all 
round,  between  the  roof  and  the  top  of  the  outside 
walls. 

At  the  head  of  each  box  or  stall,  there  should  be  a 
window,  say,  a  yard  square  and  a  yard  and  a  half  above 
the  ground.  The  space  below  the  window  may  be 
occupied  by  a  movable  door,  which,  during  the  hot 
hours,  may  be  taken  away,  and  a  thin  bamboo  screen 
hung  across  the  opening.  If  the  stable  be  built  of 
brick,  additional  ventilation  may  be  obtained  by  having 
alternate  bricks  removed  from  the  first  two  or  three 
bottom  rows  of  the  wall,  at  the  head  of  the  stall,  for  a 
distance  of  six  or  seven  feet.  These  holes  may  be 
stopped  up  in  cold  weather.  If  possible,  there  should 
always  be  a  space  of  a  few  inches  all  round,  between 
the  roof  and  the  top  of  the  outside  walls, 

The  outside  of  the  stable  should  be  whitewashed, 
and  the  walls  inside  should  be  dark  coloured. 

When  flies  are  troublesome,  surkunda  (a  cane-like 
grass)  or  split  bamboo  screens  should  be  placed  in  front 
of  the  doorways  and  windows,  and  should  be  kept 
down  from  sunrise  to  sunset.  I  may  remark  that  the 


STABLES.  7 

cleaner  and  darker  stables  are  kept,  the  freer  will  they 
be  from  flies. 

In  many  stables  in  India,  covered  receptacles  for 
urine,  which  the  syces  are  supposed  to  bale  out  every 
day,  are  made  in  the  centre  of  the  stalls.  This  is, 
obviously,  a  most  objectionable  arrangement.  Another 
common  trick  of  these  servants  is  to  teach  their  horses 
to  stale  into  an  earthen  pot,  which  they  hold  for  them, 
and  thus  get  rid  of  the  fluid  without  it  soiling  the 
bedding.  This  is,  in  my  opinion,  a  bad  practice  ;  for 
horses  that  are  accustomed  to  it,  will  often,  if  the 
syce  be  not  ready  to  hold  the  vessel,  abstain  from 
staling  for  a  long  time,  and  will,  thereby,  be  rendered 
uncomfortable.  The  litter  should  be  taken  up  twice  a 
day ;  every  soiled  particle  of  it  should  be  removed ; 
and  the  floor  should  be  thoroughly  cleaned  and  dried. 
The  less  tainted  portions  of  the  bedding  may  be  dried 
in  the  sun  for  further  use. 

The  doorways  of  the  stalls  are  usually  barred  across 
by  two  poles — generally  bamboos — which  are  let  into 
the  walls  at  each  side,  the  upper  one  being  fixed  about 
four  feet  from  the  ground.  These  bars  are  sometimes 
made  to  slide  through  boarded  passages  in  the  walls, 
an  arrangement  that  will  save  the  latter  from  becoming 
broken.  The  best  and  neatest  plan  is,  I  think,  to 
plant  two  strong  upright  posts — in  which  are  bored 
holes  for  the  reception  of  the  horizontal  poles — 10  or 
11  inches  from  each  side  of  the  walls  at  the  doorway. 
The  walls  will  then  be  free  from  injury,  and  there  will 
be  no  occasion  to  remove  the  bars,  unless,  when  the 
horse  is  taken  out  or  in ;  for  there  will  be  quite  suffi- 
cient room  for  a  man  to  pass  sideways  between  the 


8  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

walls  and  the  upright  posts.  The  bars  are  secured  by 
being  lashed  together  with  a  piece  of  rope. 

Movable  half-doors— as  well  as  bars — may  be  pro- 
vided, to  be  used  when  the  nights  are  cold. 

As  a  rule,  hard-worked  horses  rest  and  thrive  better 
in  boxes  than  in  stalls.  Some  animals,  however,  when 
kept  apart  from  their  fellows,  pine  from  want  of 
companionship  ;  and  others,  if  allowed  to  be  loose, 
incessantly  wander  about  their  box,  and,  consequently, 
unduly  fatigue  themselves.  Perhaps,  in  the  majority  of 
cases  in  England,  mares  do  best  in  stalls ;  and  horses, 
in  boxes.  In  India,  however,  it  is  not  always  practic- 
able to  keep  animals  out  of  doors  as  long  as  would  be 
desirable,  with  regard  to  their  health,  were  the  climate 
less  "  trying  "  ;  hence,  the  greater  need  for  boxes  in  our 
Eastern  Empire  than  in  more  temperate  climates. 

The  blood-vessels  in  the  foot  of  the  horse,  unlike 
those  in  other  parts,  do  not  possess  valves  ;  because 
the  almost  constant  movement — except  when  the 
animal  is  lying  down  or  sleeps  standing — that  he,  in  a 
natural  state,  takes  in  the  search  for  food,  prevents 
stagnation  of  blood  by  gravitation.  When  the  foot 
is  raised,  blood  rushes  into  and  fills  these  vessels, 
which,  at  the  next  moment,  are  emptied,  by  the  effect 
of  pressure,  the  instant  the  foot  is  brought  to  the 
ground  and  weight  is  thrown  on  it. 

I  thoroughly  agree  with  Admiral  Eous's  remark  that, 
"  The  windows  of  a  stable  ought  never  to  be  shut  by 
night  or  day ;  in  cold  weather,  add  to  the  clothing,  but 
never  deprive  them  of  the  first  great  source  of  vitality, 
'  fresh  air.' " 

In  India,  during  the  cold  weather,  the  air  is  generally 


STABLES.  U 

so  dry  that  precautions  to  be  taken  against  draughts 
are  not  nearly  so  necessary  as  in  England.  Respecting 
the  latter  country,  Professor  Williams  writes :  "Horses 
kept  in  ill-ventilated  stables  are  undoubtedly  rendered 
susceptible  to  many  diseases,  and  to  pneumonia  among 
the  rest,  but  they  will  bear  impure  air  even  better  than 
cold  draughts  blowing  directly  upon  them.  I  have 
repeatedly  observed  that  the  slightest  cold  contracted 
by  a  horse  kept  in  a  draughty  stable  has  almost 
invariably  been  succeeded  by  pneumonia,  and,  that 
if  the  animal  was  not  removed  to  a  more  comfort- 
able situation,  the  disease  tended  to  a  fatal 
termination." 

Ignorant  grooms  in  England  have  a  strong  prejudice 
in  favour  of  warm  stables,  on  account  of  the  good  effect 
they  have  on  the  animals'  coats.  These  men,  naturally, 
ignore  the  increased  susceptibility  to  catching  cold, 
which  horses  kept  in  such  places  acquire,  as  well  as 
the  very  marked  tendency  the  legs  and  feet  have  of 
"going  to  pieces  ";  for  a  horse  that  is  laid  up  with  a 
cough  or  a  filled  leg,  gives  far  less  trouble  to  the  groom 
than  one  which  is  in  full  work.  In  winter,  horses 
undoubtedly  thrive  better  in  comfortable  stables  than 
in  cold  bleak  ones.  The  owner,  trainer,  or  groom  can 
personally  satisfy  himself  as  to  the  proper  degree  of 
warmth,  by  regulating  it  according  to  what  he  would 
consider  agreeable  to  his  own  feelings,  were  he  to 
make  the  stable  his  own  abode ;  always  remembering 
that  its  atmosphere  should  be  pure,  and  free  from  the 
slightest  suspicion  of  "  closeness." 

With  hard-worked  animals,  such  as  race-horses,  I 
have  found   the  best  results   attend  the   practice  of 


10  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

keeping  the  stables  moderately  dark,  in  order  to  induce 
the  occupants  to  lie  down,  and,  during  hot  weather,  to 
keep  the  abode  cool,  by  preventing  the  admission  of 
rays  of  light,  which  are  always  accompanied  by  rays  of 
heat.  I  here  take  for  granted  that  the  free  circulation 
of  air  is  not  interfered  with. 

In  the  cold  weather,  if  horses  be  not  worked  to  an 
extent  that  would  render  it  desirable  for  them  to 
repose  during  the  day,  and,  especially,  if  they  be  not 
kept  for  a  considerable  time  in  the  open  air,  their 
stables  should  not  be  darkened  ;  for  the  rays  of  the 
sun-,  when  not  too  powerful,  have  a  beneficial  effect  on 
the  general  health  of  animals,  by  improving  the  quality 
of  their  blood. 

On  all  occasions  when  the  stables  are  empty,  they 
should  be  thrown  open  for  the  admittance  of  sunlight, 
which  is  a  powerful  disinfectant. 

Picketing  Horses. — Head  and  heel-ropes  are  ad- 
missible only  with  animals — like  those  in  the  Artillery 
and  Cavalry — that  may  be  called  upon  to  camp  out  at 
any  time.  In  such  cases,  if  there  be  any  probability  of 
rain,  great  care  should  be  taken  to  render  the  pegs 
secure ;  for,  if  a  shower  falls,  it  will  make  the  horses 
fidgety,  and  will  loosen  the  hold  the  pegs  have  in  the 
ground. 

Natives,  when  they  use  head  and  heel-ropes,  are  very 
prone  to  tie  up  the  horses  far  too  tightly. 

Horses  should  not  be  picketed  by  a  fore-leg ;  for, 
then  they  will  be  very  apt  to  "  screw  "  themselves  by 
straining  at  the  rope,  in  the  event  of  being  startled ; 
or  when  jumping  about  in  play. 

During  the  hot  weather,  in  the  plains,  the  horse  may, 


DISINFECTING   STABLES.  11 

with  advantage,  be  picketed,  at  night,  to  a  pole  fixed 
vertically  in  the  ground,  round  which  his  bedding 
should  be  spread.  The  head-rope  should  be  attached 
to  a  movable  iron  ring,  which  works  round  the  pole. 
No  heel-ropes  are,  then,  necessary. 

In  hot,  close  weather,  when  there  is  no  wind 
blowing,  it  is,  often,  preferable  to  picket  a  horse  in  the 
open,  during  the  midday  heat,  under,  a  tree  which  has 
thick  foliage  overhead,  than  to  keep  him  in  the  stable, 
however  well  ventilated  it  may  be.  The  leaves  of 
trees  exercise  a  marked  cooling  effect  on  the  air 
that  passes  over  their  surface  :  hence,  "  the  grateful 
shade." 

Poultry  should  never  be  allowed  about  a  stable,  nor 
should  they  be  kept  near  it ;  for  the  insects  that  often 
infest  fowl,  prove  excessively  irritating  to  the  horse, 
when  they  are  allowed  to  settle  on  him.  Kemoval  of 
the  poultry  will  soon  cure  the  animal  attacked ;  for 
these  parasites  cannot  live,  beyond  two  or  three  days, 
away  from  their  proper  "  host." 

Disinfecting  Stables.— When  the  floors  of  stables 
are  formed  simply  by  the  surface  of  the  ground,  they 
should  be  dug  up,  from  time  to  time— say,  once  every 
two  months — to  the  depth  of  a  couple  of  feet ;  the 
tainted  soil  removed ;  and  fresh,  dry  mould  substi- 
tuted. This  proceeding  is  particularly  necessary  after 
the  appearance  of  Loodianah  Fever. 

To  purify  metalled  floors  and  drains,  a  solution  of 
1  Ib.  of  sulphate  iron  (Hind.  Hurree  kussees)  to  the 
gallon  of  water  may  be  used. 

Crude  carbolic  acid  may  be  applied  to  the  iron  and 
woodwork  of  the  stable. 


12  HORSE    MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

Carbolized  sawdust  may  be  sprinkled  here  and 
there  in  the  stable,  occasionally,  in  order  to  keep  it 
fresh  and  sweet.  This  preparation  is  made  by 
steeping  sawdust  in  as  much  crude  carbolic  acid 
and  water—using  a  solution  of  equal  quantities— as 
it  will  take  up. 


CHAPTEE  II. 

CLOTHING — BEDDING — STABLE    GEAE. 

•'LOTJIIXG— BANDAGES— BOOTS — CLOTHS— BEDDING — MANGERS— FEEDING 
SHEETS — NOSEBAGS— FOMENTING  BUCKETS  AND  SHOES— OAT-BRUISING 
MACHINE — ARTICLES  USED  IN  GROOMING. 

Clothing. — For  the  maintenance  of  high  condition 
in  the  horse,  it  is  requisite  that  he  should  be  supplied^ 
in  the  stable,  with  an  ample  quantity  of  warm  clothing 
— short  of  causing  him  to  perspire.  Clothing  not  alone 
stimulates  the  skin,  and  guards  the  animal  from  the 
ill-effects  of  chill,  but  also  aids  in  maintaining  the 
internal  temperature  of  the  body,  thereby  supplement- 
ing one  of  the  most  important  offices  of  food.  To  avoid 
overweighting  the  horse  too  much,  it  is  advisable  to 
use  only  English  clothing  of  close  material,  and  not 
too  heavy.  During  the  cold  months,  a  suit  of  warm 
clothing  by  day,  with  an  extra  rug  at  night,  will  gene- 
rally be  sufficient.  As  a  rule,  hoods  may  be  dispensed 
with  ;  although,  if  the  animal  is  suffering  from  a  cough 
or  cold,  a  "  night-cap  "  may  be  put  on  at  night.  This 
article  is  a  short  hood  about  a  foot  long,  and  is  made 
to  fit  close  round  the  throat.  Ordinary  hoods,  if 
buckled  to  the  body-piece,  are  apt,  during  the  night,  to 
prove  uncomfortable  to  the  horse.  If  unattached,  they 
usually  fall  over  the  animal's  head,  on  his  lowering  his 


14  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN    INDIA. 

neck.  The  head- collar  should  be  put  on  over,  not 
under,  the  hood,  or  "  night-cap." 

Horses  that  are  used  for  rough  work  in  all  weathers, 
should,  naturally,  be  lightly  clothed  ;  so  that  they  may 
not  be  liable  to  be  affected  by  change  of  temperature. 
On  this  point,  the  owner  should  exercise  his  own 
judgment. 

Clothing,  with  the  breast  and  quarter-piece  in  one, 
will  do  for  night  use,  but  if  it  be  worn  by  horses  when 
they  are  exercised,  it  will  cause  the  hair  to  be  rubbed 
off  their  shoulders,  thus  giving  them  the  appearance 
of  having  been  in  harness.  If  hoods  be  made  of  country 
blanketing,  they  should  be  lined  with  cotton  cloth, 
so  as  to  save  the  manes  from  being  injured  by  the 
coarse  woollen  material. 

A  suit  of  warm  clothing  can  be  made  from  an 
English  pattern,  for  about  Es.  10. 

The  use  of  warm  clothing  often  irritates  a  horse 
having  a  thin  delicate  skin.  In  such  a  case,  a  light 
cotton  sheet  should  be  placed  under  the  woollen  suit. 

With  well-bred  horses,  rollers  should  be  furnished 
with  breast-plates  to  prevent  them  from  working  back. 

Bandages. — Horses  that  have  done  much  work, 
and  whose  legs  are  inclined  to  fill,  will  generally 
require  the  aid  of  flannel  bandages  to  keep  their  limbs 
fine.  The  uses  of  these  bandages  are  to  encourage 
insensible  perspiration  from  the  skin ;  to  afford  sup- 
port to  the  tendons  and  ligaments,  and,  by  pressure, 
to  cause  absorption.  They  should  be  made  of  close, 
thick  flannel,  similar  to  that  used  for  cricketing 
trousers.  Serge  should  not  be  employed  ;  as  its  texture 
is  too  harsh.  They  should  be  about  8  ft.  long  and  4|  ins. 


BANDAGES.  15 

broad.  "  Bandages,  specially  made,  and  with  a  selvage 
on  each  side,  are  supplied  by  all  saddlers.  These  are, 
however,  often  too  short,  too  thin,  and  too  broad.  A 
bandage,  to  be  ready  for  immediate  use,  should  be  wound 
up  with  the  tapes  inside.  When  putting  it  on,  a  few 
inches  of  it  may  be  unrolled  and  laid  obliquely  across 
the  outside  of  the  leg,  close  to  the  knee,  with  the  end 
reaching  to  about  the  centre  of  that  joint,  and  the 
rolled-up  part  turned  to  the  outside  and  directed 
downwards  and  forwards.  The  bandaging  is  continued 
down  to,  and  around,  the  fetlock  and  upper  part  of  the 
pastern,  and  is  brought  up  close  below  the  knee;  the 
loose  end  is,  then,  turned  down  and  the  folds  of  the 
bandage  carried  over  it.  The  tapes  are  tied  a  little 
above  the  centre  of  the  cannon  bone.  By  this  method, 
the  folds  do  not  require  to  be  turned  or  twisted  over,  as 
in  the  ordinary  way.  Besides  this,  they  lie  close  and 
do  not  bulge  out." — (Veterinary  Notes  for  Horse 
Oivners.) 

When  flannel  bandages  are  used  to  give  support 
during  work,  they  should  not  be  broader  than  3 J  ins. 
In  the  book  which  I  have  just  quoted  I  have  given  a 
drawing  to  show  their  mode  of  adjustment.  The 
description  is  as  follows  : — "  Commence  by  laying  the 
loose  end  diagonally  across  the  fetlock,  with  its 
extremity  a  little  below  that  joint ;  then  take  about 
four  turns  round  the  leg,  so  that  the  bandage  may 
come  close  below  the  knee,  take  another  turn  in  a 
downward  direction,  bring  the  loose  end  up  and  lay  it 
flat  against  the  bandaged  part,  and  continue  the  turns 
over  it.  The  loose  end  will  now  be  firmly  secured 
between  the  cloth  on  both  sides.  When  put  on  accord- 


16  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

ing  to  this  plan,  the  bandage  cannot  become  undone 
unless  the  tape  breaks." 

A  good  bandage  for  giving  support  is  an  elastic  one, 
made  from  the  material  used  for  side-spring  boots,  and 
of  the  same  form  as  an  ordinary  bandage,  but  some- 
what shorter,  so  as  to  allow  of  its  stretching.  These 
bandages  will  not  bear  being  rolled  round  the  fetlock 
and  pastern ;  for,  if  this  be  done,  they  will  work 
loose. 

The  following  plan  may  be  adopted  for  putting  on  a 
bandage  that  is  intended  to  be  employed  as  a 
poultice  : — Make  a  pad  of  four  or  five  folds  of  cotton 
cloth,  and  large  enough  to  wrap  round  the  leg ;  wet 
this  pad  thoroughly,  apply  it,  wrap  over  it  a  piece  of 
oil-silk,  and  then  roll  a  moderately  tight  flannel  band- 
age round  the  whole.  In  cases  of  sprain,  the  application 
may  consist  of  either  plain  water,  or  of  a  lotion  con- 
sisting of  a  wineglassful  of  the  tincture  of  arnica  to  a 
quart  of  water.  Arnica  is  said  to  act  by  stimulating 
the  small  blood-vessels  of  the  skin. 

A  good  plan  for  applying  moist  heat  to  horses'  legs, 
is  to  dip  a  rolled-up  flannel  bandage  into  boiling  water, 
squeeze  it  as  dry  as  possible,  by  wringing  it  in  a  towel, 
and  then  put  it  on  quickly.  After  hard  work,  bandages 
which  are  thus  employed,  may  be  allowed  to  remain 
on  for  two  or  three  hours.  As  soon  as  they  are 
removed,  the  legs  should  be  well  hand-rubbed,  and  dry 
flannel  bandages  applied. 

Boots  are  worn  to  give  support  like  bandages,  and 
also  to  prevent  the  horse  from  hurting  himself  by 
1 ;  brushing,"  or  by  otherwise  striking  his  leg.  For 
the  former  object,  the  boot  may  be  made  of  strong  boot 


BEDDING.  17 

elastic,  and  to  lace  at  the  side.  The  laces  may  be 
made  of  whipcord,  or,  better  still,  of  strong  waxed 
hempen  thread.  For  "  brushing,"  or  "  speedy-cutting," 
leather  guards  should  be  sewn  on  to  the  inner  side  of 
the  cloth.  The  same  precaution  may  be  used  to  pro- 
tect the  back  tendon  with  cross  country  horses, 
especially,  when  schooling. 

When  putting  on  boots,  care  should  be  taken  that 
the  upper  and  lower  straps  should  be  buckled  looser 
than  the  middle  one,  or  pair,  according  as  there  are 
three  or  four  of  them. 

Bandages  are  best  for  support,  boots  for  protection. 

Cloths  are  commonly  employed  in  England  instead 
of  bandages  ;  they  are  formed  of  stout  "  box 
cloth,"  sewn  down  the  side  of  the  horse's  leg, 
and  are  not  removed.  I  think  bandages,  which  are 
properly  put  on,  are  much  superior  to  them  in  every 
way,  especially  in  the  facility  they  afford  for  hand- 
rubbing,  or  fomenting  the  legs.  Besides  this,  irritating 
substances,  picked  up  from  the  ground,  are  apt  to  get 
inside  the  cloth  and  hurt  the  leg.  This  is  especially 
the  case  when  animals  are  galloped  on  tan. 

Bedding. — Long  wheaten  straw  furnishes  the 
softest  and  most  comfortable  bedding  for  the  horse, 
especially,  if  he  be  without  clothing.  Oat  straw  is 
brittle,  so  does  not  last  as  well  as  that  obtained  from 
wheat.  Horses  rarely  care  to  eat  rice  straw,  which  is 
far  from  being  economical  to  use,  as  it  very  quickly 
breaks  up.  With  respect  to  horses  eating  their 
bedding,  see  page  39. 

If  it  be  desired  to  prevent  a  horse  from  eating  his 
bedding,  the  straw  may  be  damped,  and  kept  in  the 


18  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

sun  a  few  days  before  using,  so  that  it  may  become 
too  sapless  and  unpalatable  to  be  chosen  in  preference 
to  grass,  while  a  layer  of  old  bedding  may  be  kept  on 
the  top.  Such  cases  of  morbid  appetite  will  generally 
call  for  medical  treatment,  if  a  full  supply  of  salt  and 
green  meat,  such  as  carrots,  lucern,  etc.,  fail  to  correct 
the  habit. 

Cheena  straw  makes  excellent  bedding,  as  it 
is  soft,  difficult  to  break,  and  unpalatable  to  most 
horses. 

The  bedding  should  be  carefully  spread,  so  as  to  be 
as  comfortable  as  possible  for  the  horse ;  and  should 
be  banked  up  around  the  walls,  so  that  the  animal  may 
not  hurt  himself  when  lying  down,  or  when  rolling.  At 
the  entrance  of  the  box  or  stall,  for  appearance  sake, 
the  bedding  should  be  arranged  in  a  straight  line,  which 
may  be  finished  off  by  a  piece  of  plaited  straw  being 
stretched  along  it. 

Hard-worked  horses  should,  if  possible,  have  the 
bedding  under  them  by  day  as  well  as  by  night,  so  that 
they  may  have  every  inducement  to  lie  down  and  rest 
themselves,  when  they  choose.  Besides  this,  when  the 
horse  stands  on  the  bare  ground,  he  will  abstain  from 
staling  longer  than  he  ought  to  do,  and,  may  be,  to  an 
injurious  extent.  Most  of  us  old  Indians  know  that  a 
straw  mat,  expressively  called,  in  Hindustanee,  a  seetul 
patee,  or  cold  mat,  is  the  coolest  thing  on  which  to  lie 
during  the  hot  weather ;  so  we  may  infer  that  straw 
forms  an  equally  grateful  couch  for  the  horse.  While 
he  is  out  at  morning  and  evening  work,  the  bedding 
should  be  removed,  and  dry  straw  should  be  substituted 
for  any  that  may  have  become  soiled  or  wet. 


MANGEES.  19 

A  slight  additional  expense  is  the  only  objection  to 
keeping  the  horse  bedded  down  by  day. 

I  have  found  that  sawdust  makes  a  good  substitute 
for  straw,  though  I  am  inclined  to  think  it  takes  some 
of  the  polish  off  the  coat.  "  Stonehenge "  remarks 
"  that  it  soon  heats  when  wetted  with  urine,  and 
ammonia  is  given  off  profusely,  so  that  great  care 
must  be  exercised  to  change  it  as  soon  as  it  becomes 
soiled." 

When  a  horse  has  on  a  high-heeled  shoe — as  during 
treatment  for  sprain  of  the  back  tendons  or  suspensory 
ligaments,  &c. — sawdust  makes  the  best  bedding ;  for  it 
will  not  catch  in  the  long  calkins.  Alone,  without  a 
raised  shoe,  it  enables  a  horse  to  assume  a  comfortable 
position  for  the  injured  limb. 

Sand  forms  a  very  cool  bedding  for  horses,  who 
generally  show  by  frequently  rolling  on  it  that  they  like 
having  it  under  them.  Its  use  spoils  the  look  of  the 
coat,  for  the  time  being,  on  account  of  its  absorbing 
a  considerable  part  of  the  oil  which  is  secreted  by  the 
glands  of  the  skin,  and  which  serves  to  keep  the  hair 
soft  and  pliable. 

Tan  is  an  excellent  material  to  put  down  in  a  loose 
box,  for  a  horse  that  is  at  all  inclined  to  inflammation 
in  the  feet,  provided  that  the  syce  is  careful  to  remove 
the  wet  portions  immediately  they  become  tainted. 

Mangers. — Many  years  ago,  Prof.  Coleman  directed, 
and  with  reason,  that  the  feeding-trough  should  be 
placed  on  the  ground ;  as  that  arrangement  makes  the 
horse  assume  the  natural  position  in  which  he  was 
intended  to  feed.  I  advocate  this  practice,  because  it 
obliges  the  animal  to  eat  much  slower  than  he  would 


20  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

do,  were  the  manger  in  the  usual  position ;  hence,  he 
will  masticate  his  food  more  thoroughly.  To  carry  out 
this  principle  'still  further,  I  would  advise  the  use  ot 
a  broad  feeding-box,  in  which  the  grain  should  be 
spread  in  a  comparatively  thin  layer.  Some  horses, 
from  infirmity,  &c.,  will  require  the  manger  to  be 
slightly  raised,  say  a  foot  from  the  ground. 

Sheets  may  be  used  with  advantage  instead  of 
mangers.  They  may  be  made  of  sacking  (tat),  and 
about  a  square  yard  in  size.  They  are  laid  on  the 
ground,  and  the  grain  is  spread  over  them.  They  cost 
little,  are  easily  cleaned,  and  can  be  packed  up  in  a 
small  compass.  I  have  always  employed  them  with 
my  own  horses  in  India. 

Nosebags. — These  articles  should  never  be  used, 
except  when  a  proper  manger  is  not  obtainable,  as  on 
the  march,  &c. ;  because  they  are  uncomfortable  to  the 
horse,  who,  with  one  on,  is  apt  to  bolt  his  food  or 
chuck  it  out ;  and  he  cannot  help  tainting  his  corn 
with  his  breath  and  rejected  saliva.  Besides  this,  it  is 
difficult  to  keep  nosebags  clean  and  sweet.  When 
used,  they  should  be  made  of  canvas  or  sacking,  and 
not  of  leather ;  should  be  deep,  not  too  wide  ;  and 
should  narrow  off  to  the  bottom,  so  as  to  allow  the 
animal,  towards  the  end  of  his  feed,  to  readily  pick  up 
the  remaining  grains  of  corn  without  having  to  chuck 
the  bag  up. 

A  common  plan  for  preventing  a  horse  from  throw- 
ing corn  out  of  his  nosebag,  is  to  tie  a  string  at  the 
place  where  either  end  of  the  head-strap  is  fixed  to  the 
bag,  and  then  attach  it  just  above  one  of  the  animal's 
knees,  at  such  a  length  that  he  cannot  throw  up  his  head. 


ARTICLES   USED   IN   GROOMING-.  21 

When  nosebags  are  employed,  horses  should  have 
something  on  which  to  rest  them,  for  instance,  a  low 
wall,  or  a  bundle  of  hay.  Dray  horses  may  often  be 
seen  supporting  their  bags  on  their  companions' 
quarters.  Without  such  aids,  the  animal  will  be  liable 
to  spill  his  corn,  in  his  attempts  to  get  it  into  his 
mouth. 

Fomenting  Buckets  and  Shoes. — A  couple  of 
long  narrow  leather  buckets  for  applying  warm  water 
to  horses'  legs  are  useful  in  cases  of  accident.  They 
should  reach  up  to  the  knee,  should  be  made  of  stout 
hide,  and  should  be  provided  with  wooden  bottoms  to 
preserve  them  from  injury.  I  may  here  mention,  in 
passing,  that  water,  at  a  temperature  higher  than  that 
which  the  hand  can  comfortably  bear,  should  never  be 
used  in  fomenting  the  horse's  skin.  A  pair  of  shoes, 
with  wooden  bottoms,  made  of  pliable  leather,  and 
reaching  only  to  a  little  above  the  fetlock  joint,  should 
be  kept  for  poulticing  the  feet,  when  required.  Each 
shoe  should  be  provided  with  a  leather  thong  to  close 
the  mouth  round  the  leg.  Mashed  turnips  or  carrots 
form  an  excellent  poultice. 

Oat-bruising  Machine. — Machines  which  are  pro- 
vided with  circular  rollers  should  be  employed  for  oats. 
Those  made  by  Turner,  of  Ipswich,  are  excellent. 
A  small  one,  with  packing  case,  which  also  answers  for 
a  stand,  will  cost  about  Ks.  80  in  India. 

Articles  used  in  Grooming. — Each  horse  should 
be  provided  with  a  brush  and  curry-comb,  a  hoof- 
picker,  mane-comb,  three  or  four  cotton  rubbers,  and  a 
couple  of  wisps  made  of  unprepared  hemp.  One  pair 
of  scrapers  will  be  enough  for  a  small  stable. 


22  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA 

English  body-brushes  should  be  used  in  preference  to 
those  of  country  make.  The  bristles  should  be  closely 
set,  long,  and  moderately  soft,  so  as  not  to  hurt  the 
skin  while  cleansing  it  from  scurf.  Each  rib  of  a  curry- 
comb should  be  made  of  wrought  iron,  and  should  be 
riveted  at  each  end  to  the  iron  back.  The  teeth 
should  be  blunt,  so  that  they  may  not  unduly  wear  out 
the  bristles  of  the  brush.  An  inferior  kind  has  the  ribs 
made  in  pairs  from  pieces  of  sheet  iron  turned  up  at 
the  sides.  These  ribs  quickly  lose  their  shape,  and, 
owing  to  the  thinness  of  the  metal,  their  teeth  are 
much  too  sharp.  Long,  thin,  copper  sweat-scrapers, 
made  with  handles  at  each  end,  are  much  to  be  pre- 
ferred to  those  of  a  semi-circular  form,  constructed 
with  only  one  handle;  as  the  latter  are  hard  and 
unyielding  to  the  skin. 

Capital  wisps  may  be  made  from  unprepared  hemp 
(Hind.  Sun). 


CHAPTEK  III. 

V  ABIE  TIES   OF  FOOD. 

OATS  —  GRUEL  —  GRAM  —  KULTHEE  —  URUD  —  MOONG  —  MOTE  —  BARLEY — 
INDIAN  CORN  —  WHEAT  —  CAKES — BRAN — LINSEED— RICE—  SUTTOO — 
GOOR — CARROTS  AND  OTHER  ROOTS — GRASS  AND  HAY — STRAW  AND 
CHAFF  —  OAT-HAY  AND  WHEAT-HAY  —  KURBEE  —  BAMBOO  LEAVES  — 
LUCERN— MILK— STOWAGE  OF  GRAIN. 

Oats. — This  grain,  when  grown  in  India,  possesses  a 
far  larger  proportion  of  husk  to  flour  than  that  produced 
in  England ;  hence  its  lower  value  as  an  article  of  food. 
As  the  measure  of  the  horse's  appetite  is  by  bulk,  rather 
than  by  weight,  the  heavier  the  oat,  the  more  valuable, 
as  a  rule,  does  it  become.  Samples,  at  47  Ibs.,  42  Ibs.,  and 
32  Ibs.  to  the  bushel,  will  respectively  yield  about  three- 
fourths,  one-half,  and  one-third  flour,  which  proportions 
approximately  give  the  nutritive  values.  Mr.  Stewart 
(Stable  Economy}  tersely  describes  sound  English  corn 
as  follows : — 

"  Good  oats  are  about  one  year  old,  plump,  short, 
hard,  rattling  when  poured  into  the  manger,  sweet, 
clean,  free  from  chaff  and  dust,  and  weighing  about 
40  Ibs.  per  bushel."  Although  our  Indian  oats  are  far 
below  this  standard,  still  they  are  much  superior, 
as  a  food  for  horses,  to  any  other  grain  which  we 
can  procure.  This  is  especially  the  case  with  hard- 
worked  animals,  because  they  can  eat  an  almost 


24  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

unlimited  quantity  of  oats  without  it  disagreeing 
with  them.  On  the  contrary,  gram,  ktilthee,  and 
barley,  given  in  amounts  sufficient  to  supply  the 
necessary  nutriment,  almost  always  upset  the  digestion, 
and  induce  a  "heated "  state  of  the  system. 

In  order  to  make  up  for  the  inferior  quality  of  the 
oats,  we  may,  with  great  advantage,  supplement  them 
by  an  addition  of  gram,  or  ktilthee,  which  should  not 
exceed  a  third  of  the  whole  amount.  This  practice  is 
in  accordance  with  that,  in  England,  of  adding  beans 
to  the  corn,  and  is  particularly  applicable  to  old 
horses  whose  powers  of  assimilation  are  impaired. 
In  England,  new  oats  are  rightly  considered  to  be 
indigestible — an  objection  which  mUy  be  removed  by 
having  them  kiln-dried ;  but  in  this  country,  they  do 
not  appear  to  be  injurious  to  any  great  extent — a  fact 
which  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  extreme  heat  of  our 
tropical  sun.  New  Indian  oats  never  present  the  soft, 
pulpy  appearance  seen  in  new  English  oats. 

Oats  should  be  given  in  a  bruised  state ;  for,  then, 
not  alone  is  the  possibility  of  the  grain  passing  through 
the  horse  in  an  undigested  state  avoided  ;  but,  also, 
the  animal  is  obliged  to  chew  it  more  thoroughly  than 
if  it  were  given  whole. 

On  the  Bengal  side,  oats  are  principally  grown  in 
Tirhoot,  Dehra  Doon,  and  the  Meerut  district. 

Gruel  is  best  made  by  mixing  a  pound  of  oatmeal 
well  up  with  a  quart  of  cold  water,  to  which  should  be 
added  three  quarts  of  boiling  water ;  the  whole  being 
put  to  simmer  over  the  fire  and  occasionally  stirred 
up  until  it  thickens.  It  should  then  be  removed  and 
allowed  to  cool.  It  should  be  given  to  the  horse  in 


GRAM   AND   KULTHEE.  25 

a  lukewarm  state,  and  of  a  consistency  a  little  greater 
than  that  of  milk.  It  may  be  flavoured  with  salt  or 
sugar,  according  to  the  horse's  taste. 

Gram. — This  grain,  known  as  chunna,  is  very  com- 
monly used  throughout  Northern  India  and  the  Bom- 
bay Presidency.  It  is  objectionable  on  account  of  its 
tendency  to  cause  diarrhoea,  and  to  induce  a  "foul" 
and  "  heated  "  state  of  the  system,  when  given  in  large 
amounts,  say,  anything  above  10  Ibs.  daily.  It  is  best 
used  in  combination  with  oats,  Indian  corn,  barley, 
or  rice  in  husk.  Before  being  used,  it  should  be,  at 
least,  seven  or  eight  months  old.  It  should  be  given 
in  a  broken  state  and  always  dry.  The  practice  of 
steeping  gram  in  water  is  injurious. 

Kulthee  is  extensively  employed  throughout  Madras 
and  Bombay.  It  seems  superior,  as  a  food  for  horses, 
to  chunna,  when  either  grain  is  used  alone ;  and,  in 
limited  quantities,  has  an  excellent  effect  on  the 
general  condition  and  coat.  On  account  of  the  hard- 
ness of  the  husk,  it  has  to  be  given  in  a  boiled  state. 
Only  just  enough  water  to  cook  it  should  be  used,  so 
that,  when  fully  done,  the  fluid  which  remains  over  in 
the  pot,  may  be  absorbed  on  cooling.  The  steam 
should  be  allowed  to  escape,  so  that  the  kfiltkee  may 
become  as  dry  as  possible.  When  properly  boiled,  the 
interior  of  the  grains  should  be  dry  and  floury,  like 
that  of  good  and  well-cooked  potatoes.  Kulthee  is 
very  similar  in  its  composition  to  gram,  and  may  be 
used  in  the  same  combinations  with  oats,  &c. 

In  the  Bengal  Presidency,  it  is  readily  procurable 
at  Hajeepore,  which  is  near  Patna,  and  also  at  different 
places  in  the  North-West  Provinces.  Kulthee  which  is 


26  HORSE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

grown  in  those  parts  does  not  appear  to  be  as  good 
as  that  produced  in  Madras. 

Urud. — This  variety  of  dal  is  a  food  common  among 
natives  in  Eastern  Bengal,  and,  more  or  less  so,  in 
other  parts  of  India.  It  is  extremely  like  Jctilthee 
in  composition  and  qualities,  and  is  prepared  in  a 
similar  manner. 

Both  Jculthee  and  tirud  are  valuable  when  a  change 
of  food  is  necessary,  especially  when  the  animal  is  in 
poor  condition,  and  his  skin  out  of  order. 

Moong,  boiled,  and  given  like  kulthee,  may  be  used 
with  advantage  when  a  change  of  food  is  required. 
Three  or  four  pounds  of  it  may  be  mixed  with  the 
horse's  other  grain. 

Mote  (Phaseolus  aconitifolius). — A  friend  of  mine, 
who  has  had  a  long  experience  among  horses  in  India, 
tells  me  that  equal  quantities  of  mote  and  gram,  bruised 
and  given  raw,  forms  an  excellent  food  for  horses. 
I  would,  with  confidence,  suggest  the  daily  addition 
of  from  2  to  4  Ibs.  of  bran  to  this  mixture.  I  have  no 
personal  acquaintance  with  the  value  of  mote  as  an 
article  of  forage 

Barley. — Next  to  oats,  this  grain  is,  in  my  opinion, 
the  most  suitable  one  for  horses,  which  should  be 
gradually  accustomed  to  its  use ;  for  it  is  apt  to 
disagree  with  them  at  first.  It  may  be  given  raw 
and  in  a  bruised  state,  or  parched,  which  is  probably 
the  better  plan  ;  as  the  husk  seems  to  possess  an 
acrid  principle,  the  effects  of  which  appear  to  be 
obviated  by  the  process  of  parching.  A  native  parcher 
(bhurbhunja)  will  charge  two  or  threo  annas  a  maund 
(82  Ibs.)  for  parching.  Boiled  barley  may  also  be 


INDIAN   CORN.  27 

used.     Barley  should  not  be  employed  until  it  is  a  year 
old. 

A  mixture  of  parched  barley  and  gram,  known  as 
ardawa,  is  commonly  sold  in  India.  It  is  usually 
made  of  inferior  grain,  and  is  always  more  or  less 
adulterated  with  dirt  and  chaff. 

Indian  Corn. — This  grain,  known  as  mukaee,  is 
very  cheap  and  plentiful  in  some  parts,  the  Punjab,  for 
instance.  In  Europe  and  America,  maize  is  usually 
regarded  as  a  food  that,  without  the  addition  of  other 
grain,  is  not  sufficient  for  the  requirements  of  hard- 
working horses.  The  results  of  experiments  conducted 
on  a  large  scale  in  France  and  Austria,  as  well  as 
observations  made  by  practical  men  in  other  countries, 
prove  that,  although  horses  readily  take  to  maize  as  a 
food,  digest  it,  and,  on  it,  get  fat  and  acquire  glossy 
coats,  they  show  a  marked  deficiency  in  vigour,  speed 
and  stamina,  to  animals  fed  on  oats.  Professor  Bruch- 
miiller,  who  conducted  a  six  months'  trial  of  feeding 
5,200  horses  partly  on  maize,  came  to  the  conclusion 
that  it  can  be  used  to  advantage  only  with  horses  that 
are  not  required  to  move  out  of  a  walk. 

Hiram  Woodruff,  the  celebrated  American  trainer, 
thus  writes  : — "  The  grain  should  be  oats  of  good  qua- 
lity. I  do  not  let  colts  have  corn  at  all  when  young  ; 
and  even  to  old  horses  I  think  it  should  be  fed  very 

sparingly Above  all,  avoid  Indian  corn  in  all 

shapes  for  young  colts Keep  the  corn  for  the 

bullocks  and  hogs,  and  give  oats  to  the  horses." 

The  experience,  however,  of  horse  owners  in  South 
Africa — where  Indian  corn  and  oat-hay  form  the  staple 
food  for  horses — places  the  food-value  of  this  grain  in 


28  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

a  more  favourable  light.  The  fact  remains  that  the 
majority  of  South  African  mail  coach  horses,  which 
have  to  do  10  to  12  mile  stages  over  bad  ground  at  a 
fair  rate  of  speed,  go  through  their  work  well  and  keep 
in  good  condition,  on  nothing  but  maize  and  oat  or 
wheat  chaff.  At  the  same  time,  it  is  well  recognised 
by  those  in  charge  of  these  and  other  horses  in  that 
country,  that  the  addition  of  a  few  pounds  of  oats  or 
of  oat-hay  to  the  daily  allowance  of  maize  and  chaff  is 
very  useful  for  imparting  additional  vigour  to  these 
animals.  I  may  mention  that  these  coach  horses — 
which  are  hardy,  light-built  animals  of  an  average 
height  of  about  14hs.  2ins. — get  about  18  Ibs.  of  maize 
and  about  5  Ibs.  of  chaff,  with  an  occasional  feed  of 
grass  on  the  veldt. 

From  my  own  observations  made  in  South  Africa,  I 
have  come  to  the  conclusion  that  the  quietness  and 
want  of  spirit  shown  by  the  generality  of  horses  in  that 
country,  are  to  a  certain  extent  due  to  the  fact  that 
Indian  corn  forms  a  large  proportion  of  their  food. 
Maize  mixed  with  gram  and  bran  (say,  in  equal  parts  by 
weight),  or  with  oats  is  in  every  respect  better  for  hard- 
working horses,  than  by  itself. 

Maize  may  be  given  either  whole,  bruised,  or  soaked. 
To  horses  not  accustomed  to  this  grain,  it  is  safest  to 
give  it  bruised  and  mixed  with  either  chaff  or  bran.  In 
this  state,  it  might  be  slightly  sprinkled  with  water  in 
order  to  keep  down  the  dust  which  might  arise  from 
the  finely  divided  particles  ;  although  I  do  not  see  any 
material  benefit  from  this  provision.  If  gradually 
brought  on  to  its  use,  the  grain  may  be  given  whole. 


INDIAN  COEN.  29 

Eating  it  in  this  state,  sometimes  makes  the  animal's 
mouth  sore,  in  which  case,  bruised  maize  should  be 
substituted.  I  have  heard  of  maize  in  cobb  (or  husk) 
being  given  after  having  been  passed  through  a  particu- 
lar kind  of  machine  that  cut  up  the  head  of  the  corn 
as  well  as  the  grain  which  it  enclosed,  and  that  this 
combination  of  grain  and  husk  formed  an  excellent 
and  easily  digested  food:  it  would  be  certainly  an 
economical  one.  In  South  Africa,  although  the  best 
judges  prefer  to  give  the  grain  dry  than  damp;  still  it  is 
frequently  used  after  having  been  soaked  overnight  in  a 
minimum  of  water,  and  then  mixed  with  chaff.  I  do 
not  see  much  objection  to  this  practice ;  for  the  chaff 
takes  up  so  much  of  the  remaining  moisture,  that  there 
is  but  little  danger  of  the  horse  swallowing  the  grain 
without  first  chewing  it.  I  may  mention  that  the 
danger  to  be  feared  from  the  improper  use  of  maize,  is 
that  it  might  produce  colic. 

It  would  be  useless  to  deny  that  both  in  Europe  and 
in  America,  maize,  when  given  as  the  only  grain,  has 
been  proved  to  be  an  unsuitable  food  for  horses  that 
have  to  do  hard,  and,  especially,  fast  work.  The  ques- 
tion naturally  arises  :  what  is  the  cause  of  the  difference 
between  maize  used  in  those  countries  and  maize  in 
South  Africa.  The  correct  answer  to  this  is,  I  am 
convinced,  that  the  difference  does  not  lie  in  the 
respective  values  of  the  Indian  corn  ;  but  in  the 
material  with  which  it  is  given.  South  African  chaff 
is  exactly  like  tibben  (seepage  40),  and  consequently  it 
forms  an  admirable  vehicle  for  the  mealies,  in  that  it 
separates  the  particles  one  from  another,  and  by  its 
softness  allows  the  animal  to  thoroughly  masticate 
them,  whether  the  grain  be  whole  or  broken. 


30  HORSE   MANAGEMENT  IN    INDIA. 

Wheat. — This  grain  is  difficult  of  digestion,  probably 
owing  to  the  viscid  nature  of  the  gluten  which  it 
contains,  preventing  the  different  digestive  fluids- 
saliva,  gastric  juice,  pancreatic  juice,  &c.— from  per- 
meating through  its  substance.  This  objection  might 
be  removed  by  the  process  of  parching.  Kaw  wheat  is 
apt  to  gripe  the  horse. 

That  very  reliable  authority,  Mr.  Stewart  (Stable 
Economy)  mentions  that  a  quantity  of  wheat,  not  ex- 
ceeding 4  Ibs.,  may  be  substituted  for  the  same,  or  a 
slightly  larger  amount  of  oats  ;  that  it  should  always 
be  given  mixed  with  bran  or  chaff  ;  and  that  it  should 
be  braised  in  the  same  manner  as  oats.  In  South 
Africa,  I  have  known  it  to  be  given,  without  producing 
any  ill  effects,  three  times  a  day  in  quantities  of  2Jlbs. 
and  mixed  with  chaff.  For  examples  of  its  com- 
binations, see  page  76. 

A  couple  of  pounds  of  boiled  wheat,  in  which  a  little 
salt  has  been  mixed,  may  be  given  at  night  when  soft 
food  is  required. 

Cakes  (Hind.  Chupatee)  made  from  the  following 
constituents  are  often  relished  by  delicate  feeders  : — 

Flour lib. 

Goor  (see  page  34) ...         ...     4  oz. 

Ghee...         2  oz. 

Garlic 1  oz. 

Bran. — English  bran  consists  almost  entirely  of  the 
envelope  which  surrounds  the  grains  of  wheat,  the  flour 
being  nearly  all  removed.  The  outer  portion  of  this 
envelope  is  indigestible,  and  acts,  mechanically,  as  a 
gentle  laxative ;  while  the  inner  layer  (according  to 
Mege  Mouries)  has  the  same  property  as  diastase  in 


BEAN.  31 

converting  starch  into  sugar,  and  consequently  aids  in 
the  process  of  digestion.  English  bran  is  therefore  of 
itself  unsuitable  as  a  food.  Indian  bran,  on  the  con- 
trary, owing  to  imperfect  manufacture,  retains  a 
considerable  portion  of  the  flour,  which  supplies  nutri- 
ment ;  so  that  horses,  doing  slow  work,  may  be  kept  in 
good  condition  on  10  or  12  Ibs.  of  it  alone,  without 
other  grain.  Given  even  in  these  quantities,  it  hardly 
ever  purges  a  horse.  On  the  contrary,  if  an  animal 
gets  "  foul "  and  "  loose  "  from  too  much  corn,  nothing 
is  better  than  to  keep  him  simply  on  dry  bran  and  grass 
for  a  few  days  ;  after  which  time  his  dung  will  become 
well  formed  and  healthy-looking. 

Dry  bran  seems  to  have  a  binding  effect,  or,  at  least, 
one  opposed  to  a  lax  condition  of  the  bowels.  This 
is  probably  owing  to  a  healthy  action  of  the  stomach 
and  intestines  being  induced  by  bulk  being  given  to  the 
food,  without  the  addition  of  a  large  proportion  of 
nutriment  which  would  have  a  stimulating  effect. 

Wet  bran,  in  the  form  of  a  mash,  is  a  laxative. 

I  am  very  partial  to  the  use  of  bran  for  hacks  and 
ordinary  horses,  when  oats  are  not  used,  and  would 
advise  that  3  or  4  Ibs.  of  it  be  given  daily  in  a  dry  state. 
If  we  turn  to  page  49,  we  shall  see  that  bran  contains 
a  large  amount  of  mineral  matter,  of  which  a  com- 
paratively large  proportion  consists  of  phosphorus, 
which  is  essential  to  the  growth  and  development  of  the 
various  tissues. 

With  race-horses  and  others,  the  custom  is  to  give  a 
bran  mash  every  Saturday  night,  or  oftener,  as  the  case 
may  demand.  Instead  of  a  simple  bran  mash,  I  much 
prefer  one  to  which  linseed  has  been  added* 


HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

Bran  Mashes  are  made  as  follows  : — After  scald- 
ing a  stable  bucket  with  boiling  water,  put  into  it  about 
3  Ibs.  of  bran,  with  an  ounce  of  salt,  and  pour  in  as 
much  boiling  water  as  the  bran  will  take  up,  which 
will  be  about  equal  to  the  weight  of  the  bran  itself, 
calculating  the  gallon  of  water  to  weigh  10  Ibs.  The 
mash  should  then  be  well  covered,  so  as  to  keep  in  the 
steam,  and  should  be  left  to  stand  for  a  quarter  of  an 
hour,  or  twenty  minutes. 

Bran  and  Linseed  Mashes. — Boil  slowly  from  1 
to  If  Ibs.  of  linseed,  for  two  or  three  hours,  till  the 
grains  become  soft,  allowing  only  just  sumcent  water,  so 
that  at  the  end  of  the  time,  it  may,  when  the  linseed  is 
cooked,  soak  up  a  couple  of  pounds  of  bran,  which  is 
then  mixed  in  and  the  whole  covered  up,  as  before 
described.  The  thicker  the  mash,  the  readier  will  the 
horse  eat  it. 

Linseed. — This  grain,  which  is  the  seed  of  the  flax 
plant,  containing  as  it  does  a  large  percentage  of  oil,  is 
very  useful  for  fattening  horses  that  are  low  in  flesh. 
It  improves  the  condition  of  the  coat  in  a  marked 
manner,  and  has  a  peculiarly  soothing  effect  on  the 
urinary  organs.  A  linseed  mash  is  the  usual  form  in 
which  it  is  given.  If  the  making  of  this  cause  too 
much  trouble,  a  quarter  of  a  pint  of  the  oil,  mixed 
through  the  corn  daily,  may  be  substituted.  Linseed 
is  most  beneficial  in  cases  of  a  disordered  state  of  the 
skin,  difficulty  in  staling,  and  diseases  of  the  organs  of 
breathing. 

Owing  to  the  careless  method  of  saving  which  is 
adopted  by  cultivators  in  India,  the  linseed  that  is  sold 
in  the  bazaar,  usually,  contains  a  large  proportion  of 


EICE.  33 

mustard  seed  (Hind.  Sursori),  which  is  a  small,  round, 
light-yellow  seed,  and  maj/  be  readily  recognised  by  the 
taste  it  gives  on  being  chewed.  It  should  be  carefully 
separated  from  the  linseed  ;  for,  if  it  be  consumed  by 
the  horse,  it  may  have  an  injurious  effect  on  his  diges- 
tive and  urinary  organs.  In  linseed,  are  also  found 
rape  and  hempseed.  The  former  is  a  black  seed  of 
about  the  same  size  and  shape  as  mustard  seed.  The 
latter  is  an  oval  and  somewhat  flattened  seed,  about 
half  the  size  of  a  grain  of  wheat  ;  and  is  of  a  light 
brown  colour.  The  consumption  of  rape  and  hempseed, 
to  a  moderate  extent,  will  cause  no  ill-effect  to  the 
animal. 

Linseed  Tea  may  replace  water  as  a  drink,  when  we 
wish  to  give  linseed,  and  when  the  horse  will  not  take 
it  readily  in  other  forms.  It  may  be  made  by  boiling 
half  a  pound  of  linseed  in  two  gallons  of  water,  for  a 
couple  of  hours.  The  fluid  should  then  be  strained  off 
and  allowed  to  cool. 

Rice. — In  some  parts  of  India,  especially  in  Eastern 
Bengal,  rice  in  husk,  commonly  called  paddy  (Hind. 
Dhan),  is  much  used,  after  it  has  been  kept  for  one 
season.  It  is  given  raw  and  in  a  broken  state.  It 
forms  a  fairly  good  food.  A  mixture  of  one  part  of 
gram  to  two  of  rice  is  an  excellent  one  for  feeding 
purposes.  Eice,  without  the  husk,  is  quite  unsuitable 
for  horses. 

Rice-water  (Hind.  Kanjee)  is  most  useful  in  cases  of 
superpurgation,  &c.  It  may  be  prepared  by  boiling 
a  pound  of  rice  in  two  gallons  of  water,  for  a  couple  of 
hours.  If  time  be  of  consequence,  and  boiled  rice  be  at 
hand,  a  sufficient  amount  may  be  taken,  and  well 

D 


34  HORSE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

macerated  between  the  fingers  in  warm  water,  the 
whole  being  brought  to  the  boil,  and  then  allowed  to 
cool. 

Suttoo. — This,  mixed  with  water,  is  the  Indian 
substance  for  gruel.  It  is  usually  composed  of  ficely- 
ground  parched  gram  and  barley ;  but  is  sometimes 
made  from  Indian  corn  alone.  It  is  always  given  in 
cold  water,  1  Ib.  to  half  a  bucket  being  the  usual 
proportions.  The  horse  gets  his  suttoo  and  water 
usually  before  his  morning  feed.  I  have  never  been 
able  to  discover  any  benefit  to  arise  from  its  constant 
use.  Syces  are  very  partial  to  the  practice  of  giviug 
it :  but  more  for  their  own  sakes  than  that  of  their 
horses. 

Goor. — From  one  to  two  pounds  of  this  kind  of 
unrefined  sugar,  given  daily  as  a  bonne  louche,  is  useful 
for  getting  horses  into  condition,  and  for  tempting  the 
appetite  of  delicate  feeders. 

Carrots  and  other  roots  contain  but  a  small 
amount  of  nutriment  compared  to  their  bulk ;  hence 
they  are  inapplicable  for  forming  a  large  proportion  of 
the  food  of  horses  which  are  called  upon  to  do  fast  work. 
They  have  a  good  effect  on  the  animal's  general  health ; 
as  they  supply  the  system  with  certain  important  salts 
which  tend  to  preserve  the  fluidity  of  the  blood  and  to 
build  up  tissue.  They  are  especially  useful  when  the 
system  is  in  a  feverish  condition ;  for  then,  owing  to 
the  increased  waste  of  tissue,  the  blood  becomes  loaded 
with  impurities  and  abnormally  thick.  They  come 
into  season  during  the  autumn,  and  may,  with  great 
benefit,  be  given  in  quantities  of  6  or  7  Ibs.  daily :  2  or 
3  Ibs.  will  be  sufficient  for  race-horses. 


GRASS   AND   HAY.  35 

Carrots  are  the  best  roots  for  horses,  and,  next  to 
them,  parsnips.  Swedes  may  also  be  given.  Horses 
in  South  Africa  often  get  pumpkins  as  "green  meat." 
Other  roots  may  be  given,  in  a  boiled  state,  to  animals 
used  for  slow  draught. 

"  Carrots  also  improve  the  state  of  the  skin.  They 
form  a  good  substitute  for  grass,  and  an  excellent 
alterative  for  horses  out  of  condition.  To  sick  and 
idle  horses  they  render  corn  unnecessary.  They  are 
beneficial  in  all  chronic  diseases  of  the  organs  con- 
nected with  breathing,  and  have  a  marked  influence 
upon  chronic  cough  and  broken  wind.  They  are  ser- 
viceable in  diseases  of  the  skin.  In  combination  with 
oats,  they  restore  a  worn-out  horse  much  sooner  than 
oats  alone."  (Stewart.) 

Dr.  Voelcker  points  out,  that  the  nutritive  value  of 
different  root-crops  depends  largely  upon  their  state 
of  maturity  ;  that  unripe  loots  are  not  alone  poor  in 
sugar — hence  their  decreased  value — but  also  contain  a 
number  of  organic  acids  (notably  oxalic  acid),  and 
imperfectly  elaborated  nitrogenous  substances,  which 
appear  to  be  the  cause  of  their  unwholesomeness ;  that 
the  leaves  of  their  roots  contain  a  far  larger  proportion 
of  oxalic  acid  than  does  the  root  itself — hence,  the 
scouring  effect  produced  when  the  leaves  are  given — 
and  that  moderate-sized  and  well-matured  roots  are 
far  more  wholesome  than  monster  ones. 

Grass  and  Hay. — I  am  convinced,  from  long 
experience,  that  the  maintenance  of  good  condition  in 
the  horse  is  much  more  dependent  on  the  proper 
supply  of  grass  than  on  that  of  corn. 

The  following  are  the  best  Indian  grasses  : — 


36  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

Doob  (Cynodon  dactylon),  called  hurry  alee  in  Madras, 
is  generally  regarded  as  the  typical  form  of  good  Indian 
grass.  It  is  that  peculiar  root-grass  which  grows  on, 
or  rather  in,  the  surface  of  most  sandy  soils,  and 
spreads  itself  as  a  creeper,  so  that  it  has  to  be  rooted 
up  (cheeled)  with  a  sort  of  trowel,  which  is  called  in 
Hindustanee,  a  "kurpa.  In  good  soil,  when  cultivated, 
it  loses  its  creeping  character,  and  grows  like  English 
meadow  grass  ;  to  which,  I  think,  it  is  much  superior. 

"  Digitaria  sanguinalis  (called  janowa  in  Hindu- 
stanee, and  poliaong  in  the  Punjab)  is  an  excellent 
forage  grass,  and  makes  first-rate  hay. 

"  In  the  Himalayas  the  finest  of  all  grasses,  superior 
even  to  dhub,  is  a  kind  called  maniara  by  the  natives, 
and  Pennisetum  triflorum  by  English  botanists. 

"  Spear  grass  (Heteropogon  contort  us)  t  called  lam  in 
the  Punjab,  is  also  very  common  in  some  parts  of  the 
country.  The  spears  are  long  barbed  processes  at  the 
end  of  the  seed-covers.  It  is  good  fodder  if  given 
before  the  spears  form ;  and  even  afterwards  horses 
will  thrive  upon  it,  if  it  is  well  beaten  so  as  to  shake 
them  off."  (Meyriclc.) 

When  the  grass  is  brought  in,  it  should  be  opened 
out ;  carefully  picked ;  dried  in  the  sun,  for  a  day  or 
two,  as  may  be  deemed  necessary ;  and  beaten,  in 
order  to  get  rid  of  the  dust  and  earth  that  may  adhere 
to  its  roots,  before  it  is  given.  The  grass-cutters 
should  not  be  allowed  to  wash  it,  as  they  are  inclined 
to  do,  before  bringing  it  in,  with  the  object  of  making 
it  look  fresh  and  green,  and,  sometimes,  to  make  it 
weigh  heavy ;  for  doing  so  is  apt  to  dissolve  out  a 
portion  of  the  sap,  and  will  render  the  grass  liable  to 


GEASS  AND  HAY.  37 

ferment,  if  kept  tied  up  for  a  few  hours.  Besides,  there 
is  always  danger  of  disease  germs  being  conveyed  to 
the  grass,  from  the  water  in  which  it  may  have  been 
washed ;  for  the  filthiest  pool  will  be  considered,  by  the 
grass-cutters,  quite  good  enough  for  this  purpose.  "  It 
should  be  an  invariable  rule  never  to  feed  horses  on 
grass  grown  in  swamps,  on  account  of  the  numerous 
lower  forms  of  animal  and  vegetable  life  found  in 
stagnant  water.  Horned  cattle  living  on  swampy  land 
are  particularly  liable  to  anthrax ;  and  there  is  no 
doubt  but  that  this  very  fatal  disease,  called  in  India 
Loodianah  fever  (a  form  of  anthrax),  is  often  caused 
by  horses  either  drinking  stagnant  water,  or  eating 
grass  grown  in  it.  Worm  in  the  eye  also  appears  to  be 
produced  in  the  same  way."  (MeyricJc.') 

I  have  abridged  the  following  remarks  on  grass  and 
hay,  from  a  paper  by  M.  L.  Grandeau,  which  appeared 
in  the  Journal  d' Agriculture  Pratique  : — 

Growing  grass  possesses  a  waxy  envelope,  which 
protects  the  sugar,  albumen,  and  other  soluble  com- 
pounds contained  in  it,  from  being  dissolved  by 
moisture  and  rain.  When  the  grass  is  cut,  this  varnish 
gradually  wears  away,  and  if  the  grass  be  exposed  to 
wet,  it  will  then  lose  a  considerable  portion  of  its 
nutritive  elements,  especially  if  this  envelope  be 
bruised  in  any  way.  As  long  as  the  plant  lives,  it 
cannot  be  the  seat  of  fermentation,  which  process  is 
caused  by  the  nitrogenous  matters  coming  in  contact 
with  the  sugar  and  water,  on  the  breaking  up  of  the 
different  cells  which  compose  the  substance  of  the 
grass.  During  fermentation,  the  non-nitrogenous 
matters  are  turned  into  sugar,  then  into  alcohol,  and 


38  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

finally  into  carbonic  acid,  which  is  set   free   into   the 
atmosphere  in  the  form  of  gas.     Thus,  fodder  which 
has  been  submitted  to  active  fermentation  soon  loses 
the  most  of  its   nutritive  properties.     When  grass   is 
cut,  if  the  weather  is  fine  and  warm,  so  that  desicca- 
tion takes  place  rapidly,  the  proportion   of  moisture 
soon  falls  so  low  that  fermentation  cannot  take  place. 
The  hay  remains  upon  the  ground  and  cannot  easily 
become  heated,  even  though  in  reality  it  contains  more 
water  than  fodder  harvested  in   bad  condition.     The 
more  rapidly  hay  is  turned  to  the  sun,  the  less  it  will 
be   bruised ;  and  the  greener  it  is,  the  better  it  will 
resist  fermentation  when  it  is  stored.     Nevertheless,  it 
often  happens  that  a    too  rapid    preparation   injures 
fodder,  and  in  a  good  year  hay  appears  to  be  saved  in 
fine  condition,  when  in  reality  it  is  not.     If  hay  be 
completely  dried  in  the  sun  it  will  not  heat.     A  slight 
fermentation,  far  from  being  deleterious,  is  often  very 
useful ;  in  fact,  we  know  that,  in  such  a  case,  certain 
aromatic  principles  are  produced  which  render  fodder 
more  sapid,  and  perhaps  even  more  nourishing.     As 
long  as  the  green  colour  remains,  the  hay  has  lost  none 
of  its   quality.     When  it    is  much  heated,   it   turns 
brown.     Some  cultivators  prefer  brown  to  green  hay, 
and  it  is  certain  that  the  former  frequently  has  more 
flavour  and  smell  than  the  latter.     Although  horses 
may  prefer  brown  hay,  it  is  not  at  all  desirable  to  have 
sufficient  moisture  in  the  fodder  at  the  time  it  is  housed 
to  turn  it  brown  ;  because  the  loss  resulting  from  fer- 
mentation   is    not     counterbalanced    by    the     slight 
aromatic  smell  it  requires. 

Grass  lands,  unless  of  exceptional  richness,  require 


STEAW  AND   CHAFF.  39 

to  be  manured  in  order  to  keep  up  the  quality,  as  well 
as  the  quantity  of  the  grass  produced.  Poor  and  im- 
poverished land  produces  but  very  inferior  fodder.  On 
the  other  hand,  as  pointed  out  by  Mr.  H.  S.  Thompson 
(Journal  of  the  Eoyal  Agricultural  Society,  1872),  if 
land  be  treated  with  an  excess  of  manure  rich  in 
nitrogenous  matters,  as  guano  and  nitrate  of  soda, 
the  luxuriant  grass  thus  produced  will  be  of  inferior 
quality,  and  will  prove  unwholesome.  The  same 
remark  applies  to  carrots  and  other  roots. 

Straw  and  Chaff. — When  horses  are  fed  in  the 
ordinary  way,  on  corn  and  hay,  or  on  corn  and  grass, 
there  is  no  objection  to  allowing  them  to  eat  wheat  or 
oat  straw,  which,  if  they  be  that  way  inclined,  they  will 
generally  select  from  their  bedding.  Wheat  and  oat 
straw  are  more  easily  digested  than  barley  straw ;  all 
three  kinds  being  better  than  rice  straw.  I  have 
noticed  that  in  England,  some  horses  will  not  thrive 
unless  they  are  allowed  to  eat  a  portion  of  their  straw 
bedding.  This  is,  probably,  owing  to  the  fact  that, 
for  the  digestion  of  the  highly-nutritious  food  upon 
which  they  are  fed,  they  require  an  additional  amount 
of  bulk,  which  the  straw  supplies.  In  India,  sufficient 
bulk  will  generally  be  obtained  from  the  grass  which 
the  animal  consumes.  Although  "  long  straw  "  may 
be  a  useful  adjunct  to  grass  or  hay,  as  a  food,  I  do  not 
think  it  advisable  to  give  it  alone  and  in  large  quanti- 
ties, with  the  corn ;  for  it  will  then  be  liable  to  produce 
obstinate  constipation.  Its  consumption,  to  the  exclu- 
sion of  hay  or  grass,  is  supposed  to  be  a  fruitful  cause 
of  roaring  among  Scotch  cart-horses.  The  breaking  up 
or  cutting  up  of  straw  into  small  pieces  seems  to 


40  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

greatly  increase  its  food  value  when  given  with  grain ; 
apparently,  on  account  of  the  "  chaff"  facilitating  the 
more  thorough  mastication  of  the  corn  by  separating 
the  grains  or  particles  of  the  corn  one  from  another,  and 
by  more  evenly  distributing  the  pressure  of  the  teeth 
on  them.   We  may  readily  see  that  for  the  performance 
of  this  work,  it  is  better  to  have  the  different  pieces  of 
chaff  soft  than  hard ;  although  the  softness  should  be 
obtained  by  bruising  or  tearing,  and  not  by  the  appli- 
cation of  moisture.     In  Egypt,  Syria,  Arabia,  and  other 
Asiatic  countries,  the  chaff  is  formed  from  wheat  or 
barley  straw,  which  is  broken  up  into  small  pieces  and 
is  thoroughly  bruised  by  the  native  threshing  machine 
(Arabic,  noraj),  and  is  then  called  tibben.    A  mixture 
of  barley  and    tibben    forms    the  staple  food  of  vast 
numbers  of  Eastern  horses,  which,  except  on  rare  occa- 
sions, get  no  other  forage,  and  which  keep  in  excellent 
condition  on  it.     Horses  would  not  thrive  as  well  on 
ordinary  chopped  straw,  thus  given,  as  on  tibben.    A 
similar  practice  is  carried  on  in  South  Africa,  where 
the  chaff  is  made  principally  from  wheat  straw,  which 
is  bruised  and  broken  up  into  small  pieces  daring  the 
process  of  threshing,  which  is  performed  by  horses  and 
mules  trampling  upon  the  stalks  of  corn.     In  places 
where  this  bruised  chaff  could  not  be  obtained,  it  would 
be  very  useful  to  have  a  special  machine  which  could 
bruise  and  break  up  the  straw  in  this  manner,  were  it 
desired  to  use  straw  as  a  food  for  horses. 

Oat  Hay  and  Wheat  Hay. — Oat  hay  is  largely 
used  in  the  Australasian  Colonies  and  in  South  Africa, 
where  it  is  called  "  forage,"  either  as  an  addition  to, 
or  as  a  substitute  for,  ordinary  hay  or  grass.  The  oats 


KURBEE.  41 

for  this  purpose  are  cut  when  the  grain  has  just  lost 
its  milkiness,  and  when  the  green  stalk  is  beginning  to 
turn  in  colour  ;  the  obj  ect  being  to  get  as  much  flour 
in  the  grain  as  possible,  without  allowing  the  stalk  to 
become  hard  and  dry.  We  must  remember  that  if  the 
grain  be  allowed  to  ripen,  the  sheaves  would  bear  trans- 
port badly ;  for  even  a  moderate  degree  of  shaking  would 
then  cause  a  large  proportion  of  the  grain  to  fall  out  of 
the  ears.  In  South  Africa,  oat  hay  frequently  replaces 
hay  and  grass  entirely  in  the  feeding  of  horses — and 
with  good  results.  Race-horses  in  that  country  are  fed 
entirely  on  "  forage  "  (as  a  substitute  for  hay)  and  oats, 
in  which  case,  about  six  inches  of  the  lower  end  of  the 
stalks  of  the  oat  hay  are  cut  off.  I  must,  however,  say, 
from  personal  experience,  that  I  do  not  think  that 
race-horses  trained  on  this  food,  show  as  good  condition 
as  those  which  are  prepared  in  India  on  doob  grass  and 
oat ;  notwithstanding  that  the  Indian  oats  are  inferior 
in  quality  to  those  grown  in  South  Africa.  I  am 
therefore  of  opinion  that  although  oat  hay  is  a 
valuable  adjunct  (as  I  have  often  proved  it  to  be) 
to  doob  grass,  it  is  not  altogether  a  satisfactory 
substitute. 

Wheat  hay,  prepared  like  oat  hay,  though  not  as 
good,  can  be  used  in  place  of  it.  Green  oats  or  green 
wheat  may  be  used  as  "  green  meat "  for  horses,  in  the 
same  way  as  we  would  employ  lucern,  etc. 

Kurbee. — Kurbee,  which  is  the  stalks  of  Indian 
millet,  called  in  Hindustanee,  ^Vwar  (Holcus  sorghum, 
or  Sorghum  vulgare),  or  bajra  (Panicum  spicatum), 
may  be  given,  without  being  prepared  in  any  way,  in 
quantities  of  about  25  Ibs.  daily,  as  a  substitute  for 


42  HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

grass  for  feeding  and  bedding,  when  grass  is  scarce. 
Ju'war  is  known  in  Madras  as  clwluin. 

Bamboo  Leaves. — In  some  parts  of  Eastern 
Bengal,  these  leaves  are  used  as  a  substitute  for  grass  ; 
which  purpose  they  answer  fairly  well;  although, 
sometimes,  they  have  too  laxative  an  effect. 

Lucern. — Lucern  forms  the  best  green  crop  for  use 
during  the  hot  weather.  The  seeds  are  readily  procur- 
able, and  the  plant,  as  a  rule,  grows  well  in  India, 
provided  it  gets  a  sufficiency  of  water.  When  out  of 
work,  8  or  9  Ibs.  of  it  will  be  a  good  allowance  for  each 
horse  :  half  to  be  given  after  the  morning  feed,  the 
rest  during  the  afternoon.  It  is  advisable  to  dry  it, 
for  half  an  hour  or  so  in  the  sun,  before  the  horse 
eats  it. 

Milk. — For  sick  or  delicate  horses,  milk  is  often 
most  valuable,  and  they  will  seldom  refuse  it.  Sweet 
skim-milk  is  preferable  to  new  milk,  which,  from  being 
too  rich,  it  very  apt  to  purge  the  horse.  A  couple  of 
gallons  may  be  given  daily.  To  correct  any  tendency 
it  might  have  to  produce  diarrhoea,  the  milk  might  be 
boiled  in  a  clean  vessel,  care  being  taken  that  it  be 
not  smoked  during  the  process.  Sugar  or  salt  may 
be  added. 

Stowage  of  Grain. — Grain  may  be  kept  sweet, 
and  free  from  the  attacks  of  rats  and  mice,  in  large 
earthen  jars  (Hind.  Mutka).  They  will  hold  about 
600  Ibs.,  are  very  cheap,  and  can  be  easily 
procured. 

Bags,  capable  of  holding  about  a  ton,  may  be  em- 
ployed. Each  bag  will  cost  about  7  or  8  rupees,  and 
should  be  placed  on  a  wooden  stand.  There  is  gene- 


STOWAGE   OF   GKAIN.  43 

rally  some  difficulty  about  protecting  them  from  the 
attacks  of  vermin. 

Native  grain-sellers  generally  use  receptacles  (Hind. 
Kotliee)  made  of  thin  bamboo  wicker-work  plastered 
over  with  clay,  or  with  clay  and  cow-dung. 

If  a  large  quantity  of  grain  has  to  be  stowed  away, 
a  granary  may  be  constructed  as  folio ws  : — Trace  on 
the  ground  a  circle  of  about  1 6  feet  in  diameter,  and 
build  on  its  circumference  twelve  or  thirteen  brick 
pillars,  say  18  inches  square  and  2J  feet  high,  and,  at 
its  centre,  a  circular  pillar  of  the  same  height,  and 
about  3  feet  in  diameter.  On  these  pillars  construct 
a  boarded  floor,  and  build  on  it  a  strong  bamboo 
wicker-work  house,  9  or  10  feet  high.  This  is  plastered 
over,  a  small  door  is  left  at  the  top,  and  a  light  thatched 
roof  is  put  over  the  whole.  A  house,  such  as  I  have 
described,  would  cost,  say  25  rupees,  and  would  hold 
about  25  tons  of  oats. 

Measures  and  Weights  of  Grain. — A  Bengal  mun 
(Anglice  maund)  is  about  82  Ibs.  In  England  the 
following  measures  are  used  : — 

4  quarterns  (quarts)    ...         ...     1  gallon. 

4  gallons          ...         ...         ...     1  bushel. 

8  bushels          ...         ...         ...     1  quarter. 

A  quartern  or  feed  of  oats  weighs  about  2|  Ibs. 


CHAPTEK  IV. 

SKETCH   OF   THE    THEORY    OF    FOOD   AND   NUTRITION. 

COMPOSITION  OF  THE  BODY — WASTE  OF  TISSUE— REPAIR  OF  WASTE- 
ANALYSIS  OF  FORAGE— ANALYSIS  OF  THE  ASH  OF  VARIOUS  PLANTS 
AND  SEEDS  — NITROGENOUS  FOOD — FAT,  STARCH,  AND  SUGAR  IN 
FOOD— HEAT  SUPPLY  — MINERAL  SUBSTANCES — HUSK  OF  GRAIN — 
BULK  IN  FOOD —SELECTION  OF  FOOD — HAY  AND  GRASS— GREEN 
MEAT — VARIETY  IN  FOOD— SALT— RELATIONS  OF  COLD,  HEAT,  AND 
CLOTHING  TO  FOOD  —  MASTICATION  AND  DIGESTION  —  FUNCTIONS 
PERFORMED  BY  THE  BLOOD  —  APPETITE  —  INLUENCE  OF  AN 
ARTIFICIAL  STATE  OF  LIFE— PREPARATION  OF  FOOD. 

Composition  of  the  Body — Nearly  four-fifths  of 
the  body  of  the  horse  is  composed  of  water,  the  remainder 
being  made  up  of  various  organic  and  inorganic  com- 
pounds. The  former  may  be  subdivided  into  substances 
containing  nitrogen — a  gas,  which  when  mixed  with 
oxygen,  forms  atmospheric  air — and  substances  which 
are  wanting  in  that  element.  The  latter  comprise  the 
different  mineral  matters  of  the  system,  such  as  com- 
mon salt,  the  carbonate  and  phosphate  of  lime,  and 
carbonic  acid,  with  traces  of  ammonia.  The  non-nitro- 
geiious  compounds  may  be  put  under  two  classes ; 
namely,  fats,  and  saccharine  substances,  such  as  milk 
and  sugar. 

Every  tissue  of  the  body  which  is  employed  in  the 
performance  of  labour — such  as  the  muscles,  tendons, 
nerves,  glands,  &c.— is  composed  of  substances  that 


COMPOSITION   OF   THE   BODY.  45 

come  under  the  nitrogenous  group ;  "  even  the  non- 
cellular  liquids  passing  out  into  the  alimentary  canal 
at  various  points — which  have  so  great  an  action  in 
preparing  the  food  in  different  ways — are  not  only 
nitrogenous,  but  the  constancy  of  this  implies  the 
necessity  of  the  nitrogen,  in  order  that  these  actions 
shall  be  performed."  (Parkes.)  White  of  egg  is  a  familiar 
example  of  this  group.  These  nitrogenous  substances 
consist  of  carbon — of  which  charcoal  is  a  well-known 
form— hydrogen  and  oxygen — the  two  constituents  of 
water— combined  in  various  propotions  with  nitrogen, 
and,  in  the  case  of  albuminous  substances,  with  a 
small  amount  of  sulphur. 

Both  the  fats  and  saccharine  matters  are  composed 
of  certain  combinations  of  carbon,  hydrogen  and 
oxygen.  In  the  latter,  the  two  last-mentioned  elements 
are  united  in  the  proportion  that  forms  water,  so  that 
sugar  and  starch  may  be  regarded  as  a  combination 
of  carbon  with  that  fluid ;  but  in  the  former,  there  is 
a  smaller  amount  of  oxygen.  The  fat,  which  is 
deposited  as  a  layer  immediately  under  the  skin,  serves 
to  maintain  the  internal  temperature  of  the  body,  by 
the  fact  of  its  being  a  bad  conductor  of  heat.  Fat 
also  acts  as  a  natural  elastic  cushion  to  various  parts 
of  the  system,  as,  for  instance,  at  the  back  of  the  eye- 
ball, above  the  horny  frog,  and  around  the  joints. 

Dr.  Carpenter  remarks,  that  "the  muscular,  nervous, 
and  glandular  tissues  are  not  composed  of  albuminous 
substances  alone;  they  contain,  as  an  essential  con- 
stituent of  their  structure,  a  certain  portion  of  fat, 
without  which  their  composition  would  be  imperfect, 
and  the  performance  of  their  functions  impossible." 


46  HOESE    MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

Such  fat,  he  points  out,  must,  therefore,  be  regarded 
as  a  tissue  former,  and  not  alone  a  supplier  of  heat, 
although  it  will  serve  in  the  latter  capacity  on  becoming 
broken  up. 

"Waste  of  Tissue.— Every  tissue  of  the  body  has 
a  certain  limited  time  for  existence  (a  period  which  is 
directly  shortened  by  exercise),  after  which  it  becomes 
broken  up,  and  is  absorbed  into  the  blood.  In  order  to 
remove  these  effete  and  deleterious  matters,  the  system 
is  provided  with  various  excretory  organs,  such  as  the 
lungs,  kidneys,  &c.  During  respiration,  the  oxygen, 
which  is  absorbed  from  the  air  by  the  blood-vessels  in 
the  air-cells  of  the  lungs,  is  carried  through  the  various 
parts  of  the  body,  so  that  it  may  break  up  the  effete 
tissue  by  combining  with  the  carbon  to  form  carbonic 
acid,  which  the  blood,  at  the  completion  of  its  circuit, 
conveys  to  the  lungs,  to  be  by  them  expelled  into  the 
atmosphere. 

A  small  amount  of  carbonic  acid  is  eliminated  by  the 
skin. 

We  may  roughly  express  the  oxidation  of  the  various 
tissues  as  follows  : — 

1.  Fat  +  oxygen  =  carbon  +  hydrogen  +  oxygen 

+  oxygen  =  carbonic  acid  +  water. 

2.  Sugar  +  oxygen  =  carbon  +  water  +  oxygen 

=  carbonic  acid  +  water. 

3.  Albumen  +  oxygen  =  carbon  +  hydrogen  + 

nitrogen  +  oxygen  4-  oxygen  =  carbonic 
acid  +  water + degraded  nitrogenous  matters, 
such  as  urea,  &c. 

The  carbonic  acid,  as  we  have  already  seen,  is  got 
rid  of  by  means  of  the  lungs,  which,  together  with  the 


EEPAIE    OF   WASTE.  47 

kidneys  and  skin  eliminate  water ;  the  degraded  nitro- 
genous matters,  and  broken-np  mineral  substances 
being  excreted  by  the  kidneys, 

Repair  of  Waste. — In  order  to  supply  material 
for  the  repair  of  the  constant  waste  experienced  by  the 
system,  the  animal  must  have  food  which  shall  answer 
the  following  conditions  : — 

1.  It  must  contain  a  proper  proportion  of  the 

elements  necessary  for  the   building  up   of 
the  new  tissue. 

2.  It  must  be  digestible. 

3.  It  must  be  of  sufficient  bulk  for  the  stomach 

and  intestines  to  act  on  it. 

4.  It  must  be  palatable. 

Grain,  grasses,  and  roots,  used  in  suitable  propor- 
tions, answer  the  above  conditions.  As  chemistry 
enables  us  to  analyse  these  foods,  we  may,  by  its  aid, 
approximately  judge  of  their  respective  nutritive  values. 
The  following  tables  may  serve  as  a  guide  to  the 
reader : — 


48 


HORSE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 


ANALYSIS  OF  FOKAGE. 

Compiled  from  the  writings  of  Drs.  Voelcker,  ParJces, 
Letheby,  and  Professors  Wolff  and  Knop. 


Albuminoids. 

i 

p 

CQ 
<% 

A 

03 

1 

4 

<! 

g 

,0 

£ 

1 

0 

14 

1 

Grass  before  blossom  

3 

12-1 

.« 

2-1 

7 

75 

„    after        „        
White  clover,  full  blossom 
Lucern  in  blossom     ... 
,,        very  young      ... 
Meadow  hay       
Lucern  hay          
Rye  grass  hay     
Barley  straw       
Oat  straw            

2-5 
3-5 
4-5 
4'5 
8-2 
14-4 
10-2 
3 
2-5 

14-3 
7-2 
6-3 
7-2 
39'2 
20 
36-2 
31-3 
36'2 

•7 
•8 
•7 
•6 
2 
2-5 
2-7 
1-4 
2 

2 
2 
2 
1-7 
6-2 
6-4 
6-5 
7 
5 

11-5 
6 
12-5 
5 
30 
40 
30-2 
43 
40 

69 

80-5 
74 
81 
14-3 
16-7 
14-3 
14-3 
14-3 

Wheat  straw       
Carrots  

2 

•7 

30-2 
7-7 

1-5 
•2 

5-5 
•9 

48 
3-5 

14-3 

87 

Parsnips                 .     ... 

1-3 

7'7 

•5 

1 

7'5 

82 

1-5 

6 

•2 

•7 

2-1 

89-5 

Barley  

9'5 

64-1 

2-5 

2-6 

7 

14  3 

Beans                          ... 

25-5 

43-5 

2 

3-5 

11-5 

14-5 

Beer      

•1 

8-7 

•2 

91 

14 

462 

3-8 

5-1 

17-8 

13-1 

Dates    

1093 

63-4 

•19 

1-5 

2-38 

21-6 

Egg,  white  of      

20-4 

1-6 

78 

„    yolk  of        
Gram  (husked)   
Hemp  seed          

16 
22-7 
16-3 

63*18 
21-6 

30-7 
3-76 
33-6 

1-3 

2-6 
4-2 

12-1 

52 
11-39 
12-2 

Kulthee  (husked)       
Linseed 

23-27 
20-5 

59-38 
18 

2-2 
37 

3-19 
5 

7-2 

12-03 
12-3 

10 

61 

7 

21 

5-5 

14-4 

Milk      

4-04 

4-62 

3-08 

•71 

87-55 

Millet   

14-5 

59-1 

3 

3 

6-4 

14 

Oats        

12 

54-9 

6 

3 

10-3 

14-3 

Peas      

22-4 

49'8 

2-5 

2-5 

9-2 

14-3 

Rape  sGed                  

19  4 

15-4 

40 

3-9 

10-3 

11 

6-3 

79-5 

•7 

•5 

13 

Urud     

24-73 

58-76 

1-36 

3-17 

12-44 

Wheat  

13 

66-1 

1-5 

2 

3 

14-4 

Lentils  

23-8 

49'4 

2-6 

3 

6-9 

14-3 

THEORY  OF  FOOD  AND  NUTKITION. 


49 


&c 


50  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

In  the  foregoing  table,  the  analysis  of  oats  is  that  of 
good  English  corn,  which,  I  may  say,  does  not  contain 
more  than  half  the  proportion  of  woody  fibre  found  in 
the  Indian  variety. 

Owing  to  the  indigestibility  of  bran,  its  nutritive 
value  is  not  in  accordance  with  its  chemical  composi- 
tion. This  want  of  agreement  is  also  apparent  in  other 
foods,  notably  in  wheat  and  potatoes.  The  portions  of 
bran  which  cannot  be  digested  serve  a  useful  purpose 
in  giving  bulk  to  the  food,  and  in  stimulating  the 
digestive  canal  by  the  slight  mechanical  irritation 
which  its  presence  causes. 

The  nitrogenous  matters  contain  from  15*4  to  16 '5 
per  cent,  of  nitrogen  (Parkes). 

Nitrogenous  Food.— The  natural  waste  of  nitro- 
genous tissue  is  accelerated  by  exertion,  though  to  a 
far  smaller  extent  than  is  that  of  fat.  From  the 
analysis  of  the  urine  of  men,  taken  while  they  were 
undergoing  violent  exertion,  it  was  observed  that  there 
was  but  a  small  increase  in  the  waste  of  nitrogenous 
products,  which,  as  before  remarked,  are  excreted  by 
the  kidneys.  Experience,  however,  demonstrates  the 
necessity,  in  such  cases,  of  an  adequate  supply  of 
nitrogen,  as  may  be  seen  by  the  good  results  obtained 
from  the  addition  to  oats  of  beans— in  England— or  of 
gram,  or  kulthee — in  India— especially,  when,  from  old 
age,  or  illness,  the  horse's  powers  of  assimilation  were 
diminished.  Such  a  diet,  however,  should  be  carefully 
regulated,  for  an  over-supply  is  apt  to  upset  the  animal's 
digestion,  and  to  poison  his  blood  by  causing  it  to 
become  filled  with  an  excess  of  deleterious  nitrogenous 
products,  which  the  excretory  organs  will  be  unable  to 


NITEOGENOUS   FOOD.  51 

eliminate  with  sufficient  rapidity.  We  may  often 
witness  the  baneful  effects — in  the  form  of  diarrhoea, 
filled  legs,  and  a  general  "  heated  "  states  of  the  system 
— of  the  consumption  of  too  much  gram,  or  kulthee. 

An  excess  of  nitrogenous  food,  such  as  gram,  or 
kulthee,  seems  to  hasten  the  oxidation  of  fat,  probably, 
by  inducing  a  fevered  state  of  the  system,  in  which  the 
temperature  of  the  body  is  raised  above  its  normal 
degree.  Hence  we  find  that  an  excess  of  such  food 
retards  the  process  of  getting  an  animal  into  a  fat 
condition. 

Fat,  Starch,  and  Sugar  in  Food. — These  con- 
stituents are,  by  the  process  of  digestion,  utilized  in  the 
formation  of  fat ;  the  first  named  being  directly 
absorbed,  without  undergoing  any  organic  change.  Its 
excess  is  apt,  especially  during  idleness,  to  cause  de- 
rangement of  the  liver,  from  its  accumulating  to  an 
injurious  extent  in  the  cells  of  that  organ ;  and  also 
tends  to  produce  fatty  infiltration  and  degeneration  of 
various  tissues,  rendering  them  unable  to  bear  the  strain 
of  violent  exertion.  Too  large  a  supply  of  sugar  also 
acts  in  a  similar,  but  in  a  less  energetic  manner.  An 
excess  of  starch  appears  to  exert  little  or  no  injurious 
effect  ;  for  what  is  not  required,  seems  to  be  harmlessly 
expelled  with  the  dung.  Thus,  we  see  that  the  bad 
results  of  an  excess  of  either  fat,  sugar,  or  starch  are  in 
a  direct  proportion  to  the  ease  with  which  they  are 
assimilated.  When  an  animal  is  in  poor  condition,  the 
value  of  these  foods  is  in  the  same  ratio. 

Nitrogenous  matters  are  also  capable  of  forming  fat ; 
for  in  them  we  find  the  necessary  carbon,  hydrogen, 
and  oxygen.  This  process  of  obtaining  fat  from  nitro- 


52  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

genous  food,  probably,  takes  place  to  a  far  slighter 
degree  among  the  herbivora,  than  among  the  carnivora, 
whose  bodily  weight  and  internal  temperature  can  be 
sustained  on  a  diet  of  lean  meat  alone. 

When  long-distance  walking  and  swimming  came 
into  vogue  a  few  years  ago,  it  was  thought  that  con- 
centrated food,  of  a  highly  nitrogenous  nature,  was  the 
most  suitable  for  the  athlete  while  attempting  such 
feats.  The  fallacy  of  this  was  proved  by  experience ; 
for  it  was  found  that  incomparably  greater  trials  of 
endurance  were  performed  under  a  regimen  rich  in  fat, 
than  under  the  old  system  of  training  on  lean  meat  and 
dry  bread.  This  was  notably  shown  in  the  case  of 
Gale,  while  walking  1,500  miles  in  1,000  hours  ;  for  his 
diet  consisted  of  ordinary  meat,  buttered  toast  and 
bread,  eggs,  &c.  Gale,  it  must  be  remembered,  while 
performing  his  remarkable  feat,  walked  H  miles  at  the 
commencement  of  each  consecutive  hour.  In  the  days 
of  our  forefathers,  Captain  Barclay  astonished  the 
athletic  world  by  walking  1,000  miles  in  1,000  hours. 
He,  however,  by  having  been  allowed  to  do  a  mile  at 
the  end  of  one  hour,  and  another  at  the  commencement 
of  the  next  hour,  was  able  to  procure,  between  his  tasks, 
more  than  double  the  length  of  rest  which  was  given 
to  the  Cardiff  man.  Weston,  the  pedestrian,  was,  I 
believe,  one  of  the  first  to  demonstrate,  in  England,  the 
advantages  of  this  system.  Webb,  the  Channel 
swimmer,  too,  was  another  instance.  Indian  wrestlers, 
who  always  train  on  a  diet  rich  in  fat,  have  for  ages 
worked  on  true  physiological  principles  which  European 
scientists  are  only  just  beginning  to  understand.  I 
am  thoroughly  convinced  that  the  fact  of  modern  feats 


HEAT    SUPPLY.  53 

of  endurance,  totally  eclipsing  the  performances  done  in 
former  days,  is  mainly  owing  to  a  larger  supply  of  fat 
and  starch  having  been  introduced  into  the  diet  of 
athletes.  This  lesson  we  should  utilize  in  the  case  of 
hard-worked  horses.  Unfortunately  our  choice  in  the 
matter  of  food  is  here  but  small,  when  we  are  limited 
in  the  matter  of  expense,  except  in  the  case  of  linseed, 
which  is  a  thoroughly  suitable  article.  We  might, 
however,  in  some  cases,  supplement  it  with  milk,  eggs, 
ghee  (clarified  butter),  and  goor  (unrefined  sugar). 

We  find  that,  for  the  maintenance  of  health,  a  man 
requires,  in  his  food,  a  supply  of  fat  as  well  as  of  starch, 
and  that  the  former  cannot  be  replaced  altogether  by 
the  latter.  The  horse,  it  appears,  is  far  more  indepen- 
dent of  a  supply  of  fat  in  his  diet,  than  is  man ;  but 
whether  it  can  be  dispensed  with  altogether  or  not,  is  a 
question  I  am  unable  to  answer.  The  fact,  however, 
of  the  existence  of  a  certain,  though  varying  proportion 
of  fat,  in  the  natural  food  of  the  animal,  indicates  its 
value,  if  not  its  absolute  necessity.  In  the  daily  diet, 
given  by  Dr.  Parkes,  for  a  man  performing  very  laborious 
work,  we  find  that  the  fat  is  to  the  starch  and  sugar,  as 
one  is  to  four.  The  proportion  for  a  horse,  on  a  full 
supply  of  oats  and  hay,  is  about  one  to  sixty. 

In  food  for  horses,  it  appears  that  sugar  may  be 
entirely  replaced  by  starch,  though  the  converse  of  this 
does  not  hold  good. 

Heat  Supply.— The  constant  oxidation  of  carbon 
and  hydrogen — attended  by  the  formation  of  carbonic 
acid  and  water — in  the  various  tissues,  is  accompanied 
by  the  evolution  of  heat,  which  serves  to  sustain  the 
internal  temperature  of  the  body  of  the  horse  at  about 


54  HORSE   MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

100 *5  F.  During  exercise,  there  is  a  proportionate 
increase  in  the  amount  of  tissue  broken  up  by  these 
chemical  combinations  taking  place ;  but  the  greater 
portion  of  the  excess  of  heat  appears  to  be  utilized  by 
its  becoming  converted  into  motion  ;  for  we  find  that 
after  rapid  movement,  which  is  necessarily  accom- 
panied by  considerable  waste  of  tissue,  there  is  but  a 
very  slight  increase  in  the  temperature  of  the  body. 
This  is  in  accordance  with  the  fact  that  heat  and 
motion  are  but  modifications,  though  under  different 
forms,  of  force. 

Mineral  Substances. — These,  with  the  exception 
of  common  salt,  are  obtained  in  ample  sufficiency  from 
the  various  grasses.  Corn  contains  them  in  a  far 
smaller  proportion  (see  page  49) :  hence  the  necessity 
of  the  former  food.  We  may  observe,  as  before 
remarked,  that  bran  contains  a  large  proportion  of 
phosphorus,  which  is  an  indispensable  factor  in  all  the 
functions  of  life. 

The  phosphates  of  lime  and  magnesia,  the  carbonate 
of  lime,  and  silica  are  the  chief  agents  that  give  solidity 
to  the  bony  skeleton.  The  phosphate  and  carbonate  of 
soda  "  would  seem  to  have  as  their  chief  purpose  the 
maintenance  of  the  alkalinity  of  the  blood,  on  which 
depends  not  merely  the  solubility  of  its  albumen,  but  the 
facility  of  its  passage  through  the  capillaries,  and  the 
readiness  with  which  its  combustive  materials  are 
oxidized,  whilst  they  also  increase  the  absorptive  power 
of  the  serum  for  gases,  and  thus  play  an  important 
part  in  the  respiratory  process.  The  salts  of  potash 
appear  to  be  specially  required  for  the  nutrition  of  the 
muscles  and  nerves,  since  they  are  largely  present  in 


BULK   IN   FOOD.  55 

the  fluids  and  ashes  of  these  tissues,  but  they  probably 
exert  the  same  general  influence  as  those  of  soda.  .  . 
The  presence  of  the  earthy  salts,  on  the  other  hand, 
would  seem  to  have  reference  almost  exclusively  to  the 
composition  of  the  tissues,  into  which  some  of  them 
enter  very  largely."  (Carpenter.)  Iron  is  princi- 
pally found  in  the  red  corpuscles  of  the  blood,  in  the 
muscles,  and  in  the  hair. 

Husk  of  Grain. — The  office  of  the  husk  of  grain 
appears  to  be  that  of  furnishing  mineral  matters,  and  of 
giving  bulk  to  the  food.  It  also  seems,  by  mechanical 
irritation,  to  increase  the  wormlike  motion  of  the 
bowels,  which  tends  to  obviate  the  ill-consequences 
which  might  arise  from  the  decomposition,  in  the  in- 
testines, of  the  unassimilated  nitrogenous  matters  of 
the  corn ;  a  possibility  likely  to  occur  owing  to  the  un- 
stable nature  of  the  compounds  of  nitrogen.  Both 
from  theory  and  practice  we  may  safely  conclude,  that 
the  husk  should  not  be  removed  from  the  grain  which 
the  horse  is  to  consume. 

We  may  see,  from  the  foregoing  observations,  that 
the  working  parts  of  the  animal  machine  are  formed 
of  nitrogenous  and  mineral  substances,  with  a  small 
amount  of  fat ;  the  motor  power  being  obtained  from 
heat  generated  by  the  oxidation  of  fat,  and  also  of  the 
component  parts  of  the  machine  itself. 

Bulk  in  Food. — The  fact  of  the  horse's  intestines 
being  of  large  capacity,  indicates  that  his  food  should 
be  of  a  bulky  nature.  The  intestines  have  a  wormlike 
motion,  which  causes  the  food  to  become  thoroughly 
mixed  with  the  intestinal  juices,  its  various  particles  to 
be  presented  to  the  absorbents — which  take  up  the 


56  HORSE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

nutritive  matter — and  the  remainder  to  be  expelled 
onwards.  They  possess  this  power  of  motion  from  the 
fact  of  one  of  their  coats  being  a  layer  of  muscle  which 
contracts  when  it  is  stimulated  by  the  presence  of 
food.  The  more  bulk  the  food  has,  speaking  generally, 
the  less  have  the  intestines  to  contract  in  order  to 
move  it  about.  If  this  condition  of  bulk  be  not  com- 
plied with,  the  digestive  apparatus  will  get  out  of  order, 
however  accurately  materials  for  building  up  tissue  be 
supplied.  Indigestible  woody  fibre — contained  in  large 
quantities  in  the  various  grasses— and  unassimilated 
starch,  chiefly  serve  the  required  purpose.  The  fact 
that,  within  certain  limits,  the  measure  of  a  horse's 
appetite  is  by  bulk  and  not  by  weight,  is  evidently  due 
to  the  necessity  the  animal  feels  of  having  his  intestines 
filled.  We  see  the  same  craving  for  bulk  evinced  by 
human  beings.  "  The  Kamschatdales,  for  example,  are 
in  the  habit  of  mixing  earth  or  saw-dust  with  the  train- 
oil,  on  which  alone  they  are  frequently  reduced  to  live. 
The  Veddahs,  or  wild  hunters  of  Ceylon,  on  the  same 
principle,  mingle  the  pounded  fibres  of  soft  and  decayed 
wood  with  the  honey  on  which  they  feed  when  meat  is 
not  to  be  had  ;  and  on  one  of  them  being  asked  the 
reason  of  the  practice,  he  replied,  '  I  cannot  tell  you, 
but  I  know  that  the  belly  must  be  filled.'  "  (Carpenter.) 
Selection  of  Food.— For  all  practical  purposes,  we 
need  not  consider  grain  beyond  its  use  as  a  former  of 
fat,  and  of  nitrogenous  tissues,  such  as  the  various 
muscular  and  nervous  structures.  To  give  bulk  to  the 
food  (except  in  the  case  of  horses  getting  as  much  oats 
as  they  can  eat),  and  to  supply  the  required  mineral 
matters,  we  must  principally  depend  on  grass.  As 


SELECTION   OF   FOOD.  57 

exercise  directly  increases  the  waste  of  tissue,  we  must 
add  to  the  amount  of  grain  according  to  the  degree  of 
labour,  though,  at  the  same  time,  allowing  an  unlimited 
supply  of  hay,  in  order  to  comply  with  the  conditions 
just  stated.  The  exceptions  to  this  rule  will  be  :  when 
the  horse  is  in  a  state  of  enforced  idleness ;  when  his 
appetite  is  in  a  depraved  or  abnormal  condition  ;  and 
when  he  is  required  for  immediate  work.  When  a 
horse's  powers  are  fully  taxed,  he  should  be  allowed  as 
much  hay  and  suitable  corn  as  he  chooses  to  consume. 
This  now  leads  us  to  the  pertinent  question,  "  what 
proportion  should  the  nitrogenous  matter  in  grain  bear 
to  the  starchy  constituents  ?  "  From  the  teaching  of 
experience,  which  here  can  alone  direct  us,  we  may 
learn  that,  for  moderate  work,  it  should  not  exceed  that 
which  is  contained  in  oats,  namely,  10  to  47  (about). 
To  find  the  maximum,  we  may  assume  a  diet  of  four 
parts  of  oats  and  one  part  of  beans  (as  given  in  England 
to  hard  worked  animals),  which  will  give  us  the  propor- 
tion of  10  to  38  (about). 

To  determine  the  maximum  amount  of  nitrogenous 
food,  I  think  we  may  safely  assume  it  to  be  about  that 
contained  in  20  Ibs.  of  oats,  namely,  2Jlbs.  (about).  If 
we  are  forced,  by  circumstances,  to  use  a  grain,  such  as 
gram,  or  k&lthee,  which  is  too  rich  in  nitrogen,  we 
should  do  so  at  the  expense  of  the  starch,  but  should, 
on  no  account,  exceed  the  amount  of  nitrogen  already 
laid  down ;  for  if  we  do  so,  the  excess  will  tend  to 
produce  the  derangements  of  the  system  which  have 
been  already  mentioned. 

Eespecting  the  supply  of  fat,  I  am  unable  to  say 
anything  more  definite  than  I  have  done  in  the  previous 


58  HOESE    MANAGEMENT    IN   INDIA. 

pages  of  this  chapter.  Dr.  Parkes'  proposition,  that 
"  if  men  are  undergoing  great  exertion,  they  take  more 
food,  and  if  they  can  obtain  it,  the  increase  is  especially 
in  the  classes  of  albuminates  and  fats,"  holds  equally 
well  with  regard  to  horses. 

Hay  and  Grass. — We  may  consider  these  two  to 
be,  nearly,  the  same  kind  of  food,  except  that  the 
former  contains  a  less  proportion  of  water  than  the 
latter. 

I  have  previously  argued  that  a  horse  should  get  a 
fall  supply  of  hay  under  all  circumstances,  except  when 
he  is  unable  to  take  sufficient  exercise. 

A  horse,  omitting  exceptional  cases,  evinces  a  marked 
preference  for  corn  compared  to  hay ;  hence  we  may 
assume  that,  when  he  turns  from  the  former  to  the 
latter,  he  does  so  from  the  prompting  of  an  instinct 
which  is  intended  by  nature  to  guide  him  in  the  selec- 
tion of  the  food  most  suitable  for  the  requirements  of 
his  system.  We  need  hardly  dwell  on  the  not  un- 
common folly  of  stinting  a  horse  of  his  hay,  when  the 
object  is  to  get  him  to  eat  as  much  corn  as  possible,  in 
order  to  enable  him  to  sustain  violent  and  continued 
exertion,  such  as  that  demanded  during  the  training  of 
race-horses.  I  have  always  found  that  such  animals 
eat  more  corn  and  digest  it  better  when  their  supply  of 
hay  is  unlimited  at  all  times,  than  when  it  is  curtailed, 
and  especially  so  when  they  are  deprived  of  it  during 
feeding  hours.  The  idea  that  a  groom,  trainer,  or 
owner,  can  tell  to  a  pound,  how  much  hay  his  hard- 
worked  horse  should  eat,  is  palpably  absurd.  The 
case  of  corn  is  very  different ;  for  a  horse,  unless  his 
powers  are  fully  taxed,  is  almost  always  prone  to  eat 


GREEN   MEAT.  §9 

too  much  of  it,  and  its  bad  effects  are  patent  to  the 
most  careless  observer.  General  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram 
justly  remarks  that,  "practically  it  will  be  found  that 
horses,  which  are  not  limited  as  regards  oats,  will 
not  usually  consume  above  6  Ibs.  of  hay  per  diem." 
Surely  no  one  could  say  that  this  was  an  inordinate 
amount  ?  As  regards  training,  I  have  often  been  met 
with  the  objection  that  horses  would  gorge  themselves, 
and  would  even  eat  their  bedding,  unless  muzzled  ; 
but  I  have  never  found  this  to  occur  when  a  full  supply 
of  oats  has  been  given,  although  I  have  had  several 
horses  in  training  that  came  to  me  with  the  character 
of  being  insatiable  gluttons. 

I  desire  to  lay  considerable  stress  on  the  subject  of 
allowing  horses  hay  during  feeding  hours,  as  I  have 
always  found  this  practice  to  be  attended  with  the  best 
results,  for  not  alone  is  the  condition  of  bulk  complied 
with,  but  also  irritation  to  the  alimentary  canal,  result- 
ing from  the  presence  of  stimulating  food,  is  avoided, 
as  much  as  possible,  by  the  corn  becoming  diluted  by 
the  hay.  To  see  how  reasonable  this  practice  is,  we 
need  but  apply  the  case  to  ourselves  with  respect  to  the 
meat  and  vegetables  we  consume  at  our  meals. 

Green  Meat. — Although  the  necessity  of  a  supply 
of  fresh  vegetables,  as  a  part  of  human  food,  is  clearly 
recognised  ;  still,  up  to  the  present  time,  physiologists 
have  been  unable  to  explain  the  rationale  of  the  fact, 
and  have  been  obliged  to  accept  it  simply  as  a  result  of 
experience.  In  the  same  manner  we  find  that  ".green 
meat"  is  almost  equally  as  indispensable  for  horses. 
This  is  especially  the  case  when  the  hay  which  is  used, 
has  been  subjected  to  a  process  of  fermentation,  which 


60  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

gives  it  a  brown  appearance,  and  often  increases  its 
sweetness,  although  it  diminishes  its  value.  This 
method  of  curing  hay  is  seldom  adopted  in  India, 
where  an  ample  supply  of  doob  grass  will  fairly  fulfil  the 
conditions  supplied  by  "  green  meat  "  and  ordinary  hay. 

Variety  in  Food. — As  far  as  my  experience  goes,  I 
have  been  unable  to  notice  any  marked  good  arising 
from  a  change  of  food,  unless  when  the  new  article  of  diet 
contained  elements  of  nutrition  deficient  in  the  other 

Salt  is  the  only  necessary  food  that  is  not  supplied 
in  sufficient  quantity  by  the  grain  and  grass  consumed 
by  the  animal.  A  moderate  excess  of  it  can,  in  nowise, 
prove  injurious  ;  for  it  will  be  speedily  eliminated  by 
the  kidneys,  after  the  system  has  taken  up  sufficient 
for  its  own  requirements.  It  furnishes  the  elements 
for  the  supply  of  the  hydrochloric  acid  which  is  a 
constituent  of  the  gastric  juice.  It  also  plays  a  most 
important  part  in  the  whole  nutrition  of  the  body. 
"  It  was  demonstrated  by  Boussingault,  that  when* 
of  two  sets  of  oxen,  one  was  allowed  the  unrestricted 
use  of  salt,  whilst  the  other  was  as  far  as  possible 
deprived  of  its  use,  a  marked  contrast  was  observable 
in  the  course  of  a  few  weeks  between  them,  and 
manifestly  to  the  advantage  of  the  former.  The  desire 
for  common  salt  on  the  part  of  animals  and  man  is 
extremely  powerful,  leading  the  former,  especially  if 
they  be  vegetable  feeders,  to  traverse  great  distances 
to  reach  saline  deposits."  (Carpenter.) 

Relations  of  Cold,  Heat,  and  Clothing:  to  Food. 

—When  the  temperature  of  the  surrounding  air  falls 

much  below  its  normal  degree,  a  proportionate  increase 

of  starch  and  fat,  to  keep  up  the  natural  temperature 


MASTICATION  AND   DIGESTION.  61 

of  the  body,  should  be  made  to  the  food  of  the  animal, 
if  it  be  misapplied  with  warm  clothing,  which,  by  pre- 
venting radiation,  supplements  the  action  of  the  fatty 
layer  which  lies  immediately  underneath  the  skin. 
Hence  a  judicious  addition  of  clothing  may  be  practi- 
cally regarded  as  an  addition  to  the  food  ;  so  that,  when 
it  cannot  be  made,  more  corn  ought  to  be  given.  In 
hot  weather,  the  animal  will,  naturally,  require  less  food. 
Mastication  and  Digestion.— The  long  hairs 
about  the  horse's  muzzle  serve  him  as  feelers  in  the 
selection  of  the  food  which  his  lips  convey  into  his 
mouth,  aided,  when  the  fodder  offers  some  resistance, 
by  the  front  teeth  (nippers,  or  incisor  teeth).  The 
mouthful  is  then  conveyed  to  the  grinders,  and  is 
ground  by  them  into  a  pulp.  During  this  operation  it 
becomes  mixed  with  saliva,  which,  under  the  stimulus 
of  the  food,  flows  into  the  mouth  from  the  different 
salivary  glands.  This  secretion  contains  the  active 
principle  ptyalin — a  species  of  ferment — the  office  of 
which  is  to  convert  starch  into  dextrine  (a  kind  of 
mucilaginous  starch)  and  subsequently  into  grape  sugar, 
in  which  form  it  is  absorbed  by  the  system.  "  A  large 
proportion  of  this  albuminous  principle  is  present  in 
the  saliva  of  the  horse,  but  only  traces  of  it  exist  in 
that  of  man."  (Carpenter.}  The  amount  of  saliva 
secreted  during  mastication  is  proportional  to  the 
hardness  and  dryness  of  the  fodder.  Lassaigne  gives, 
from  experiment,  the  following  results  : — 

100  parts  of  dry  hay  requires  406  parts  of  saliva. 

,,  barley          ,,         186  ,, 

„  oats  ,,         113 

grass  „  49 


62  HOESE    MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

"  Bernard  was  led  to  suggest  that  the  submaxillary 
gland  ministers  to  the  sense  of  taste,  whilst  the  parotid 
is  connected  with  mastication,  and  the  sublmgual  with 
deglutition.  The  size  of  the  parotid  in  animals  is  pro- 
portionate to  the  degree  in  which  the  mastication  of 
their  food  is  performed.  It  is  large  in  the  horse,  which 
lives  on  comparatively  dry  food,  less  in  carnivora,  and 
still  less  in  the  aquatic  mammals,  as  the  seal.  It  is 
absent  in  birds  which  swallow  their  food  whole." 
(Carpenter.)  The  salivary  glands  of  the  horse  are 
larger  than  those  of  all  other  animals,  except  ruminants 

The  presence  of  saliva  in  the  food  materially  aids 
its  digestion  in  the  stomach.  "  Among  the  experiments 
are  those  of  Spallanzani  and  Eeamur,  who  found  that 
food  inclosed  in  the  perforated  tubes,  and  introduced 
into  the  stomach  of  an  animal,  was  more  quickly 
digested  when  it  had  been  previously  impregnated 
with  saliva  than  when  it  was  moistened  with  water. 
Dr.  Wright  also  found  that  if  the  oesophagus  [gullet]  of 
a  dog  is  tied,  and  food  mixed  with  water  alone  is  placed 
in  the  stomach,  the  food  will  remain  undigested  though 
the  stomach  may  secrete  abundant  acid  fluid,  but  if 
the  same  fluid  is  mixed  with  saliva,  and  the  rest  of 
the  experiment  similarly  performed,  the  food  is  readily 
digested."  (Kirkes.) 

Saliva  is  alkaline,  and  gastric  juice  acid.  Pancreatic 
juice  and  bile  are  both  alkaline.  This  alternate 
character  seems  to  have  been  given  to  these  fluids,  so 
as  to  regulate  their  action. 

The  chief  part  of  the  starch  contained  in  the  horse's 
food  passes  unchanged  into  his  stomach;  and  the 
action  of  the  alkaline  saliva,  as  a  ferment  in  converting 


MASTICATION   AND   DIGESTION.  63 

this  starch,  into  sugar,  ceases  on  being  neutralised  by 
coming  into  contact  with  the  acid  gastric  juice. 
Hence,  it  would  appear  that  the  chief  office  of  the 
saliva  is  to  check  undue  acidity  in  the  stomach. 

The  frothy  nature  of  saliva  seems  to  aid  digestion. 
"  The  numerous  air-bubles  for  which  saliva  is  remark- 
able have  their  special  purpose ;  since  the  presence  of 
atmospheric  air  in  the  stomach  is  accessory  to  diges- 
tion." (Leared.) 

I  submit  that  the  foregoing  observations  indicate,  as 
a  general  rule,  the  advisability  of  giving  grain  in  a  dry 
state. 

The  presence  of  salt  in  the  food  excites  the  flow  of 
saliva  in  the  mouth ;  hence,  if  boiled  or  steeped  food 
be  used,  it  should  be  given  mixed  with  that  condiment ; 
because,  owing  to  the  moist  and  soft  state  of  the  grain, 
a  deficient  amount  of  saliva  will  be  secreted. 

Having  reached  the  stomach — the  capacity  of  which 
is  from  3  to  3|  gallons— the  food  becomes  mixed  with 
the  gastric  juice,  which  flows  slowly  at  first.  This 
secretion  is  liable  to  become  checked  by  violent  exercise, 
or  by  the  stomach  becoming  unduly  distended.  If  it 
be  largely  diluted  with  water,  its  action  will  be  arrested, 
until  the  excess  of  that  fluid  be  absorbed.  Cold  also 
stops  the  performance  of  its  functions ;  for  it  will 
not  act  at  a  temperature  much  below  blood  heat.  A 
moderate  supply  of  hot  spices  stimulates  its  secretion. 
When  the  supply  or  action  of  the  gastric  juice — which 
is  a  natural  antiseptic — is  checked,  the  food  that  is  in 
the  stomach  at  the  time  is  apt  to  become  decomposed 
with  the  probable  result  of  indigestion,  flatulent  colic, 
and  even  rupture  of  the  stomach,  caused  by  the  evolu- 


64  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

tion  of  gas.  Hence  we  may  conclude  that  horses  ought 
not  to  be  watered  soon  after  being  fed,  and  that  they 
should  not  be  given  large  supplies  of  boiled  food 
which  is  very  bulky  in  comparison  to  the  amount 
of  nutriment  it  contains,  and  can  also  be  rapidly 
swallowed.  Besides,  exciting  but  a  small  secretion  of 
saliva,  it  arrives  in  the  stomach  in  an  unprepared  state, 
and  is  consequently  liable  to  become  decomposed  before 
the  gastric  juice  can  act  on  it. 

The  antiseptic  properties  of  gastric  juice  is  well 
shown  by  the  immunity  with  which  many  races  of 
men  eat  putrid  flesh  and  fish. 

The  active  principle  of  gastric  juice— pepsine —  con- 
verts fche  nitrogenous  matters  of  the  food  into  a  soluble 
form— peptone — and  also  serve  to  split  up  the  fat  into 
a  state  of  fine  division,  by  dissolving  the  nitrogenous 
envelopes,  which  enclose   the   globules.      "When   the 
food — now   called   chyme  —  leaves    the    stomach    and 
enters  into  the  small  intestine,  it  becomes  mixed  with 
bile  and  pancreatic  juice  which  flow  from  a  common 
duct.     The  action  of  the  fluid  which  comes  from  the 
pancreas  (sweetbread)  is  very  similar  in  its  nature  to, 
though  much  more  energetic,  than  that  of  the  saliva,  the 
work  of  which  in  converting  starch  and  cane  sugar  into 
grape  sugar  it  completes.     It  also,  like  gastric  juice, 
dissolves  albumen.     By  virtue  of  its  alkaline  nature,  it 
makes  an  emulsion,  or  soap,  with  the  fat  contained  in 
the  chyme,  which  consequently  assumes  a  white  appear- 
ance, and  is  then  termed  chyle.     The  particles  of  fat 
are  thus  split  up  into  a  very  fine  state  of  division,  so  as 
to  be  readily  absorbed  in  an  unchanged  state,  as  none 
of  the  digestive  fluids  produce  any  effect  on  their  com- 


FUNCTIONS  PEEFOEMED  BY  THE  BLOOD.     65 

position.  The  bile  acts  as  a  natural  purge,  the  bowels 
becoming  constipated  when  it  is  deficient  in  quantity. 
It  also,  by  reason  of  its  antiseptic  properties,  prevents 
decomposition  of  the  ingesta,  prior  to  their  being  ex- 
pelled. In  the  absence  of  bile,  deleterious  gases  are 
evolved  in  the  intestines,  and  are  absorbed  into  the 
system,  to  the  detriment  of  the  health  of  the  animal ; 
in  which  case  the  dung  has  a  foul  smell.  Bile  is  con- 
stantly being  excreted  by  the  liver.  We  find  that 
certain  of  the  higher  animals,  such  as  man,  are  pro- 
vided with  a  gall-bladder,  into  which  this  fluid  collects, 
to  be  poured  out  into  the  intestines  during  the  process 
of  digestion,  which  is,  in  these  cases,  intended  by 
nature  to  take  place  at  certain  intervals.  The  horse, 
however,  possesses  no  gall-bladder,  which  fact  clearly 
indicates  that  he  should  be,  more  or  less,  constantly 
supplied  with  food.  The  fact  of  his  stomach  being  of 
small  capacity,  and  his  intestines  of  large  size,  points 
to  the  same  conclusion. 

On  leaving  the  small  intestine,  which  is  about  72 
feet  long,  the  food  becomes  collected  into  a  capacious 
cul-de-sac — the  caecum— formed  by  the  large  intestine, 
the  length  of  which  is  about  20  feet.  The  caecum 
appears  to  be  a  kind  of  supplementary  stomach, 
in  which  is  collected  the  pulpy  mass  of  water  and 
unassimilated  food,  which  the  stomach  and  small 
intestines  have  failed  to  take  up.  Here  the  remaining 
nutritive  particles  are  dissolved  out  and  absorbed.  The 
caecum  can  contain  about  6  gallons  of  fluid. 

Functions  performed  by  the  Blood.— As  the 
nutritive  part  of  the  food  becomes  changed  into  forms 
capable  of  being  assimilated,  it  becomes  gradually 

F 


66  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

taken  up  by  the  minute  vessels,  called  absorbents,  that 
line  the  interior  of  the  stomach  and  intestines,  and  is 
conveyed  into  the  blood,  which  ramifies  through  the 
various  tissues  of  the  body,  and  which  supplies  them 
with  materials  for  repair.  Thus,  we  see  that  the  blood 
acts  as  the  vehicle  for  removing  the  products  resulting 
from  the  waste  of  tissue,  and  also  for  furnishing  the 
elements  required  in  the  building  up  of  new  structures. 
Appetite. — Appetite  serves  two  purposes — (1)  When 
the  system  requires  new  elements  for  repair,  it  prompts 
the  animal  to  eat,  so  as  to  obtain  them  from  his  food. 
But,  in  order  to  avoid  excess,  the  process  of  feeding 
should  be  carried  on  slowly.  On  this  subject,  Dr.  Car- 
penter remarks  : — "  To  eat  when  we  are  hungry,  is  an 
evidently  natural  disposition  ;  but  to  eat  as  long  as  we 
are  hungry,  may  not  always  be  prudent.  Since  the 
feeling  of  hunger  does  not  depend  so  much  upon  the 
state  of  fulness  or  emptiness  of  the  stomach,  as  upon 
the  condition  of  the  general  system,  it  appears  evident 
that  the  ingestion  of  food  cannot  at  once  produce  the 
effect  of  dissipating  it,  though  it  will  do  so  after  a  short 
time ;  so  that,  if  we  eat  with  undue  rapidity,  we  may 
continue  swallowing  food  long  after  we  have  taken  as 
much  as  will  really  be  required  for  the  wants  of  the 
system ;  and  every  superfluous  particle  is  not  merely 
useless,  but  injurious."  These  observations  apply 
equally  well  to  horses  as  they  do  to  ourselves."  (2) 
Appetite  guides  the  animal  in  the  selection  of  food  suit- 
able for  the  repair  of  the  waste  that  is  going  on  at  the 
time.  As  a  general  rule,  when  a  horse's  powers  are 
fully  taxed,  he  should  be  allowed  as  much  corn  and  hay 
as  he  chooses  to  eat,  provided  always,  they  are  both  of 


PREPAEATION   OF   FOOD.  67 

a  suitable  nature.  The  instinctive  selection  of  food  is 
well  seen  in  the  case  of  men  who  have  to  work  hard, 
such  as  navvies  and  sailors ;  for  they  will  eat,  with 
benefit,  a  quantity  of  animal  food  and  fat,  from  which 
a  sedentary  person  will  turn  with  loathing. 

Influence  of  an  artificial  state  of  Life.—  The 
horse  is  intended  by  nature  to  travel  considerable  dis- 
tances when  grazing  ;  and  his  natural  food  is  one  of 
large  bulk,  and  containing  a  comparatively  small  amount 
of  nourishment  ;  his  digestive  organs  being  specially 
adapted  for  its  consumption.  The  requirements  of 
civilization,  however,  interfere  most  materially  with 
these  conditions.  At  times,  long  protracted  rest 
deprives  the  animal  of  the  exercise  which  is  essential 
to  his  health,  and  which  he,  in  a  state  of  nature,  would 
be  obliged  to  take  in  the  pursuit  of  food.  On  the 
other  hand,  in  order  to  develop  his  physical  system  to 
its  utmost  extent,  he  is  supplied  with  forage  of  a  far 
more  concentrated  form  than  he  was  naturally  intended 
to  consume.  Hence,  being  unable  to  trust  to  the 
animal's  appetite  alone  as  a  sure  guide  in  the  selection 
of  food,  in  all  cases,  we  must  regulate  it  according  to 
the  indications  afforded  us  by  the  study  of  the  anatomy 
and  functions  of  his  system. 

Preparation  of  Food. — Oats,  gram,  Indian  corn, 
barley,  wheat,  and  rice  in  husk  (Hind,  dhan)  should 
be  bruised  or  broken  before  being  given  to  the  horse,  in 
order  to  oblige  him  to  masticate  them  properly,  so  that 
the  grain  may  become  thoroughly  saturated  with  saliva. 
If  given  in  a  whole  state,  it  is  liable  to  be  swallowed, 
as  soon  as  its  outer  surface  becomes  moistened. 

Heat,  whether  by  the  process  of  boiling  or  parching 


68  HORSE   MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

causes  the  grains  of  starch  in  corn  to  burst,  and  the 
albumen  to  coagulate,  so  that  the  different  digestive 
fluids  are  then  able  to  penetrate  easily  through  its  sub- 
stance. The  objection  to  boiling  is  that  it  causes  the 
food  to  become  saturated  with  water,  which  decreases 
its  digestibility,  and  greatly  increases  its  bulk.  Parch- 
ing, however,  is  -free  from  any  such  drawback,  and  may 
be  advantageously  applied  to  the  preparation  of  barley 
and  wheat.  The  husk  of  the  first-mentioned  grain 
often  has  a  more  or  less  irritating  effect  on  the 
intestines  of  the  horse.  The  process  of  parching  not 
alone  renders  the  grain  porous,  but  also  deprives  the 
husk  of  its  objectionable  properties.  The  husk  of  lin- 
seed, Jculthee,  and  tirud  is  so  hard  that  they  require  to 
be  boiled  before  being  given. 


CHAPTEE  V. 

ON    WATERING    HORSES. 

THE  blood  being  the  source  from  which  the  different 
tissues  obtain  materials  for  repair  and  development, 
and  the  vehicle  which  conveys  away  the  effete  pro- 
ducts resulting  from  the  constant  waste  that  goes  on 
in  the  animal  economy  ;  the  whole  question  of  nutrition 
depends  on  supplying  the  system  with  materials  suit- 
able for  preserving  that  fluid  in  a  normal  and  healthy 
condition. 

The  proportion  of  water  in  the  blood  is  about  750 
parts  in  1,000 ;  the  variation  being  dependent  on  the 
nature  of  the  animal's  work,  food,  state  of  health,  etc. 
Its  presence,  is  essential  to  the  performance  of  the 
various  functions.  If  its  supply  be  curtailed,  the 
secretions  that  are  indispensable  to  the  process  of 
digestion  are  checked  either  wholly  or  in  part ;  because 
the  glands  are  unable  to  obtain  a  sufficiency  of  water 
from  the  blood.  If,  on  the  contrary,  more  water  be 
drunk  than  is  needed  for  the  requirements  of  the 
system,  the  excess  is  quickly  eliminated  by  the  kidneys, 
skin,  and  lungs,  without  doing  any  harm.  We  may 
conclude,  therefore,  that  a  full  supply  of  water,  given 
a  short  time  before  feeding,  is  essential  for  the  proper 
digestion  of  food. 

The  office  of  the  sensation  of  thirst  is  to  cause  the 


70  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

animal  to  desire  to  drink  water,  when  there  is  a  defi- 
ciency of  that  fluid  in  his  blood. 

The  stomach  is  furnished  with  a  vast  number  of 
blood  vessels,  the  office  of  which  is  to  absorb  water  for 
the  supply  of  the  glands  that  secrete  the  gastric  juice. 
As  the  amount  of  the  secretion,  necessary  for  digestion, 
varies  from  10  to  20  gallons  daily  (Brinton),  and  as 
about  99  per  cent,  of  it  is  composed  of  water,  we  find 
that  the  process  of  digestion,  during  the  day,  demands 
the  outpouring,  for  the  formation  of  gastric  juice,  of 
double  or  treble  as  much  water,  as  there  is  blood  in  the 
whole  body.  Now,  as  this  water  is  derived  directly 
from  the  blood,  its  adequate  supply  can  only  be 
obtained  by  the  constant  reabsorption,  in  the  stomach, 
of  the  watery  portion  of  the  effete  gastric  juice,  as  well 
as  of  that  of  other  fluids  which  may  be  present.  Con- 
sidering the  enormous  quantity  of  water  required  for 
the  secretion  of  the  gastric  juice,  we  may  accept  the 
fact  that  drinking  a  small  quantity  of  water  with  the 
food  is  not  alone  free  from  objection,  but  may  be 
actually  beneficial.  On  this  point  we  may  safely  trust 
to  the  instinct  of  the  animal,  and  may  consequently 
leave  a  supply  of  water  before  him  while  he  is  eating ; 
provided  always  that  he  has  had  a  full  opportunity  of 
drinking  shortly  before  being  fed. 

If  (as  we  have  seen  in  the  preceding  chapter),  while 
digestion  be  going  on,  a  large  amount  of  water  be  taken 
into  the  stomach,  it  will  dilute  the  gastric  juice  to  an 
extent  that  will  probably  arrest  its  action,  until  the 
excess  of  water  becomes  absorbed.  During  this  interval, 
decomposition  of  the  food,  with  consequent  derange- 
ment of  the  digestion,  may  ensue ;  followed,  perhaps, 


ON   WATERING  HORSES.  71 

by  colic,  or  even  by  rupture  of  the  stomach,  owing  to 
the  pressure  exerted  by  the  evolved  gas.  Hence,  we 
may  conclude  that  the  horse  should  be  watered  before 
being  fed.  But  if,  as  in  case  of  want  of  time,  this 
precaution  has  not  been  observed,  only  small  quantities, 
with  reasonable  intervals  to  allow  of  its  absorption, 
should  be  allowed  ;  say  10  "  go  downs  "  at  intervals  of 
five  minutes,  assuming  20  "  go  downs  "  to  the  gallon. 
Considering  the  quickness  with  which  a  horse  digests 
his  food,  I  think  we  may  assume  that  he  may  be  watered 
2|  hours  after  being  fed,  without  any  ill  consequences. 
The  reason  that  soft  is  better  than  hard  water  for 
horses — a  fact  known  to  every  careful  stableman — is 
that  the  freer  this  fluid  is  of  impurities  which  possess 
astringent  properties,  the  more  readily  will  it  become 
absorbed  into  the  blood. 

Kespecting  the  celerity  with  which  water  is  assimi- 
lated, I  cannot  do  better  than  quote  the  following 
extract  from  Seller  and  Stephens'  Physiology  of  the 
Farm  : — "  That  water  passes  with  extreme  rapidity 
from  the  stomach  of  the  horse,  as  from  that  of  mammals 
in  general,  is  apparent  from  the  well  known  fact  that 
a  horse  will  drink  within  a  few  minutes  a  much 
greater  quantity  than  his  stomach  can  contain.  It  is 
commonly  supposed  that  the  excess  passes  at  once  into 
the  highest  part  of  the  small  intestines,  namely,  the 
duodenum.  But  this  supposition  is  hardly  necessary, 
for  it  is  proved  that  absorption  of  thin  fluids  takes  place 
from  the  inner  surface  of  the  stomach  with  an  almost 
incredible  rapidity.  This  fact  is  established  by  many 
experiments ;  and  moreover,  that  substances  dissolved 
in  the  water  taken  in  have  been  found  in  the  urine 


72  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN  INDIA. 

within  an  incredibly  brief  period."  The  obvious  lesson 
these  considerations  teach  us  is,  that  we  should  not  be 
chary  in  allowing  a  horse  to  drink  when  he  wants  to  do 
so,  except  indeed  after  feeding. 

One  of  the  popular  errors  about  watering  horses  is, 
that  they  should  be  stinted  of  water  for  several  hours 
before  doing  fast  work,  on  the  plea  that  it  affects  their 
wind.  As  the  water  which  becomes  part  and  parcel  of 
the  blood,  cannot  by  any  possibility  impede  the  organs 
of  breathing,  it  follows  that  its  unabsorbed  portion 
alone  can  affect  them ;  but  we  have  just  seen  that  the 
whole  of  the  water  is  taken  up  with  extreme  rapidity, 
so  that,  after  a  short  time,  there  is  none  left  in  the 
stomach  or  intestines  to  cause  any  impediment.  On 
the  contrary,  stinting  a  horse  with  water  will  directly 
affect  his  wind,  for  the  blood  will  then  gradually  become 
thickened,  and,  if  the  animal  be  put  to  violent  exertion, 
will  fail  to  circulate  through  the  lungs  with  requisite 
freedom ;  besides  that,  the  action  of  the  heart  will 
become  impeded,  and  the  nutrition  of  the  system  more 
or  less  arrested. 

If  a  horse  has  been  deprived  of  water  for  a  consider- 
able time,  we  should  exercise  some  caution  in  watering 
him,  lest  he  may  drink  a  larger  quantity  than  can 
readily  be  taken  up  ;  for  the  unabsorbed  portion — especi- 
ally if  the  fluid  be  given  cold  —  may  cause  serious 
derangement.  When  a  horse  is  heated  by  exercise,  his 
system  will  absorb  water  far  more  readily  than  when 
he  is  cool ;  hence,  under  the  former  condition,  there  is 
far  less  risk  in  giving  a  liberal  supply,  than  under  the 
latter,  always  supposing  that  the  water  is  not  very 
cold :  in  which  case,  there  would  be  danger  of  injury 


ON  WATEEING  HOESES.  73 

from  nervous  shock.  General  Sir  F.  Fitzwygram 
remarks  : — "  It  is  a  somewhat  singular  fact  that  horses 
may  be  watered  with  safety  almost  immediately  after 
their  return  from  work,  even  though  somewhat  heated." 
And  he  points  out  that  there  is  then  far  less  risk  of 
chill  from  such  horses  drinking  cold  water,  than  when 
the  system  has  begun  to  flag ;  and  that,  in  the  latter 
case,  the  water  should  be  made  slightly  tepid,  or  a 
bucket  of  gruel  should  be  substituted  for  it.  As  the 
application  of  cold  causes  contraction  of  the  muscular 
coats  of  the  blood-vessels,  so  does  it  retard  the  absorp- 
tion of  water  which  is  taken  into  the  stomach. 

When  a  horse  goes  through  violent  and  continued 
exertion  without  drinking,  the  amount  of  water  in  his 
blood  falls  below  its  normal  quantity.  If  this  loss  is 
considerable,  the  thickened  blood  will  be  unable  to 
circulate  through  the  lungs  with  its  wonted  facility; 
in  fact,  more  or  less  congestion  will  take  place,  and  the 
action  of  the  heart  will  become  laboured  in  its  efforts  to 
pump  this  abnormally  dense  fluid  through  the  system. 
If  a  horse,  in  this  state,  be  given,  say,  a  couple  of  gallons 
of  water,  they  will  be  absorbed  at  once  into  the  blood, 
and  will  restore  it,  more  or  less  completely,  to  its 
normal  fluidity  ;  the  action  of  the  lungs  and  heart  will 
be  almost  instantaneously  relieved,  and  the  feelings  of 
distress  will  rapidly  subside.  -  Had  the  water,  on  the 
contrary,  been  withheld  until  the  horse  had  cooled 
down,  the  prolonged  distress,  even  if  the  congestion 
had  passed  oft'  with  no  bad  results,  would  undoubtedly 
have  injuriously  affected  the  animal's  condition  and 
spirits.  In  accordance  with  this  principle,  I  have 
adopted,  with  the  best  results,  the  practice  of  giving 


74  HOESE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

half  a  bucket  of  water  to  race-horses  I  Lave  had  in 
training,  immediately  after  their  gallops. 

Persons  who  have  had  to  ride  long  distances,  in  hot 
countries,  are  well  aware  of  the  advisability  of  allowing 
their  mounts  to  drink  frequently  during  a  journey,  of 
aoy  good  water  near  which  they  may  pass,  even  when 
the  horse  is  bathed  in  perspiration. 

In  Northern  India,  the  ecka  (a  small  two-wheeled 
trap)  ponies,  which  average  about  13  hands  1  inch  in 
height,  frequently  travel  50  to  60  miles  a  day  over  un- 
metalled  roads  during  the  hottest  weather,  when  the 
noontide  heat  often  exceeds  115°  in  the  shade.  Such 
performances  can  only  be  accomplished  by  watering  the 
ponies  every  7  or  8  miles :  the  system  pursued  being 
that  they  get  at  each  bait  from  1  to  2  Ibs.  of  suttoo 
mixed  in  a  couple  of  quarts  of  water.  This  is  in 
accordance  with  the  practice — generally  adopted  by 
stokers  and  firemen  on  board  steamers — of  mixing  oat- 
meal with  the  water  they  drink ;  a  practice  from  which 
these  men,  who  are  often  exposed  to  intense  heat,  and 
who  are  consequently  obliged  at  such  times  to  drink 
large  quantities  of  water,  experience  great  advantage. 

In  the  stable,  I  think  the  best  system  is  to  allow  a 
constant  supply  of  water ;  a  plan  which  is  not  alone 
beneficial  to  "washy"  horses  that  scour  easily,  to 
roarers,  and  to  broken-winded  animals,  but  also  is 
particularly  well  calculated  to  prevent  and  to  cure  the 
pernicious  habits  of  crib-biting  and  wind-sucking. 


CHAPTEK  VI. 

PRACTICAL  RULES  FOR  FEEDING  AND  WATERING  HORSES. 

FROM  the  theoretical  considerations  detailed  in  the 
two  preceding  chapters,  and  from  the  results  of  ex- 
perience, we  may  draw  the  following  conclusions  ; — 

1.  The  horse's  corn  should  be  given  dry;  except 
when  the  grain — such  as  linseed,  kulthee,  &c. — is  too 
hard,  in  its  natural  condition,  to  be  properly  masti- 
cated ;  when,  from  old  age  and  other  causes,  the 
animal's  powers  of  chewing  are  impaired  ;  and  when 
the  appetite  has  to  be  humoured  in  sickness. 

The  only  way  I  can  account  for  the  Indian  practice — 
now  happily  falling  into  disuse — of  steeping  gram  in 
water,  before  giving  it  to  the  horse,  is  that  it  is  done 
with  the  idea  of  causing  the  gram  to  swell,  as  much 
as  possible,  before  entering  the  stomach,  in  order  that 
it  may  not  do  so  after  arriving  there,  especially,  if  the 
animal  be,  subsequently,  supplied  with  water.  Those 
who  adopt  such  a  precaution,  entirely  ignore  the  fact 
that  it  is  the  evolution  of  gas — resulting  from  the 
decomposition  of  the  food — which  produces  flatulent 
colic  and  rupture  of  the  stomach,  and  not  any  swelling 
of  the  gram,  which,  if  it  be  given  dry — as  we  have 
previously  seen — will  become  saturated  with  a  greater 
quantity  of  saliva  than  that  of  its  own  bulk,  before  it 


76 


HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 


even  reaches  the  stomach.  The  danger  of  a  horse 
choking  himself — if  the  stableman  takes  the  most 
ordinary  precautions — is  purely  imaginary. 

2.  The  different  grains    before    being   given  to  the 
horse  may  be  prepared  as  follows : — Oats  and  wheat, 
bruised.     Gram,  Indian  corn,  and  rice  in  husk,  roughly 
broken.     Barley,  parched  and  roughly  broken.     If  the 
parching  be  dispensed  with,  barley  should  at  first  be 
cautiously  given  to  the  animal,  so   that  it  may  not 
"  scour  "  him. 

3.  The  following  forms  a  list  of  Indian  foods,  calcu- 
lated to  maximum  amounts  : — 


1. 

Gram  or  kiilthee 

...  lOlbs. 

10. 

Oats    61bs 

2. 

Gram 

...    7 

Gram  ... 

..     5 

Bran  ... 

...     5 

Bran     

..     2 

3. 

Barley 

...  16 

Linseed 

..     11 

4. 

Barley 

...     6i 

11. 

Gram  ... 

..     61b 

Gram... 

Rice,  in  husk 

..  10 

5. 

Oats  

.'.'  20 

12. 

Gram  

..     5 

6. 

Oats  

...  14 

Rice,  in  husk 

..     8 

Gram,  kiilthee  ) 

5~ 

Bran    ... 

..     4 

or  lirud          j 

13. 

Wheat  

..     8 

7. 

Indian  corn... 

...  10 

Chaff,  a  sufficiency,  s 

ay  4 

Gram 

...     5 

14. 

Wheat 

..     4 

8. 

Indian  corn 

...     6 

..    7 

Gram 

...     5 

15. 

Wheat 

..     4 

Bran  

...     4 

Indian  corn  ... 

..     4 

9. 

Gram 

...     34 

Bran    ... 

..     4 

Barley  (parched) 

...     4 

Gram  ... 

..     4 

Indian  corn... 

...     5 

16. 

Mote   

..     6 

Bran 

...     4 

Gram    .. 

..     6 

I  have  assumed  Indian  oats  to  contain  about  a 
quarter  less  nutriment  than  English  corn. 

Bearing  in  mind  the  difficulty  there  often  is  in  pro- 
curing certain  grains  in  many  parts  of  India,  I  have 
varied  the  proportions,  so  as  to  suit  horse  owners  who 
have  but  a  limited  supply  of  particular  grains ;  such  as 
oats,  for  instance. 


EULES   FOE   FEEDING  AND   WATEEING  HOESES.      77 

The  reader  may  rely  on  these  foods  being  suitable  in 
practice,  as  well  as  correct  in  theory.  Nos.  5,  G,  8,  9, 
and  10  are  those  I  would  specially  recommend.  No. 
5  is  the  best  for  ordinary  animals ;  No.  6,  hard-worked 
horses,  such  as  those  used  in  racing ;  No.  10,  for 
similar  animals  when  low  in  condition.  The  other 
two  can  almost  always  be  procured,  and  usually  at  a 
cteap  rate.  The  amounts  are  intended  for  a  full- 
sized  Australian,  or  English  horse.  During  ordinary 
work  we  may  give  from  two-thirds  to  three-fourths  of 
them.  One-half  will  be  sufficient  during  idleness. 

4.  A  13-hand  pony  will  eat  about  half  as  much  as  a 
large  horse.     An  Arab  will,  as  a  rule,  require  about 
4  Ibs.  less  than  a  full-sized  Australian  or  English  horse. 

5.  The  amount  of  grain,  given  to  the  animal,  should 
be  proportionate  to  the  work  he  is  called  upon  to  per- 
form, remembering,  always,  that  there  is  a  constant 
waste  of  tissue  going  on  which  demands  repair  by  food. 

6.  When  a  horse  is  comparatively  idle,  his  food  may 
consist  of  one-third  to  one-half  of  bran,  and  two-thirds 
to  one-half  of  oats,  Indian  corn,  barley,  or  paddy — in 
preference  to  gram  or  Mlthee — say  8  or  10  Ibs.  alto- 
gether.    The  same  practice  may,  with  advantage,  be 
observed  during  the  hot  weather. 

7.  Horses    should   not  be  allowed  to  run  down  in 
condition,  even  when  out  of  work  ;  for,  especially  in 
India,  it  takes  a  long  time  to  put  flesh  on  them  again. 

8.  When  a  horse's  powers  are  fully  taxed,  he  should 
get  as  much  suitable  corn  as  he  may  choose  to  eat. 

9.  The  corn  should  not  be  given  in  such  quantities 
as  will  cause  irritation  of  the  intestines,  which  will  be 
evinced  by  a  loose  and  sticky  condition  of  the  dung, 


78  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN  INDIA. 

which  should,  on  the  contrary,  be  fairly  formed,'  brittle, 
and  devoid  of  bad  smell.  When  gram  and  Jculthee 
alone  are  used,  these  conditions  cannot  be  properly 
complied  with.  When  diarrhoea  is  thus  set  up,  it  is 
the  result  of  an  effort  of  the  system  to  expel 
an  excess  of  nutritive  matter,  which  is  deleterious 
to  the  health.  In  such  cases,  withdrawal  of  the 
corn,  bran  mashes  and,  may  be,  a  mild  purgative,  are 
indicated. 

10.  When  the  amount  of  grain  is  limited,  say  to  8 
or  9  Ibs.,  and  when  the  animal  has  to  do  hard  work, 
gram,    or    Mltheet    are     more     suitable    than    other 
grains  that  contain  less  nitrogen. 

11.  Foods   rich  in   fat  and  sugar,    such  as  linseed, 
Indian  corn,  milk,  goor,  &c.,  are  the  best  for  putting 
a  lean  horse  into  lusty  condition. 

12.  Horses  that  get  a  full  amount  of  corn  should,  as 
a  rule,  have  a  bran,  or  a  bran  and  linseed  mash  once  or 
twice  a  week — say  on  Wednesday  and  Saturday  nights. 
It  will  tend  to  remove  any  irritation  of  the  intestines 
caused  by  the  grain. 

13.  In  cold  weather,  if  horses  be  not  warmly  clad, 
they  should  have  an  increase  to  the  amount  of  their 
corn. 

14.  A  horse  should  have  a  constant  supply  of  salt, 
say  two  ounces  daily  ;  or  he  may  be  allowed  a  lump  of 
rock  salt  in  his  stall. 

15.  If  boiled  food  be  used,  salt   should  be  mixed 
with  it,  before  giving  it  to  the  horse. 

16  A  horse's  corn  should  be  given  at  frequent  and 
regular  intervals.  Say  as  follows,  supposing  9  Ibs.  to 
be  the  daily  amount : 


EULES  FOE  FEEDING  AND  WATEEING-  HOESES.   79 

5  A.M.     ...       ...  lib. 

8.30  „           ...              ..  21bs. 

12.30  P.M.         ...             ...  2   „ 

4          „  lib. 

8  „  31bs. 

Total  9  Ibs. 


17.  When  the  animal's  powers  of  digestion  are  im- 
paired, spices  or  condiments  may  be  given,  in  order  to 
stimulate  the  system  to  take  up  an  increased  amount  of 
nutriment  from  the  food.     Such  articles  have  little  or 
no  dietetic  value  of  their  own. 

18.  In  order  to  induce  the  horse  to  eat  slowly,  it  is 
desirable  to  feed  him   from  a  broad  box,   or   trough, 
placed  not  much  above  the  level  of  the  ground.     On 
the  bottom  of  the  box,  the  corn  may  be  spread  out  in  a 
thin  layer. 

19.  Greedy  feeders  may  have  a  quantity  of  chopped 
hay  mixed  through  their  corn. 

20.  A  horse  should  not  be  worked  for  at  least  an 
hour  and  a  half  after  feeding. 

21.  A  horse  should  always  have  a  supply  of  hay,  or 
dried  grass  before  him  while  he  is  eating  his  corn,  so 
that,  by  inducing  him  to  vary  his  food,  he  may  not 
consume  it  in  too  concentrated  a  form. 

22.  Horses,   that    are   inclined   to  "  scour,"    should 
have  some  hay  given  to  them  before  they  get  their  corn. 

23.  Unless  in  cases  of  enforced  idleness,  depraved 
appetite,  &c.,  a  horse  should  have  as  much  hay,  or  dried 
grass  as  he  may  choose  to  eat. 

24.  If  procurable,  the  grass  which  is  called  doob  in 


80  HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

Bengal,  and  hurryalee  in  Madras,  should  be  used  in 
preference  to  all  other  kinds.  It  ought  to  be  dried  a 
day  or  two  in  the  sun,  before  being  given. 

25.  If  possible,  a  horse  should  get  daily,  at  least  2,  or 
3  Ibs.  of  green  food,  such  as  lucern,  carrots,  &c.,  as  the 
time  of  the  year  may  permit. 

26.  On  a  journey,  a  horse  should  be  baited  about 
every  two  hours,  giving  him,  say,  a  gallon  or  two  of 
water — if  he  chooses  to  drink  it — followed  by  about 
2  Ib.  of  corn,  with  a  little  grass  each  time ;  or  he  may 
get  a  couple  of  pounds  of  suttoo  mixed  in  his  water,  and 
a  little  grass  after  it.     The  hotter  the  weather  and  the 
harder  the  work,  the  more  frequent  should  be  the  baits. 
If  he  be  given  a  larger  feed  than  2  Ibs.  of  corn,  he  should 
be  rested  for  at  least  an  hour,  or  he  will  be  apt  to  tire 
quickly  and  be  inclined  to  scour.     Suttoo  and  water  is 
the  best  bait  when  the  halts  are  of  short  duration. 

27.  On  long  journeys,  a  horse  should  be  allowed  to 
drink  very  frequently  ;  in  fact,  whenever  he  wants  to 
do  so.     Taking  an  immoderate  amount,  at  one  time, 
should  of  course  be  guarded  against. 

28.  Some  horses  are  inclined  to  purge  if  they  be 
put  to  work  soon  after  being  either  fed  or  watered.     If 
the   services   of    such    animals    be    required    in    the 
morning,  they  should  get  neither  corn  nor  water  until 
after  their  work. 

29.  The  best  plan,  regarding  the  water  of  horses  in 
the  stable,   is  to  allow  them   a  constant  supply  of  it 
in  their  stalls. 

30.  If  this  cannot  be  done,  they  ought  to  be  watered 
before  each  feed,   or,  at  least,  twice    a   day  in   cold 
weather,  and  three  times  in  hot. 


RULES   FOR  FEEDING  AND   WATERING  HORSES.      81 

31.  Immediately  after  violent  exertion,  a  horse  should 
have  a  moderate  amount  of  water  to  drink,  say,  one 
gallon,  and,  if  he  be  thirsty,  another  gallon  in  five  or 
six  minutes. 

32.  However  hot  and  perspiring  a  horse  may  be,  he 
should  get  this  water  at  once,  before  lie  cools  down  ;  but 
if  he  cannot  get  it  until  he  is  cool,  he  should  be  given 
a  smaller  amount,  and  some  more  at  intervals  of  five 
minutes  or  so. 

33.  The  "  chill "  need  not  be  taken  off  water,  except 
when  the  horse  is  very  thirsty,  and  the  water  unusually 
cold. 

34.  Soft  water  is  generally  considered  preferable  to 
hard,  although  I  have  never  known  any  bad  results 
accrue  to  horses  in  India  from  the  use  of  well  water 
that   was   good   for   human   consumption.     The   hard 
water  of  some  limestone  districts  in  England,  being 
loaded  with  mineral  matter,  is  apt  to  cause  colic  when 
taken  cold  and  in  large  quantities,  especially,  when  the 
stomach  is  full,  or  weakened  by  long  fasting.     I  prefer 
well  water,  in  India,  to  that   obtained  from  rivers. 
Water  from  swamps  or  stagnant  pools  should  not  be 
used.     (See  page  37.) 


CHAPTEE  VII. 

GKOOMING  AND    STABLE   EOQTINE. 

ON  THE  THEORY  OF  GROOMING— WASHING  THE  HORSE —CLIPPING — 
GROOMING— DRESSING  THE  MANE  AND  TAIL— TAPEEING- SHEDDING 
THE  COAT — CARE  OF  THE  FEET  AND  LEGS — TRIMMING  THE  MANE 
AND  TAIL— BOTS — STABLE  ROUTINE. 

On  the  Theory  of  Grooming.— The  skin  of  the 
horse  is  composed  of  two  layers.  The  inner  layer,  or 
true  skin,  is  tough  and  elastic,  and  is  provided  with 
nerves  and  blood-vessels.  In  it  exist  a  vast  number 
of  narrow,  minute  depressions — hair  follicles — which 
secrete  the  hair  that  covers  the  body ;  and,  also,  an 
innumerable  number  of  sweat-glands  and  oil-glands, 
both  of  which  possess  minute  tubes  to  convey  their 
respective  secretions  to  the  surface.  The  oil-glands  are 
specially  connected  with  the  hair,  as  their  tubes  open 
either  into  the  hair  follicles,  or  close  to  the  hairs.  The 
action  of  the  oil  is  to  keep  the  skin  and  hair  soft  and 
pliable,  and,  also,  to  protect  the  skin  from  chill ;  while 
that  of  the  watery  fluid  is  chiefly  employed  in  carrying 
off,  by  evaporation,  any  excess  of  heat  beyond  the 
standard  temperature  of  health.  The  sweat  of  the 
horse  is  composed  of  a  mixture  of  these  two  secretions, 
the  former  giving  it  a  greasy  character  when  he  is  fat ; 
the  preponderance  of  the  latter,  a  watery  appearance, 


THEOKY  OF   GROOMING.  83 

when  he  is  in  poor  condition,  or  when  "  drawn  fine." 
The  effect  of  friction  applied  to  the  skin,  is  to  draw  to 
the  surface  an  increased  amount  of  blood,  from  which 
the  glands  in  question  obtain  materials  for  forming  their 
respective  fluids. 

The  inner  layer,  or  true  skin,  secretes  the  outer  skin 
in  the  form  of  scales,  more  or  less  glued  together, 
according  to  their  distance  from  the  surface.  This 
outer  skin  lines  the  openings  of  the  oil  and  sweat  tubes, 
and  surrounds  each  hair.  Its  presence  affords  protec- 
tion to  the  skin,  and  checks  the  outpouring  of  the  oil 
and  perspiration.  Hence,  when  horses  are  turned  out 
in  the  open,  without  adequate  clothing,  they  should 
on  no  account  be  groomed,  which  process  is  intended 
to  remove  as  much  of  the  outer  or  scarf-skin  as  possible, 
and,  by  friction,  to  stimulate  the  secretion  of  oil  and 
perspiration.  The  oil,  I  may  remark,  protects  the 
skin  from  the  injurious  action  of  water,  and  also  assists 
in  maintaining  the  internal  temperature  of  the  body 
by  rendering  the  coat  bright  and  glossy — a  condition 
that  checks  the  radiation,  as  well  as  the  absorption,  of 
heat.  Consequently,  a  horse  with  a  polished  skin  will 
not  be  as  liable  to  be  chilled  by  wet  or  cold,  nor  to  be 
as  unduly  heated  by  the  rays  of  the  sun,  as  he  would 
be,  were  his  coat  dull.  This  immunity,  however,  will 
only  last  for  a  few  hours,  or  until  the  weather  affects 
the  hair. 

The  skin  acts  as  an  assistant  to  the  lungs  in  giving 
off  carbonic  acid  gas,  and  thus  aids  in  purifying  the 
blood.  The  cold  produced  by  the  evaporation  of  per- 
spiration materially  assists  in  lowering  the  temperature 
of  the  body  to  its  normal  degree,  when  it  has  been 


84  HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

raised  beyond  it  by  exercise.  Hence  the  necessity  of 
the  free  secretion  of  perspiration  by  the  skin  of  hard- 
worked  horses. 

Apart  from  the  foregoing  considerations,  we  may  see 
that  the  fact  of  the  skin  being  in  a  healthy  state  will 
tend  to  induce  a  like  condition  of  the  stomacl^  intes- 
tines, and  air  passages  ;  for  the  skin  is  continuous  with 
the  mucous  membranes  which  line  these  organs. 
Owing,  therefore,  to  the  sympathy  which  exists  be- 
tween the  various  portions  of  these  respective  surfaces, 
we  find  that,  in  cases  of  derangement  of  the  stomach, 
&c.,  the  coat  becomes  dull  and  unthrifty.  In  like 
manner,  a  return  to  health  will  be  marked  by  an 
improvement  in  the  state  of  the  skin,  affections  of  which 
are  more  or  less  followed  by  an  impaired  condition  of 
the  digestive  apparatus.  Experience,  as  well  as 
physiology,  teaches  us  that  the  horse's  general  well- 
being  is  greatly  dependent  on  his  skin  being  clean, 
well  polished,  and  healthy. 

From  these  considerations,  we  may  readily  see  how 
important  the  process  of  grooming  is  to  the  mainte- 
nance of  high  condition  in  the  horse. 

I  may  briefly  sum  up  the  objects,  sought  to  be  obtained 
by  good  grooming,  as  follows  : — 1,  to  remove  the  scaly 
part  of  the  outer  skin,  in  order  to  allow  of  ready  exit 
to  the  fluids  that  flow  from  the  oil  and  sweat-glands ; 
2,  to  stimulate,  by  friction,  these  glands  to  increased 
activity ;  3,  to  determine  blood  to  the  surface  of  the 
body,  so  as  to  relieve  the  internal  organs  ;  4,  to  remove 
all  superfluous  hair,  the  presence  of  which  would  tend 
to  check  evaporation  from  the  skin ;  5,  to  induce  a 
healthy  state  of  the  skin  itself,  in  which  the  mucous 


WASHING  THE   HOESE.  85 

membranes  of  the  digestive  and  respiratory  organs  will 
tend  to  participate. 

The  skin  of  the  well-groomed  horse  will  be  in  the 
best  possible  condition  to  play  its  allotted  part,  when  the 
system  is  called  upon  to  perform  violent  exertion  ;  but 
not  to  resist  the  continued  effect  of  cold  during  a  state 
of  inactivity.  Hence,  such  an  animal  should,  when  he 
is  at  rest,  be  provided  with  an  adequate  supply  of  warm 
clothing  to  make  up  for  the  loss  of  the  protection  which 
was  afforded  by  the  scaly  part  of  the  outer  skin,  and  by 
the  increased  amount  of  hair  possessed  by  him  in  an 
ungroomed  condition. 

Washing  the  Horse. — This  practice  is,  as  a  rule, 
injurious  ;  for  it  not  alone  removes  the  natural  oil  from 
the  skin,  thereby  rendering  the  coat  dull,  but  is  also 
apt  to  produce  chill,  which,  I  need  hardly  say,  is  the 
fruitful  source  of  many  equine  ailments.  In  a  warm 
atmosphere,  a  horse  that  is  heated  and  perspiring,  can 
take  no  harm  from  being  washed,  provided  he  is  quickly 
dried.  Owing,  however,  to  the  large  surface  of  the 
body,  and  the  presence  of  hair  over  it,  it  is  difficult  to 
dry  a  horse  thoroughly  in  time  to  prevent  the  chance 
of  his  catching  cold ;  and,  then,  to  apply  sufficient 
friction  to  stimulate  the  oil-glands  to  renew  the  gloss 
his  coat  lost  from  the  washing.  If  it  is  imperative  to 
wash,  and  there  is  not  sufficient  assistance  to  have  the 
animal  rubbed  dry  without  loss  of  time,  we  may,  after 
scraping  and  rubbing  him  over,  put  on  a  good  supply 
of  warm  clothing,  bandage  his  legs,  and  leave  him, 
thus,  to  dry  under  his  rugs,  which  he  will  do  in  an  hour 
or  less.  He  should,  after  that,  be  exercised,  or  warmly 
stabled,  so  as  to  prevent  him  becoming  chilled. 


86  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

Water  has  no  power  to  remove  the  scaly  part  of  the 
outer  skin,  its  effect  being  confined  alone  to  any  dust 
or  mud  that  may  have  fallen  on  the  coat.  Our  best 
authorities  are  unanimous  in  condemning  the  custom 
of  washing  the  animal.  Both  cracked  heels  and  mud- 
fever— a  form  of  inflammation  of  the  skin,  which 
extends  more  or  less  over  the  legs,  and  sometimes  over 
the  lower  surf  ace  of  the  abdomen — are  often  caused  by 
this  practice.  Mud-fever  is  a. common  complaint  in 
England,  though  rare  in  India. 

We  find  from  experience,  that  the  external  applica- 
tion of  warm  water,  especially  to  the  legs  and  feet,  is 
still  more  objectionable  than  that  of  cold.  This  is 
chiefly  due  to  the  fact  that  it  more  readily  removes  the 
oil  which  keeps  the  skin  soft,  and  is  more  efficient  in 
loosening  the  layers  of  scales  which  serve  to  protect 
the  true  skin  from  irritation  by  external  objects.  The 
heat  of  the  warm  water  may,  also,  stimulate  the  oil- 
glands  which  lie  deep  in  the  true  skin,  to  an  abnormal 
degree  of  activity.  Subsequent  cold,  brought  on 
by  evaporation,  or  by  a  current  of  air,  may  cause  con- 
traction of  the  superficial  extremities  of  the  oil  tubes, 
so  that  the  exit  of  the  fluid  may  become  obstructed  ;  a 
state  that  will  probably  be  followed  by  inflammation, 
as  may  be  evinced  by  "  cracked  heels,"  "grease,"  or 
"mud-fever." 

Clipping. — The  presence  of  a  thick  covering  of  hair 
is  analagous,  in  the  case  of  a  man,  to  the  wearing  of  a 
warm  overcoat,  which,  however  suitable  it  would  be  to 
protect  the  body,  while  in  a  state  of  comparative  rest, 
from  the  inclemency  of  the  weather,  would  be  a  dis- 
tressing burden  to  one  who  had  to  undergo  severe 


CLIPPING.  87 

muscular  exertion.  Applying  the  simile  of  a  man 
taking  off  his  great  coat  when  he  has  to,  say,  run,  row, 
or  cycle,  and  putting  it  on  so  as  to  avoid  the  ill  effects 
of  chill  when  the  exercise  is  at  an  end  ;  we  may  see 
how  reasonable  it  is  to  have  hard-worked  horses 
clipped,  and  to  protect  their  systems  by  adequate 
clothing  as  soon  as  they  have  cooled  down.  If  a  horse 
is  not  at  work,  there  is  no  necessity  for  clipping  him, 
unless  the  presence  of  long  hair  distresses  him.  I  have 
frequently  remarked  in  India,  that  the  mere  fact  of 
clipping  a  horse  caused  a  marked  improvement  in  his 
condition.  As  the  seasons  of  the  year  in  the  Antipodes 
are  the  reverse  of  those  in  countries  North  of  the 
Equator,  newly  imported  Australasian  horses  will, 
unless  relieved  of  it,  carry  during  the  hot  weather  an 
abnormally  long  coat,  which  should  be  clipped  off  as 
occasion  demands.  Such  animals  cannot  be  considered 
to  have  become  acclimatised  until  the  functions  of  their 
skin  have  accommodated  themselves  to  the  conditions 
under  which  they  are  called  upon  to  act. 

"  With  reference  to  the  clipping  of  horses,  I  am  of 
opinion  that  it  is  a  great  advantage  ;  they  work  better- 
after  being  clipped  ;  thrive  on  less  food ;  are  less  liable 
to  disease ;  are  stronger,  healthier,  and  more  cheerful  ; 
and  when  sick,  recover  in  a  much  shorter  time.  It  is 
not  my  intention  to  discuss  the  question  ;  I  merely  wish 
to  counteract  a  ridiculous  idea  propounded  by  Mr. 
Gamgee,  that  clipping  is  injurious  to  the  horse. 

"  I  strongly  recommend  the  Irish  method  of  clipping, 
namely,  clipping  all  parts  of  the  body  except  the  legs. 
The  hair  that  is  left  on  the  legs  protects  them  from 
the  irritation  of  wet  and  dirt ;  and,  when  horses  are 


88  HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN  INDIA. 

used  for  hunting  purposes,  from  the  penetration  of 
thorns,  &c."  (Williams.) 

Horses  in  India,  that  are  thoroughly  groomed,  well- 
fed,  and  warmly  clothed,  will  rarely  have  a  coat  long 
enough  to  require  clipping. 

As  the  bristles  that  grow  about  a  horse's  muzzle, 
eyes  and  chin,  act  as  feelers — -replacing  to  some  extent 
the  want  of  hands — they  should  not  be  cut  or  pulled 
out.  The  hair  which  lines  the  external  ear  should  also 
be  allowed  to  remain  untouched. 

Grooming. — Before  grooming,  the  horse  may  be 
tied  up  by  side  reins  running  from  rings  fixed,  about 
six  feet  high,  at  each  side  of  the  doorway  of  the  stall, 
and  attached  to  the  rings  of  the  watering  bridle. 

If  he  kicks  badly,  his  hind  legs  may  be  confined  by 
a  short  hobble,  called  in  Hindustanee,  mujuma,  placed 
on  his  hind  pasterns.  The  use  of  heel  ropes  is  apt  to 
strain  him. 

When  the  horse  returns  from  exercise  in  clothing,  he 
should  be  tied  up,  his  hood  removed,  and  his  neck  and 
throat  scraped,  if  there  be  any  sweat  visible. 

The  space  between  his  jaws  should  be  carefully  dried 
with  a  dry  cotton  rubber.  A  man  on  each  side,  with  a 
fresh  straw  or  hemp  wisp,  should  go  thoroughly  over 
the  exposed  parts,  working  the  wisp  backwards  and 
forwards  well  into  his  coat.  The  breast  and  body 
pieces  are  successively  removed,  and  his  chest,  fore- 
arms, shoulders,  back,  loins,  belly,  quarters,  thighs,  &c., 
quickly  rubbed  down  and  dried  in  a  similar  manner. 
This  done,  the  syces  should  set  to  and  hand-rub  him, 
beginning  at  his  ears  and  ending  at  his  hocks.  The 
ears  should  be  pulled  gently  between  the  fingers  several 


GEOOMING.  89 

times :  a  process  that  always  seems  to  refresh  the 
animal.  When  hand-rubbing,  the  stroke  should  be 
commenced  by  bringing  the  flat  of  the  hand — each  one 
to  be  used  alternately — well  under  the  belly,  down 
the  fore-hand,  thigh  orgaskin,  or  between  the  fore-legs, 
as  the  case  may  be,  and  it  should  then  be  drawn  up 
with  a  steady  pressure.  As  the  hand  is  raised,  the 
elbow  should  be  turned  out,  and  the  under  part  of  the 
bared  forearm  should  be  brought  into  play  against  the 
grain  of  the  coat.  In  doing  this,  the  weight  of  the 
body  and  strength  of  the  arm  should  be  utilised. 

With  a  valuable  horse,  one  should  put  two  men  on 
the  legs,  and  two  on  the  rest  of  the  body.  The  quicker 
the  hand-rubbing  is  done,  the  more  effectual  will  it 
prove. 

On  an  average,  the  wisping  down  will  take  about 
ten  minutes  ;  the  hand-rubbing,  somewhat  longer. 

If  only  two  men  be  available,  the  legs  below  the 
knees  and  hocks  should  be  left  untouched  until  a  later 
period  of  the  grooming. 

The  hand-rubbing  being  finished,  a  syce  on  each  side 
should  go  over  the  coat  with  the  body  brush,  for  the 
cleaning  of  which,  only,  should  the  curry-comb  be 
employed. 

The  brush  should  have  long  and  rather  soft  bristles, 
and  should  be  used  only  in  the  direction  in  which  the 
hair  lies,  and  not  against  it ;  as,  with  the  grain,  it  will 
most  effectually  remove  the  dandruff,  which  is  thrown 
off  by  the  skin  in  the  form  of  scales  that  are  pierced  by 
the  hairs.  The  syce  should  place  the  brush  lightl}'  on 
the  coat,  so  as  to  avoid  hurting  the  skin,  and  should 
then  press  on  it,  as  he  makes  his  stroke  downwards. 


90  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

The  chief  object  of  brushing  the  coat  is  to  remove 
the  scaly  dandruff;  that  of  wisping  and  hand-rubbing, 
to  dry  and  stimulate  it. 

English  trainers  usually  teach  their  stable  lads  to 
make  on  their  horses'  quarters,  when  the  grooming  is 
finished,  "  quarter  marks,"  of  which  the  most  common 
is  the  ''diamond."  This  mark  is  made  by  brushing 
the  quarter  with  the  body  brush,  from  front  to  rear,  in 
the  direction  the  hair  lies  ;  then  drawing  a  stroke  with 
the  brush  down  the  centre  of  the  quarter,  in  a  perpen- 
dicular direction,  so  as  to  ruffle  the  hair ;  and,  finally, 
smoothening,  with  the  brush,  the  upper  and  lower 
portion  of  the  quarter,  so  as  to  leave  a  "  diamond,"  or 
rather  a  rhombus,  of,  say,  about  4  inches  side.  The 
rough  hair  of  the  quarter  mark  will,  naturally,  enhance 
by  contrast,  the  brilliancy  of  the  remainder  of  the  coat 
of  that  part.  The  pattern  may  be  varied  at  pleasure. 
Some  trainers  affect  one  ;  some,  another  kind  of  dis- 
tinctive quarter  mark ;  while  others  pay  no  attention 
to  them. 

Dressing  the  Mane  and  Tail. — The  brushing  of 
the  body  being  finished,  the  syce  should  brush  out  the 
forelock,  mane,  and  tail,  taking  care,  first  of  all,  to 
commence  at  the  ends  of  the  hair,  and  to  proceed 
upwards  as  each  kink  or  knot  becomes  opened  out. 
The  hairs,  by  small  locks  at  a  time,  should  be  brushed 
from  their  roots  downwards,  so  as  to  remove  all  dand- 
ruff. The  mane-comb  should  be  used  only  when  it  is 
desired  to  keep  the  mane  or  tail  thin. 

It  is  the  custom  to  make  the  mane  lie  to  the  off  side ; 
for,  as  we  usually  look  at  a  horse  from  the  near  side, 
his  neck  and  shoulders — if  they  be  good — will  then 


DKESSING  THE   MANE   AND   TAIL.  91 

appear  to  greater  advantage,  than  if  the   lines   were 
broken  by  the  mane. 

The  off-horse  of  a  carriage  pair  may  have  his  mane 
groomed  to  the  near  side. 

Wetting  the  hair  of  the  mane  and  tail  will  tend  to 
make  it  grow  fast. 

If  the  mane  does  not  hang  properly  down,  it  may 
be  daily  wetted,  and  plaited,  while  small  weights  may 
be  attached  to  its  ends.  A  thick  paste  of  flour  and 
water  plastered  over  the  mane  and  tied  down  with  a 
cloth,  will  make  the  hair,  in  a  few  days,  lie  flat.  The 
paste  should  be  allowed  to  remain  on  during  the  day,  if 
the  animal's  services  are  not  required. 

If  a  horse  be  inclined  to  rub  his  tail  against  the  walls 
of  the  stable,  a  light  leather  sheath,  to  lace  on,  may, 
with  advantage,  be  used  to  protect  the  part.  In  such  a 
case,  the  cause  should  be  removed  by  appropriate  medi- 
cinal treatment,  for  which  see  Veterinary  Notes  for 
Horse  Owners. 

Some  syces  have  a  habit  of  washing  horses'  tails  by 
means  of  a  wet  towel,  which  they  rub  with  and  against 
the  grain  of  tha  hair.  This  practice  should  not  be 
allowed,  as  it  breaks  the  hair,  and  disarranges  its  set, 
thereby  disfiguring  the  animal. 

After  the  mane  and  tail  have  been  adjusted,  the  syce 
should  wipe  out  the  horse's  eyes,  nostrils,  sheath,  and 
dock  with  a  damp  towel  or  sponge ;  and  then  smooth 
down  the  coat  with  a  dry  wash-leather  or  cotton  rubber. 
After  this,  the  clothing  is  put  on,  care  being  taken  to 
throw  the  quarter-piece  a  little  way  in  front  of  the 
withers,  and  then  to  draw  it  back,  so  that  the  coat  may 
not  be  ruffled. 


92  HOUSE    MANAGEMENT   IN  INDIA. 

The  feet  should  then  be  picked  out  and  cleaned  with 
a  dry  brush  and  rubber,  the  legs  hand-rubbed,  and 
bandages  put  on,  if  they  be  employed.  If  bandages  be 
used  during  exercise,  they  should  be  allowed  to  remain 
on  until  the  syce  proceeds  to  hand-rub  the  legs. 

The  foregoing  completes  the  description  of  ordinary 
grooming,  to  which,  I  think,  the  following  process  may, 
with  advantage,  be  added. 

Tapeeing-. — This  Indian  practice  is  a  species  of 
shampooing  done  with  broad  circular  pads,  called 
tapees,  each  one  of  which  is  about  9  inches  in  diameter 
and  three  inches  thick.  They  are  stuffed  with  horse 
hair  and  are  covered  with  leather.  A  strap  is  placed  at 
the  back  of  this  pad  to  admit  the  hand  placed  flatwise. 
They  are  used  one  on  each  hand,  and  are  brought  down 
in  quick  succession,  with  the  whole  force  of  the  arm,  on 
the  spot  intended  to  be  shampooed.  The  neck 
shoulders,  barrel,  and  hind  quarters  are  thus  gone  over 
by  a  syce  on  each  side  of  the  animal.  The  loins  and 
flanks  are  avoided.  The  usual  method  is  to  strike  first 
with  the  left  hand,  then  with  the  right,  and  again  with 
the  left,  and  then  to  bring  the  pads  sharply  together  so  as 
to  knock  out  the  dust.  Tapeeing  has  an  excellent  effect 
on  the  skin  and  coat ;  and  is  much  relished  by  the 
horse  when  he  gets  accustomed  to  it.  If  put  into 
practice,  it  should  be  performed  immediately  after  the 
animal  is  brushed  down. 

In  all  cases,  when  there  is  sufficient  help  and  time, 
the  grooming  should  be  such  as  I  have  described  in  the 
foregoing  pages. 

When  ahorse  comes  in  heated,  and  there  is  only  one 
man  to  attend  to  him,  the  girths,  if  a  saddle  be  on, 


CAEE  OF  THE  FEET  AND  LEGS.          93 

should  be  slackened,  and  he  should  be  walked  about 
until  he  cools  down,  and  then  the  wisp  should  be 
applied,  beginning  first  of  all  at  the  part  under  the 
saddle. 

I  have  never  found  the  slightest  ill-effect  accrue  from 
.removing  the  saddle  immediately  the  horse  comes  in, 
however  heated  he  might  be ;  provided  always 
the  skin  under  it  was  thoroughly  well  dried  without 
delay. 

Shedding  the  Coat.— The  horse  sheds  his  coat 
twice  in  the  year — in  the  autumn  and  in  the  spring. 
At  the  former  time,  his  fine  summer  hair  falls  out,  to 
be  replaced  by  a  thicker  and  longer  covering,  which,  in 
its  turn,  gives  place  to  the  other.  If,  while  the  coat  is 
changing  in  the  spring,  the  brush,  or  other  means,  be 
employed  to  hasten  the  process,  the  hair-follicles  will 
become  prematurely  exposed  to  the  action  of  the  air, 
and,  consequently,  will  become  stimulated  to  secrete  a 
coarser  form  of  hair  than  they  would  have  done,  had 
their  natural  protection  remained  on  for  its  allotted 
period.  Hence,  the  new  summer  coat  will  be  rougher 
than  it  ought  to  be,  and  its  appearance  will,  conse- 
quently, be  more  or  less  spoiled.  On  this  account, 
when  the  coat  is  being  shed  during  that  time,  the  brush 
should  not  be  applied  to  it,  nor  should  it  be  hand- 
rubbed.  The  wisp  and  rubber  will  then  be  sufficient 
for  grooming  purposes. 

In  India,  the  shedding  of  the  coat  of  horses  that  are 
well  groomed  and  warmly  clothed,  takes  place  to  a  far 
less  extent  than  in  England. 

Care  of  the  Feet  and  Legs.— The  horse's  feet 
should  neither  be  washed  nor  "  stopped ;  "  for  the 


94  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

former  practice  is  the  fruitful  cause  of  "  cracked  heels ; " 
and  the  latter  induces  thrush,  and  softens  and  weakens 
the  sole,  frog,  and  crust.  The  old  ideas  of  "  thinning  " 
the  sole,  and  keeping  the  feet  soft  by  stoppings  of  cow- 
dung  and  clay,  are  antiquated  fallacies  that  hardly 
require  being  combated  in  the  present  day.  In  India, 
especially,  we  require  the  feet  to  be  as  hard  and  tough 
as  possible,  so  that  the  horse  may  neither  flinch,  nor 
go  short  over  hard  or  broken  ground,  nor  become 
lame  if  he  casts  a  shoe,  and  has  to  proceed  for  a  few 
miles  bare-foot.  Water  applied  to  the  feet  renders 
them  soft  and  weak,  on  account  of  the  capillary 
attraction  exerted  by  the  fibres  of  the  horn  on  any 
liquid  with  which  it  may  come  in  contact.  It  is  a  sig- 
nificant fact  that  the  drier  the  climate  is,  in  which 
horses  are  bred  and  reared,  the  stronger  and  better 
able  to  stand  work  will  their  feet  be. 

No  benefit  is  obtained  by  applying  hoof  ointment  to 
the  crust ;  unless,  perhaps,  to  those  parts  from  which 
the  hard  and  varnished  covering  of  the  wall  may  have 
been  rasped  away  by  a  careless  or  ignorant  shoeing- 
smith.  The  growth  of  the  wall  of  the  hoof  can  alone 
be  hastened  by  stimulating  the  coronet  which  secretes 
it ;  hence,  any  hoof  ointment,  used  as  such,  is  power- 
less to  effect  this  end. 

Although  the  employment  of  greasy  applications  may 
have  a  temporary  effect  in  tending  to  render  dry  horn 
tough  ;  still,  their  constant  use  will,  as  a  rule,  cause 
the  feet  to  become  far  more  brittle  than  they  were 
before  ;  if,  by  any  chance,  these  dressings  are  discon- 
tinued. They  should,  therefore,  not  be  employed  with 
horses,  like  those  in  the  army,  that  may  be  sent  on 


TRIMMING   THE    MANE   AND   TAIL.  95 

work,  the  circumstances  of  which  may  prevent  the 
use  of  such  applications. 

In  this  chapter  I  have  already  dwelt  upon  the  evils 
of  washing  the  legs  of  the  horse ;  hence,  I  need  not 
further  allude  to  the  suhject,  beyond  saying  that,  if  the 
animal  returns  to  the  stable  with  his  legs  wet,  or 
covered  with  the  mud,  they  should  be  dried  by  means 
of  the  scraper,  wisp,  and  rubber,  as  the  case  may  be, 
and  hand-rubbed  when  dry. 

One  should  avoid  hand-rubbing  the  legs  when  they 
are  wet ;  as  doing  so  will  tend  to  remove  the  hair. 

Hand-rubbing  the  legs  is  a  beneficial  practice  with 
the  generality  of  stabled  horses ;  for  it  not  alone  tends 
to  prevent  stagnation  of  blood  in  the  legs  and  feet,  but 
also,  by  the  pressure  exerted,  promotes  the  absorption 
of  any  effusions  that  may  be  present  about  the  back 
tendons  and  suspensory  ligaments. 

Trimming  the  Mane  and  =  Tail.— The  mane  may 
be  trimmed  by  pulling  out  the  longest  locks,  a  little  at 
a  time,  having  previously  twisted  them  round  the  fore- 
finger or  a  stick.  If  this  annoys  the  horse,  the  long 
ends  may  be  divided  by  running  a  half-shut  scissors 
backwards  and  forwards  across  them,  in  the  same 
manner  as  hair-dressers  trim  ladies'  hair.  The  ends  are 
held  in  the  left  hand,  while  the  right  uses  the  scissors. 

A  space  of  about  an  inch  and  a  half  broad  should  be 
cut  out  of  the  mane,  just  behind  the  ears,  for  the 
passage  of  the  head-stall  of  the  bridle. 

When  hogging  the  mane  of  a  pony,  it  is  customary, 
in  order  to  help  the  rider  in  mounting,  to  leave  a  lock 
of  hair.  This,  to  be  effective,  should  be  about  half  way 
up  the  neck.  The  easiest  and  neatest  way  to  hog  the 


96  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

mane,  is  to  cut  it  close,  running  the  clipping  machine 
along  the  top  of  the  crest,  and  then  on  each  side,  so  as 
to  make  the  hair  level.  The  old  plan  of  hogging  the 
mane,  so  as  to  leave  a  bristling  ridge  of  hair,  is 
tedious  in  execution  and  has  a  bad  effect,  in  that, 
instead  of  preserving  the  natural  outline  of  the  neck, 
it  gave  the  part  an  abnormally  thick  and  high-crested 
appearance. 

A  switch  tail  may  be  trimmed  in  the  same  manner 
as  the  mane. 

It  is  not  the  fashion  to  bang  the  tails  of  Arabs ;  a 
fine,  thin  tail  being  considered  to  be  a  mark  of  high 
caste  among  them. 

Horses'  tails  ought  not  to  be  shortened  after  the 
beginning  of  April,  as  their  powers  then  will  become 
fully  taxed  in  keeping  off  flies.  They  should  not  be 
again  trimmed  before  the  month  of  October. 

The  object  of  banging  a  horse's  tail  is  to  add  to  the 
appearance  of  strength  in  his  hind-quarters.  The 
usual  length  at  which  a  horse's  tail  is  banged,  is  such 
that  will  enable  the  end  of  the  tail,  when  pulled  down, 
to  reach  the  point  of  the  hock.  The  more  "cobby" 
the  animal,  the  shorter  may  be  the  bang. 

The  following  are  three  methods  for  banging  the 
tail  :- 

1st. — Get  an  assistant  to  place  his  hand  under  the 
dock,  and  to  hold  the  tail  in  a  position,  similar  to  that 
which  it  would  assume  were  the  animal  walking ;  then, 
with  a  strong  pair  of  scissors,  cut  the  hair  level  at  the 
desired  length. 

2nd. — Bind  the  tail  round  with  a  piece  of  cord,  about 
six  inches  above  the  point  at  which  it  is  to  be  divided, 


STABLE   EOUTINE.  97 

Then,  with  a  sharp  knife,  cut  so  as  to  give  the  ends  of 
the  hair  the  required  slope. 

3rd. — Lay  the  tail,  at  the  desired  length,  across  the 
edge  of  a  broad  adze  (Hind.  Busoola),  and  divide  the 
hair  by  a  smart  blow  with  a  flat  billet  of  wood.  The 
adze  should  be  held  steady,  the  handle  to  the  rear,  the 
edge  horizontal,  and  the  blade  sloped,  so  that  the  horse 
may  carry  his  tail  level  at  a  walk.  Any  loose  hairs 
may  then  be  trimmed  with  the  scissors.  This  is  an 
admirable  plan  for  troopers,  with  which  dispatch  and 
uniformity  are  matters  of  consideration.  For  use  with 
a  number  of  horses,  a  blade,  resembling  that  of  an  adze, 
but  broader,  may  be  let  into  a  block  of  wood  4  or  5  Ibs. 
in  weight. 

Bots. — During  the  autumn  months,  the  bot-fly  will 
endeavour  to  lay  its  eggs  on  the  chest  and  forelegs  of 
horses,  especially  if  the  animals  be  kept  much  in  the 
open,  as  when  on  the  march.  These  eggs  adhere  to  the 
hair,  and,  though  very  minute,  may  readily  be  recog- 
nised by  their  bright  yellow  colour,  and  by  their 
position,  which  is  chosen  by  the  fly,  so  that  the  horse 
may  easily  lick  them  off,  and  thus  convey  them  into  his 
stomach.  During  these  months,  syces  should  be  careful 
to  examine  their  horses  after  they  come  in  from  exercise, 
and  pick  off  any  of  those  eggs  they  may  detect. 

Stable  Routine- — The  system  which  is  applicable 
to  race-horses,  should  be  the  one  pursued  with  all 
valuable  animals,  under  the  modifications  that  necessity 
or  convenience  may  require.  I  may  describe  it  as 
follows  : — 

At  daybreak,  the  horse  is  given  about  half  a  gallon  of 
water,  and  after  that  a  feed  of  about  a  pound  of  corn, 

H 


98  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

his  clothing  is  taken  off,  and  he  is  groomed  lightly  over. 
The  whole  of  the  bedding  should  now  be  put  outside, 
to  be  aired  and  dried,  and  the  dung  and  fouled  litter 
should  be  removed.  The  stable  should  be  opened  out  for 
the  admittance  of  air  and  sunshine.  The  floor  should  be 
well  swept,  and  any  portion  of  it  which  may  have  be- 
come wet  with  urine  should,  if  the  floor  be  of  waterproof 
material,  be  strewn  over  with  dry  earth,  and  then  swept 
dry  and  clean  with  a  broom.  If  the  floor  be  of  earth, 
the  soiled  parts  should  be  scraped  up  and  replaced  by 
dry  soil.  On  the  horse's  return  from  work  or  exercise, 
say  about  8  or  9  o'clock,  he  is  watered,  groomed,  and 
clothed  according  to  the  season.  His  bedding  is  now 
neatly  put  down  ;  and  he  is  fed,  and  given  a  full 
allowance  of  grass  or  hay,  at  the  same  time  as  he  gets 
his  corn.  The  stable  is  then  darkened,  and  the  animal 
is  left  to  himself  for  three  or  four  hours.  Between 
twelve  and  one  he  is  watered,  lightly  groomed,  and  fed 
as  before  ;  and  is  not  again  disturbed  until  about  four 
o'clock,  at  which  time  he  gets  a  little  water,  a  small 
feed  of  corn,  and  a  thorough  grooming.  The  bedding 
should  again  be  removed,  dried,  and  selected.  On  the 
horse's  return  to  the  stable  in  the  evening,  he  is 
watered  and  lightly  groomed  over.  His  bedding  is  now 
arranged,  he  is  fed,  given  his  grass  or  hay,  clothed,  and 
left  for  the  night. 

The  syce  should  remove,  without  delay,  all  dung, 
urine,  and  soiled  litter  from  the  stall  ;  for  the  presence 
of  dirt  is  not  alone  injurious  to  the  horse's  health,  but 
it,  also,  attracts  flies,  which  are  extremely  annoying  to 
the  animal,  especially  during  the  hot  weather. 

Strict    supervision  must   be  exercised  in  order  to 


STABLE    EOUTINE.  99 

prevent  syces  taking  the  clothing  off  their  horses,  on 
cold  nights,  and  using  it  themselves  for  bedding. 

For  hours  of  feeding  and  division  of  food,  see  page 
79. 

Instead  of  watering  the  horse  at  fixed  times,  he  may, 
with  great  advantage,  have  a  constant  supply  of  water 
at  all  times  in  his  stall. 

It  is  better  to  have  horses  groomed  in  the  afternoon 
than  in  the  evening,  for  then  the  syces  will  have  plenty 
of  light  by  which  to  do  their  work  ;  and  the  owner 
will  probably  be  able  to  superintend  it,  to  some  extent 
at  least,  without  its  interfering  with  his  dinner. 

To  economise  the  bedding,  it  may  be  put  down  only 
at  night. 

I  strongly  advocate  the  system  of  feeding  which  I 
have  described. 


CHAPTER  VIII. 

MANAGEMENT  OF  HORSES  ON  BOARD  SHIP. 

As  my  experience  extends  only  to  the  transport  of 
single  horses  on  board  ship,  and  not  to  that  of  large 
numbers,  I  shall  confine  my  remarks  to  the  former. 

The  frogs  and  soles  of  a  horse's  feet,  before  he  is 
embarked,  should  be  hard,  strong,  and  as  fully  developed 
as  possible.  Hence,  it  is  advisable  to  let  him  go  bare- 
foot for  a  couple  of  months  beforehand,  or  to  shoe  him 
a  la  Charlier,  or  with  tips,  while  the  crust  and  heels 
are  kept  low,  and  to  forbid  all  paring  of  the  soles  and 
frogs  with  the  drawing  knife,  as  well  as  4<  stopping  " 
with  cow-dung,  &c.  If  thrush  be  present,  the  animal's 
feet  should  be  treated  for  it  without  delay.  Shortly 
before  being  put  on  board,  the  shoes  (if  they  be  used) 
should  be  taken  off,  and  the  heels  and  walls  of  the  hoofs 
should  again  be  lowered,  so  as  to  obtain  frog  and  sole 
pressure.  These  precautions  are  necessary  in  order  to 
lessen  the  possibility  of  the  animal  getting  inflammation 
of  the  feet  (laminitis)  from  long  standing. 

For  ten  days  or  so  before  sailing,  the  horse  should  be 
put  on  laxative  food,  if  he  be  at  all  gross,  so  as  to  pro- 


MANAGEMENT  OF  HOESES  ON  BOAED  SHIP.   101 

tect  his  system  as  much  as  possible  from  the  attacks  of 
any  kind  of  inflammation.  With  this  object  in  view,  I 
would  advise  a  bran  mash  every  night,  and  carrots  and 
green  fodder,  with  very  little  corn. 

The  amount  of  food  to  be  laid  in  for  a  voyage  can  be 
calculated  on  the  following  allowance  : — 

Amount  of  Forage,  etc.,  per  day. 

Hay         181bs. 

Oats         3  „ 

Bran        5  „ 

Linseed  ...         ...     3  oz. 

Salt          2  „ 

Water     6  gallons. 

Straw  (for  bedding)  5  Ibs. 

The  linseed  may  be  given  as  a  mash,  from  time  to 
time. 

Besides  this,  a  bag  and  a  half  of  sand  per  week  may 
be  allowed  for  the  animal  to  stand  on. 

The  following  articles  of  clothing,  &c.,  will  be 
necessary : — 

A  suit  of  warm  clothing  complete. 

A  couple  of  horse  rugs. 

A  waterproof  sheet 

A  large  fly-net  to  fit  over  the  head  and  neck. 

A  pair  of  knee-caps. 

Head  collar  and  side  reins. 

Watering  bridle. 

Brush  and  curry-comb. 

Hoof-pricker. 

Half-a-dozen  cotton  rubbers. 

A  sponge. 


102  HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

A  large  pot  for  boiling  linseed,  &c. 

Slings. 

A  set  of  felt  hoof-covers,  for  applying  warm  or  cold 

water. 

The  rugs   may,   with  advantage,  be   covered  with 
canvas. 

For  a  voyage  of  a  month  or   two,  it  is  advisable  to 
lay  in  a  few  medicines,  &c.,  as  follows  : — 

Six  physic  balls  (containing  4^  drachms  of  aloes) 
Nitrate  of  potash  (nitre)         ...  ...     4  oz. 

Sweet  spirits  of  nitre  ...  ...     1  pint 

Tincture  of  opium  ...  ...  12  oz, 

Oil  of  turpentine  ...  .<*  ...     2  pints 

Camphor  ...  ...  ...     2  oz. 

Alum  ...  ...  ...  ...     lib. 

Linseed  oil  ...  ...  ...     f  gallon 

Tincture  of  myrrh  and  aloes  (for  abrasions)    8  oz. 
Lunar  caustic        ...  ...  ...     1  ,, 

Bicarbonate  of  soda  ...  ...     1  Ib. 

A  rasp. 
A  searcher. 

A  pair  of  leather  shoes  for  fomenting  the  feet, 
The  horse  should  be  provided  with  a  box  in  which 
to  remain  while  he  is  on  board.  The  best  form  of  box 
for  a  valuable  animal  is  one  7J  ft.  long  by  5|  ft.  wide. 
It  may  be  provided  with  sliding  bars,  by  which  the 
width  of  the  box  may  be  reduced  one-half  ;  so  that,  if 
need  be,  support  by  them  may  be  given  during  rough 
weather.  Such  a  box  can  carry  two  horses,  who  will 
be  far  more  comfortable  in  it  than  if  they  were  in 
separate  ones  of  3  ft.  wide.  The  ordinary  form  of  box 
is  about  6i  ft.  long,  inside,  and  about  2  ft.  9  in.  broad. 
In  a  large  box,  like  the  one  described,  the  horse  can  lie 


MANAGEMENT  OF  HORSES  ON  BOARD  SHIP.   103 

down  with  perfect  ease,  even,  during  comparatively 
rough  weather,  and  can  take  some  exercise  ;  but  in  a 
short,  narrow  box,  he  will  be  obliged  to  keep  on  his 
feet  the  whole  time. 

The  box  should  be  provided  with  doors  at  both  ends, 
so  that  the  animal  may  be  able  to  go  in  or  out  of  it, 
whichever  way  it  is  turned.  It  should  have  massive 
iron  rings,  placed  in  convenient  positions  so  as  to  enable 
it  to  be  hoisted  over  the  side  by  means  of  the  crane  ; 
and  there  should  be  placed  semi-circular  iron  bars, 
-over  the  top,  to  give  it  stability,  and  to  afford  support 
to  tarpaulins,  during  wet  weather;  or  to  a  canvas 
awning  when  fine.  Strong  iron  rings  should  be  let 
into  the  deck  to  enable  the  box  to  be  securely  lashed 
down. 

The  inside  of  the  box  should  be  thoroughly  well 
padded  throughout  its  entire  extent.  Straw  padding, 
covered  with  canvas,  as  is  generally  used,  proves  very 
ineffective  ;  for  it  soon  gets  hard  and  works  downward, 
leaving  the  upper  portion  of  the  woodwork  unprotected. 
I  would  strongly  advise  the  use  of  large  pieces  of  felt, 
to  be  secured  by  being  laced  through  holes  bored  in  the 
planking,  so  as  to  dispense  with  the  employment  of 
nails  of  any  sort,  next  the  horse. 

The  floor  of  the  box  should  be  laid  down  with  thick, 
rough  cocoanut  matting,  having  a  long,  thick  "  pile  "  or 
"nap,"  into  the  upstanding  fibres  of  which  the  feet  of 
the  animal  may  sink,  and  thus  obtain  secure  foothold. 
Six  ordinary  door-mats  made  of  this  material,  if  suffi- 
ciently long,  will  do  for  a  box  :  five  to  cover  the  floor, 
and  one  extra,  so  that  the  rearmost  mat  may  be  taken 
out  and  dried,  and  the  others  pushed  down  in  succes- 


104  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

sion.  If  only  smooth  matting  be  procurable,  it  should 
be  kept  covered  with  about  three  inches  of  sand.  If 
possible,  battens  should  not  be  fixed  on  the  floor  of  the 
box;  for  horses  are  apt  to  injure  their  feet  by  persistently 
standing  with  their  heels  on  these  slips  of  wood.  I 
cannot  explain  why  they  adopt  this  procedure,  instead 
of  using  the  battens  as  a  fixed  point  for  their  toes,  in 
the  manner  intended  by  man.  With  their  heels  on  the 
battens,  and  their  toes  on  the  floor,  they  adopt  a  posi- 
tion which  is  eminently  calculated  to  induce  laminitis. 

Straw  should  not  be  put  under  the  horse  in  rough 
weather  ;  as  it  is  very  slippery.  A  little  of  it,  however, 
may  be  shaken,  a  couple  of  times  a  day,  under  the 
animal,  for  him  to  stale  on  ;  so  that  his  legs  may  not 
become  wet.  Straw  may,  also,  be  used  for  preventing 
the  horse  from  knocking  himself  about,  or  from  being 
injured  in  bad  weather.  With  this  object,  it  is  well  to 
have  four  or  five  bags  filled  with  straw,  to  be  used  as 
occasion  may  demand. 

The  box  should  be  placed  on  deck  as  much  amid- 
ships as  possible,  and  athwart  ships  ;  but  not  fore  and 
aft.  On  long  tacks,  the  horse  should  face  to  windward ; 
the  box  being  turned  round,  if  necessary.  In  placing 
the  box,  advantage  should  be  taken  of  any  cover  that 
may  afford  protection  from  seas  breaking  over  the 
vessel. 

Steamers  with  flush  decks  and  little  shear,  are  by  far 
the  worst  on  which  to  convey  horses  on  deck.  Those 
provided  with  high  bulwarks  are  the  best.  A  ship  that 
is  light,  and  is  consequently  high  out  of  the  water, 
will  naturally  be  safer  for  horses  on  deck  than  if  she 
were  deep. 


MANAGEMENT   OF   HOESES   ON   BOAED   SHIP.       105 

The  box  should  be  opened  morning  and  evening  to 
enable  the  attendant  to  clean  it  out.  On  other  occa- 
sions, it  should  be  kept  closed. 

During  fine  weather,  slings  should  be  placed  under 
the  animal  ;  so  loose  as  not  to  press  against  his  belly, 
when  he  stands  up,  but  tight  enough  to  enable  him  to 
rest  his  weight  on  them  if  he  chooses.  If  it  gets  at  all 
rough,  the  slings  should  be  at  once  removed. 

If  the  horse  be  quiet,  he  maybe  taken  out,  from  time 
to  time,  when  the  sea  is  very  smooch.  On  no  account, 
should  he  be  allowed  to  walk  on  the  deck,  if  it  be  at  all 
wet  or  greasy.  There  is  no  need  to  groom  the  horse 
beyond  sponging  out  his  eyes,  nostrils,  dock,  &c.,  and 
picking  out  his  feet,  except  when  the  weather  is  so  fine 
that  he  can  be  taken  out  on  deck  ;  for,  accidents  with 
horses,  on  board  ship,  are  very  liable  to  occur.  The 
horse's  head  should  be  secured  by  means  of  side  ropes 
attached  to  the  head  collar. 

During  hot  weather,  the  horse  should  be  kept 
principally  on  bran  and  hay,  with  very  little  corn. 
A  stock  of  carrots  should,  if  possible,  be  laid  in. 

After  a  horse  has  been  on  board  three  weeks,  his 
heels  and  the  walls  of  his  hoofs  should  again  be 
lowered. 

An  owner  should  make  arrangements  with  the  captain 
of  the  ship,  for  help  to  be  given  by  some  of  the  crew,  in 
the  event  of  its  being  required,  during  bad  weather. 
"Paying  one's  footing"  on  the  forecastle,  with  liber* 
ality,  will  have  a  good  effect. 

"After  landing  horses  from  a  sea  voyage,  it  is 
advisable  to  keep  them  for  a  few  days  in  loose  boxes  so 
that  they  may  recover  the  use  of  their  feet  before  they 


106  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

are,  even  gradually,  brought  on  to  work ;  for  a  walk, 
even  of  a  few  miles,  immediately  after  coming  off  ship, 
is  very  apt  to  set  up  laminitis  ;  although,  previously,  no 
symptoms  of  that  disease  might  have  been  apparent." 
(Veterinary  Notes  for  Horse  Owners.} 


CHAPTEK  IX. 

STABLE    SERVANTS. 
SYCES  — GRASS-CUTTERS — SHOEING-SMITHS — RIDING  LADS. 

Syces.— Although  remarks  on  the  management  of 
native  stable  servants  hardly  come  within  the  scope 
of  this  work,  still  the  subject  so  nearly  concerns  the 
welfare  of  the  noble  animal  about  which  I  am  writing, 
that  I  cannot  refrain  from  offering  the  following  hints 
for  the  use  of  inexperienced  horse  owners. 

I  may  state  that  the  great  art  of  getting  on  well  with 
one's  servants,  and,  consequently,  keeping  them  up  to 
their  work,  is  to  treat  them  in  a  uniformly  just  and 
sympathetic  manner,  while  always  maintaining,  towards 
them,  one's  proper  position  as  master.  One  should 
never  swear  at,  beat,  or  fine  them.  The  first-men- 
tioned practice  is  degrading  to  oneself;  the  second  is 
cowardly  and  illegal ;  and  the  third  is  as  silly  as  the 
proverbial  one  of  cutting  off  one's  nose  to  spite  one's 
face  ;  for  the  syce  will,  in  the  large  majority  of  cases, 
if  fined,  scamp  his  work,  or  "  take  it  out  "  of  his  horse, 
so  as  to  make  up  for  the  loss  he  has  sustained.  From 
a  long  experience  among  stable  servants,  both  in  India 
and  England,  I  can  say  with  confidence,  that,  as  a 
rule,  those  of  the  former  are  as  trustworthy,  hard- 
working and  intelligent  as  those  of  the  latter  country  : 
and  that,  too,  on,  say,  Es.  7  a  month  instead  of  18 


108  HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN  INDIA. 

shillings  a  week.  The  masters  who  have  most  trouble 
with  their  native  servants,  and  whose  horses  get  worst 
looked  after,  are,  generally,  young  "  griffs  "  who  know 
little  or  nothing  of  the  language  of  the  country,  and 
are  always  abusing  their  syces  for  being  fools ;  as  if, 
forsooth,  "  the  boot  was  not  on  the  other  leg."  Horse 
owners  may  observe  the  following  rules  with 
advantage : — 

Endeavour  to  give  orders  concerning  the  horses  as 
clearly  as  possible,  so  that  there  may  be  no  chance  of 
their  being  misunderstood. 

Pay  the  servants  liberally  and  regularly. 
Insist  on  the  practice  of  the  syce,  in  case  anything 
goes  wrong  with  his  horse,   instantly  reporting  the 
matter. 

On  no  account  allow  a  syce,  on  his  own  responsi- 
bility, to  treat  any  ailment  his  horse  may  get,  such  as 
cracked  heels,  cuts,  etc. ;  to  have  any  voice  in  the 
shoeing  of  the  animal;  or  to  make  any  arrangement 
about  getting  corn  from  the  grain  merchant  (bunny ah). 
If  any  of  the  servants  are  not  amenable  to  kind 
treatment,  they  should  be  dismissed  at  once  ;  for  a 
master  who  is  known  to  be  good  to  his  men,  will  never 
be  in  want  of  a  choice  of  applicants  for  employment. 
One  should  not,  if  possible,  keep  a  discontented  servant. 

Make  certain  that  the  syce  can  live  on  his  pay ;  for 
if  he  cannot  do  so,  he  will  assuredly  steal  his  horse's 
grain. 

Before  the  cold  weather  comes  on,  supply  each  syce 
and  grass-cutter  with  warm  clothing  and  a  blanket,  so 
that  they  may  not  be  induced  to  take  off  the  horse's 
rugs  at  night,  to  use  as  bedding  for  themselves. 


GRASS-CUTTERS.  109 

I  may  remark  that,  in  racing  stables,  syces  are  gene- 
rally given  a  month's  pay  for  each  race  their  horses 
win. 

It  is  the  custom  to  allow  each  syce  a  bottle  of  oil 
and  a  pound  of  country  soap,  for  their  respective 
horses,  every  month. 

If  an  owner  suspects  that  his  syce  steals  the  horse's 
grain,  he  may  have  it  sprinkled,  by  a  sweeper,  with 
water  before  it  is  given ;  for  then  the  syce  will  regard  it 
as  polluted  and  will  not  eat  it. 

The  old  adage  about  the  master's  eye  making  the 
horse  fat,  applies  particularly  well  to  India. 

A  native  shoeing- smith  usually  gives  a  syce  four 
annas  for  each  time  his  horse  is  shod. 

It  is  usual  in  large  stables  to  make  the  steadiest  syce 
headman  over  the  others,  and  to  have  him  responsible 
in  case  anything  goes  wrong.  He  is  called  a  jemadar 
syce,  and  gets  an  increase  of  one  or  two  rupees  a 
month. 

Grass-cutters.— When  a  grass-cutter  goes  out  to 
cut  grass,  he  should  bring  back  a  double  suppl}7,  say 
28  Ibs.,  so  that  half  the  number  of  these  servants  may 
remain  present  to  help  the  syces. 

Grass-cutters  are  sometimes  expected  to  provide 
bedding  for  the  horses.  I  would  advise  that,  instead 
of  this  being  done,  the  owner  should  allow  a  rupee  a 
month  per  horse  for  straw,  requiring  in  return  that  the 
grass-cutter  should  assist  in  grooming. 

When  marching  horses  by  road,  each   grass-cutter 
should  accompany  his  horse,  and  should  carry  a  feed ' 
or  two  of  corn,  four  or  five  pounds  of  grass,  a  brush  and 
currycomb,  a  hoof-picker,  a  rubber,  picketing  ropes,  and 


110  HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN  INDIA. 

any  odds  and  ends  required,  so  that  the  horses  may 
not  be  inconvenienced  by  the  carts  which  carry  the 
corn,  gear,  etc.,  being  delayed  on  the  road.  One 
bucket  between  two  or  three  horses  will  be  sufficient. 

ShObing-Smiths. — Native  shoeing-smiths  gene- 
rally charge  from  Ks.  1-4  to  Ks.  1-8  for  shoeing,  and  12 
annas  for  removing. 

With  a  large  stable,  it  is  a  good  plan  to  employ  a 
shoeing-smith  on  a  fixed  salary.  As  a  rule,  they  are 
neat  workmen,  and  will  readily  learn  if  properly  taught. 
Their  pay  will  vary  from  Bs.  10  to  Bs.  16,  for  which 
they  will  shoe  and  plate  their  master's  horses,  and,  if 
attached  to  a  racing  stable,  will  accompany  them  from 
one  meeting  to  another.  They  expect  permission  to 
shoe  during  spare  hours  on  their  own  account. 

Hiding  Lads. — Having  got  horses  to  train,  the  next 
thing  is  to  find  some  one  to  ride  them  in  their  gallops  ; 
for  owners  are  hardly  ever  light  enough  to  do  this. 
Besides  this,  a  man  can  generally  train  better  by 
superintending  work,  than  by  riding  gallops  himself. 
If  possible,  no  one  over  8  st.  7  Ibs.,  at  the  very  outside, 
should  be  put  up ;  for  any  more  weight  will  certainly 
tend  to  shorten  the  stride  of  a  horse,  especially  that  of 
small  ones  like  Arabs.  On  the  other  hand,  too  light  a 
lad,  say  one  of  seven  stone,  may  not  be  strong  enough 
to  hold  a  big  horse  together ;  and  it  is  always  better  to 
pat  up  a  little  extra  weight  in  the  shape  of  muscle, 
than  to  allow  a  horse,  particularly  a  young  one,  to 
sprawl  all  over  the  place.  When  a  horse  has  once 
learned  to  gallop,  unless  he  be  a  determined  puller,  an 
eight  stone  lad  will  generally  be  able  to  do  all  that  is 
wanted,  and  with  such  an  one  up — if  he  be  at  all  a 


BIDING  LADS.  Ill 

"workman  " — a  horse's  legs  will  stand  far  longer  than 
under  a  heavier  weight,  and  the  owner  need  not  fear 
fast  work  to  the  same  degree,  as  he  should  do  the  other. 
One  may  sometimes  chance  on  an  English  jockey  that 
is  light,  does  not  drink,  and  is  a  good  race  rider.  Such 
a  man  is  indeed  a  treasure,  and  will  be  cheap  at  Bs.  150 
a  month,  Ks.  100  for  winning,  and  Ks.  50  for  losing  a 
mount,  if  an  owner  keeps  four  or  five  horses.  But  any- 
thing short  of  the  genuine  article  should  be  shunned  ; 
for  one  of  the  nondescript  lot  would  take  more  looking 
after  than  a  stable  of  twenty  horses.  In  default  of  a 
regular  English  jockey,  an  owner's  only  safety  is  in 
employing  quiet  native  lads.1  Probably,  he  will 
have  to  make  a  selection  from,  his  scyces  and  grass- 
cutters,  or  from  their  sons,  and  be  obliged  to  teach 
them  himself  to  ride.  As  the  British  nondescript  is  to 
be  avoided,  so  is  the  genuine  "  coachwan,"  who  delights 
in  gold  laced  caps,  and  in  sticking  out  his  toes  in  front 
of  his  horse's  nose.  The  best  native  riding  lads  I  have 
met  have  been  syces'  sons,  whom  their  masters  taught, 
and  succeeded  in  keeping  in  order.  From  Ks.  6  to  Ks. 
10 — the  "coachwan"  will  require  Bs.  30 — a  month 
will  be  quite  enough  for  such  boys,  with  a  small 
present,  say  Es.  5,  when  any  of  the  horses  win.  The 
master  should  be  most  careful  in  keeping  them  in  their 
place,  and  should  always  insist  on  their  helping  the 
syces  when  grooming.  Treat  them  fairly,  and  a  little 
liberally  at  times,  but  never  "give  them  their  heads," 
nor  allow  them  to  gallop  a  horse,  or  take  one  out  of  the 
stable,  without  being  present  oneself.  The  three  great 
faults  of  native  boys  are,  that  they  ride  with  too  long 
stirrups,  stick  their  toes  out  too  much  in  front,  and  do 


112  HOUSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

not  "  ride  a  horse  up  to  his  bridle  ;"  a  fatal  failing  in 
race  riding.  Besides  this,  when  silk  is  donned,  they 
almost  all  lose  their  heads  when  it  comes  to  a  finish 
with  English  jockeys. 

After  a  native  boy  has  been  taught  to  ride  with  a  fair 
seat  and  good  hands,  the  next  thing  is  to  give  him  some 
idea  of  pace,  which  is  usually  taught  by  employing  the 
"  anna-system."  As  there  are  sixteen  annas  in  a  rupee, 
a  four-anna  gallop  is  made  to  stand  for  quarter ;  eight 
annas,  for  half;  twelve  annas,  for  three  quarters  ;  and 
sixteen  annas,  for  full  speed. 

Each  quarter  of  a  mile  being  clearly  marked  by  a  post 

or  pillar  on  the  course  where  horses  are  galloped,  the 

trainer,  when  instructing  native  boys,  should  tell  them, 

before  each  gallop  is  given,  how  many  annas'  speed  he 

wants,  and  then  may  accurately  time  each  quarter  of  a 

mile  with  his  stop  watch  ;  so  that,  after  the  gallop,  he 

may  be  able  to  correct  the  boy,  and  point  out  where  the 

latter  went  too  fast,  or  too  slow,  as  the  case  may  be. 

The  eye  alone  is  not  sufficient  to  detect  slight  variations 

of  pace ;  besides  this,  if  the  master  holds  the  watch, 

the  boy  will  more  readily  believe  that  he  is  being  told 

correctly.     If  the  lad  be  willing  and  intelligent  under 

this  system,  and  be  given  instructions  as  to  holding  his 

hands,  keeping  the  proper  position  of  his  leg  and  foot, 

judging  the  right  length  of  stirrup,  etc.,  he  ought  to 

learn  to  ride  a  training   gallop  fairly,  in,    say,   three 

months.     The  trainer  may  teach  the  lad  the  rates  of 

speed  by  a  conventional  standard  (see  page  192);  or  by 

the  exact  division  of  time ;  as  take,  for  instance,  that 

the  length  of  the  race-course  is  1£  miles,  that  the  horse 

in  question  can  do  this,  with  the  boy  up,  at  full  speed 


RIDING  LADS.  113 

in  2  m.  45  s.,  and  that  the  order  for  the  training  gallop 
is  "  once  round  at  eight  annas ; "  then  the  time  the 
horse  should  take  would  be  5  m.  30  s.  This  I  know 
is  slower  than  the  accepted  idea  of  what  half  speed 
should  be  ;  but  if  a  faster  pace  be  required,  it  is  just  as 
easy,  and  perhaps  tends  less  to  confuse  the  lad,  to 
increase  the  number  of  annas  ordered.  Here  I  take 
for  granted  that  the  race-course  is  level,  like  almost  all 
our  Indian  ones.  At  Poona,  Bangalore,  and  Dehra 
Doon,  for  instance,  further  directions  would  be  requisite 
to  teach  the  lad  to  slightly  vary  the  pace,  as  the  nature 
of  the  ground  might  require. 


CHAPTEE  X. 

SHOEING. 

SHOEING — PLATES — TIPS — ON   SHOES   GETTING   LOOSE. 

As  I  have  discussed  at  some  length,  in  my  Veterinary 
Notes  for  Horse  Owners,  the  principles  and  practice  of 
shoeing,  I  need  not,  here,  do  more  than  recapitulate 
what  I  have  already  written  on  that  subject ;  while 
adding  a  few  observations  that  are  specially  applicable 
to  India. 

Shoeing. — In  preparing  the  ordinary  healthy  foot, 
it  should  be  lowered  so  that  the  frog,  wall  and  a  portion 
of  the  sole  should  bear  weight ;  while  maintaining  the 
part  at  a  proper  slope — about  50  degrees  for  the  fore, 
and  60  degrees  for  the  hind  hoofs,  viewing  them  in 
profile.  In  doing  this,  the  sole  should  be  left  untouched 
with  the  knife;  except,  perhaps,  to  ease  off  "the  seat 
of  corn  "  a  little.  Broken  or  diseased  portions  of  the 
frog  should  be  removed.  The  clenches  of  the  old  shoe 
ought  to  be  cut  off  by  the  buffer,  without  the  use  of 
the  rasp. 

The  shoe  should  be  as  thin  as  possible  consistent 
with  its  standing  wear  ;  and  should  be  perfectly  flat  on 
the  foot  surface. 

The  nail-holes  should  be  punched  "  coarse  "  (well 
away  from  the  edge),  so  that  the  nails  may  take  a  firm 
hold,  when  the  outer  edge  of  the  shoe  is  made  to 


PLATES.  115 

coincide,  as  it  ought  to  do,  with  that  of  the  ground 
surface  of  the  foot. 

It  is  well  to  fit  on  the  shoes  hot ;  although  this 
cannot  always  be  done  in  India. 

The  shoeing-smith  should  refrain,  as  much  as  pos- 
sible, from  rasping  the  external  surface  of  the  hoof. 
He  should  not  "  spring  "  the  heels  of  the  shoe,  i.e.,  he 
should  not  leave  a  space  between  them  and  the  horny 
heels  ;  and  he  should,  on  no  account,  be  allowed  to 
hammer  down  the  heels  of  the  shoe  on  to  the  heels  of 
the  hoof,  after  the  nails  have  been  driven;  for  this 
practice  is  a  fruitful  cause  of  corns ;  as  it  gives  rise  to 
undue  pressure  on  the  "  seat  of  corn." 

Native  shoeing-smiths,  to  save  themselves  trouble, 
will,  almost  always,  if  ordered  to  supply  thick  heeled 
£Qoes,  bring  ordinary  ones,  the  heels  of  which  they 
have  thickened  by  simply  reducing  the  width  of  the 
web  by  hammering,  instead  of  getting  shoes  made 
expressly  for  the  purpose  required.  As  they  manu- 
facture neither  shoes  nor  nails,  but  obtain  them  ready 
made  from  the  mistree  (blacksmith),  there  is,  usually, 
some  difficulty  in  inducing  them  to  adopt  any  new 
ideas  concerning  the  shape  of  shoes. 

Plates  are  simply  very  light  shoes,  which  are  in- 
tended to  last  for  only  one  or  two  races.  They  are, 
generally,  fixed  on  the  morning  of  the  day  before  the 
race,  and,  to  see  that  all  is  right,  the  horse  is  then  sent 
for  a  short  gallop,  which  constitutes  that  day's  work. 
A  light  plate  for  an  Arab  will  weigh  about  2J  oz.,  and 
be  about  half  an  inch  broad.  But  as  most  horses,  out 
here,  have  to  run  at  different  meetings  that  follow  each 
other  in  quick  succession,  I  much  prefer  using  a  stouter 


11G  HORSE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

plate  ;  in  fact,  a  compromise  between  the  plate  and  shoe 
used  in  training.  Such  an  one  for  an  Arab  will  weigh 
about  3£  oz.,  and  ought  to  last  through  three  weeks' 
work,  and  may  be  made  five-eighths  of  an  inch  broad 
all  round.  Plates  and  light  shoes  may  have  a  clip  in 
front  for  the  fore-feet,  to  give  them  additional  hold. 
Nails  for  plates  should  be  much  lighter  than  those  for 
ordinary  shoes.  An  English  plate,  such  as  those  used 
at  Newmarket,  weighs  about  3  oz. ;  is  about  J  inch 
broad  ;  J  inch  thick  ;  and  is  fullered.  They  are  made 
out  of  specially  prepared  bars  of  iron.  The  hind,  as 
well  as  the  fore  plates,  have,  usually,  clips  in  front. 

Mr.  Darvell  recommends,  "  if  a  horse's  feet  are  weak 
and  low,  and  he  has  to  run  on  hard  ground,  it  would 
be  advisable  to  let  him  run  in  his  shoes." 

Tips. — We  may  briefly  sum  up  the  chief  evils  result- 
ing from  the  use  of  shoes  as  follows : — They  tend  to 
deprive  the  sole  and  frog  of  pressure,  which,  as  a  rule, 
is  conducive  to  the  health  of  the  foot ;  the  nails  are 
liable  to  break  away  the  wall ;  and  the  weight  of  the 
shoes  tends  to  spoil  the  action  of  race-horses,  by  making 
them  go  "  higher  "  than  they  ought  to  do  in  the  gallop. 
For  these  reasons,  and  on  account  of  the  fact  that  the 
hoof  wears  away  principally  at  the  toe ;  "  tips,"  say, 
about  three  inches  in  length,  may  often  be  employed, 
with  advantage,  instead  of  ordinary  shoes,  and, 
especially,  for  animals  that  are  not  required  to  work  on 
metalled  roads.  Mr.  Tom  Jennings,  the  celebrated 
trainer,  was  accustomed,  for  many  years,  to  use  only 
very  short  tips — just  sufficient  to  protect  the  toes — for 
his  horses,  both  in  training  and  racing.  He  was  forced, 
however,  to  discontinue  this  very  sensible  practice,  on 


ON  SHOES  GETTING  LOOSE.          117 

account  of  the  continued  opposition  offered  by  the 
shoeing-smiths  he  had  to  employ,  to  this  supposed 
innovation.  I  may  remark  that  if  tips  are  to  be  put 
on,  they  should  be  applied  so  as  not  to  interfere  with 
the  proper  slope  of  the  foot. 

On  Shoes  getting  loose. — We  may  ascertain  if  a 
shoe  is  loose,  however  slightly,  by,  after  taking  up  the 
foot,  gently  tapping  the  ground  surface  of  the  shoe  with 
the  fingers.  The  nature  of  the  sound  thus  made,  will 
serve  to  confirm  or  dissipate  our  suspicions.  As  long 
as  the  nails  have  a  firm  hold,  so  long  will  the  heels  of 
the  hoof  be  protected  from  undue  wear ;  but  when  the 
shoes  become  loose,  the}7  soon  get  knocked  to  pieces, 
and  the  proper  slope  of  the  hoof  will  be  destroyed  for 
the  time  being. 


CHAPTEE  XI. 

PREPARING  PONIES  FOR  MEASUREMENT. 

As  in  India  certificates  of  height  are  granted  to 
ponies  that  need  not  be  either  in  racing  or  even  robust 
condition,  preparation  for  measurement  has  become  in 
that  country  an  established  practice.  Knowing  that 
such  an  ordeal  will  reduce  the  height  of  a  pony,  for  the 
time  being,  from  one  to  two  inches,  which  is  equivalent 
to  12  to  24  Ibs.,  I  need  hardly  point  out  that  an  owner 
must  adopt  this  means  of  getting  the  weight  off,  if  he 
wishes  to  run  his  ponies  on  equal  terms  with  those  of 
other  men.  It  would  be  idle  to  deny  that  this  practice 
inflicts  cruelty  on  ponies,  and  is  a  potent  incentive  to 
deceit  on  the  part  of  their  owners.  It  is,  however,  only 
fair  to  say  that  the  present  rule  is  a  great  boon  to 
owners,  who,  in  former  times,  had  to  get  their  ponies 
measured  before  every  race  for  which  they  ran.  At  the 
same  time,  its  evil  consequences  might  wholly,  or  to  a 
great  extent,  be  obviated,  if  it  were  enacted  that  a  pony 
not  holding  a  certificate  of  height  should  be  measured 
on  the  day  of,  and  before,  each  race  for  which  he  was 
going  to  start ;  but  that  his  owner  could  claim  a  certi- 
ficate for  him  in  any  such  event  at  the  height  for  which 
he  was  measured  for  it,  if  the  measuring  authorities 
were  satisfied  by  the  pony's  running  that  he  was  in 


PREPARING-  PONIES  FOR  MEASUREMENT.          119 

racing  condition.  It  is,  of  course,  evident  that  to  be  in 
such  condition  the  animal  could  neither  be  "faked" 
nor  drugged. 

As  I  am  in  no  way  responsible  for  the  moral  or  im- 
moral tendencies  of  rules  of  racing  in  India,  I  shall 
leave  the  subject  alone,  and  shall  now  proceed  to  de- 
scribe the  methods  generally  adopted  under  existing 
requirements  to  get  ponies  to  measure  as  low  as 
possible. 

I  may  first  of  all  explain  that  in  the  position  which 
a  pony  has  to  adopt  when  he  is  being  measured,  the 
line  of  his  fore-arms  and  front  cannonbones  has  to  be  as 
nearly  vertical  as  practicable  ;  his  fore-feet  must  not  be 
unduly  separated ;  his  head  must  not  be  lowered  beyond 
what  will  bring  the  upper  line  of  his  neck  horizontal ; 
no  pulling  down  of  the  skin  at  the  withers  is  allowed ; 
and  the  hocks  must  be  pretty  well  under  him.  As  a 
rule,  every  chance  is  given  to  the  animal  to  "  settle 
down,"  so  that  he  may  measure  as  low  as  he  can  fairly 
do.  before  the  record  is  decided  upon.  No  allowance 
is  made  for  shoes.  The  height  taken  is  (or,  at  least, 
ought  to  be)  the  vertical  distance  of  the  highest  point 
of  the  withers  from  the  ground. 

Apart  from  the  actual  length  of  the  bones,  the  height 
of  a  horse  is  affected  chiefly  by  : — 

1.  The    condition  of   the    muscles  which    connect 
the  fore  limbs  to  the  trunk  ;  for  the  more  they  become 
relaxed  by  debility — whether  from  fatigue,  ill  health, 
or  the  action  of  drugs — the  more  will  the  body  and, 
consequently,  the  withers  sink  between  the  fore  legs. 

2.  The  angles  made  by   the  bones,  respectively,  at 
the    shoulder,  elbow,    and    fetlock    joints.      This    is 


120  HORSE    MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

especially  noticeable  by  the  descent  of  the  fetlock 
joints. 

3.  Approximation  of  the  ends  of  the  bones  which 
form  the  shoulder,  elbow,  fetlock,  and  the  two  postern 
joints.  We  may  see  this  settling  down  of  the  bones 
in  the  joints  illustrated  in  our  own  cases ;  for  if  we 
have  ourselves  measured  in  the  morning  and  also  in 
the  evening,  we  shall  find  that  we  were  taller  in  the 
former  time  than  in  the  latter. 

Agreeably  to  these  principles  we  find  that  long  con- 
tinued standing,  fatigue,  starvation,  deprivation  of 
water,  and  the  administration  of  purgatives  and 
sedatives  will  tend  to  cause  a  marked  diminution  of  a 
pony's  height.  The  production  of  a  maximum  effect 
will  require  a  course  of  two  or  three  months,  during 
which  time  the  animal,  when  he  is  in  the  stall,  would 
be  tied  up,  so  that  he  might  not  lie  down.  Some 
operators  advise  that  while  the  pony  is  tied  up,  the 
ground  upon  which  his  fore-feet  rest  should  be  some- 
what lower  than  that  upon  which  the  hind  feet  are 
placed.  He  is  also  walked  a  long  distance  every  day. 
The  food  he  gets  is  only  just  sufficient  to  keep  him  on 
his  legs.  Some  give  the  patient  a  quarter  of  a  pound 
of  Epsom  salts  every  day,  in  order  to  keep  him  in  a 
nauseated  and  debilitated  condition.  It  is  considered 
advisable  to  walk  the  pony  all  night  before  bringing 
him  up  for  measurement,  and  to  give  him  about  an 
ounce  of  chloral  hydrate  not  less  than  half-an-hour 
before  he  is  to  be  placed  under  the  standard.  Prior  to 
doing  this,  it  is  well  to  keep  him  standing  for  at  least 
half-an-hour,  so  that  he  may  "  settle  down."  The  final 
touches  have  to  be  given  with  a  considerable  amount 


PREPARING  PONIES  FOR  MEASUREMENT.     121 

of  discrimination,  lest  the  measuring  authorities  might 
reject  the  animal  on  the  score  of  its  being  too  sick.  The 
able  practitioner  will,  from  previous  experience, 
accurately  determine  the  extreme  point  to  which  he 
can  go  in  playing  his  game  with  the  members  of  the 
measuring  committee. 

As  animals  at  sea  get  but  little  sleep  and  usually 
have  to  stand  all  the  time  they  are  on  board,  it  is  often 
advisable,  especially  if  they  have  suffered  much  in 
condition  from  the  passage,  to  bring  up  for  measurement 
ponies  that  have  just  been  landed  from  a  long  voyage. 

Some  ponies  measure  lower  when  their  head  is  held 
up  than  when  the  poll  is  kept  on  a  level  with  the 
withers.  As  the  owner  or  his  representative  is  usually 
allowed  to  hold  the  pony's  head,  he  will  generally  be 
allowed  to  use  his  own  discretion  in  keeping  it  up  or 
down,  so  long  as  the  poll  is  not  brought  below  the 
level  of  the  withers.  The  measuring  authorities,  as  a 
rule,  will  take  under  their  own  direction  the  placing 
of  the  animal's  legs.  It  is  almost  needless  to  say  that 
if  the  limbs  are  stretched  out  of  the  perpendicular,  or  if 
the  fore-feet  are  unduly  separated  from  each  other  in 
a  lateral  direction,  the  pony  will  measure  lower  than 
he  would  do,  were  his  position  more  in  accordance  with 
the  rules  for  measuring. 

Lowering  the  heels,  within  certain  limits,  will,  by 
increasing  the  obliquity  of  the  pasterns,  decrease  the 
height  more  than  reducing  the  toes  to  the  same  extent. 
If,  however,  the  heels  are  so  much  pared  down  that 
the  animal  cannot  stand  firmly  on  them,  the  rasping 
or  cutting  will,  as  a  rule,  produce  the  undesirable  effect 
of  making  the  pony  add  to  his  height  by  causing  him 


122  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

to  bring  his  pasterns  more  upright  than  usual,  with 
the  object  of  relieving  his  heels  of  some  of  the  pain- 
ful pressure.  It  is  thought  by  some,  that  in  order  to 
get  a  pony  to  measure  low,  it  is  better,  after  having 
reduced  the  heels  as  far  as  is  safely  practicable,  to  leave 
the  toes  long,  with  a  view  of  bringing  down  the  fetlock 
joints,  than  to  pare  them.  In  fact,  I  have  seen  shoes 
with  very  thin  heels  and  thick  toes  used  with  this 
object. 


CHAPTEE  XII. 

TEACHING  HOESES   TO   JUMP. 

THE  great  secret  of  "making"  good  jumpers,  is  to 
begin  early  enough  with  them ;  for,  after  a  horse  has 
been  thoroughly  "  broken,"  the  sooner  he  is  taught  the 
special  work  required  in  leaping,  the.  more  accom- 
plished fencer  will  he  become.  Too  Good,  the  winner 
of  the  Grand  Steeplechase  de  Paris,  as  a  four-year  old, 
and  who  was  one  of  the  cleverest  performers  "  between 
the  flags  "  we  have  ever  seen,  received  his  name  from 
H.I.M.  the  Empress  of  Austria,  on  account  of  the 
perfect  manner  in  which  he  negotiated,  as  a  two-year 
old,  the  difficult  country  over  which  his  trainer,  Mr. 
Linde,  schools  his  cross-country  animals.  He  was  only 
one  of  many  instances  of  horses  in  Ireland,  which  is 
the  home  of  steeplechasing,  having  thoroughly  mastered 
the  art  of  jumping,  before  they  were  three  years  old. 
The  action  of  the  muscles  of  the  hind  quarters  and 
shoulders,  in  leaping,  is  so  different  to  what  it  is  in 
galloping,  thai;  early  instruction,  so  as  to  impart  the 
necessary  knack,  is  of  the  greatest  advantage.  The 
fact  of  getting  over  the  obstacles  safely,  without  losing 
ground,  is  not  sufficient  for  success ;  for  we  often  find 
that  the  winner  of  a  steeplechase  fairly  beats  on  his 
merits  others  which  could  "  lose  "  him  on  the  flat,  even 
when  they  do  not  make  a  "mistake."  That  famous 


124  HOBSE,  MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

chaser,  the  Lamb,  was  a  case  in  point ;  for,  in  the 
Grand  National,  he  easily  defeated  Pearl  Diver,  who 
was,  at  least,  two  stone  better  than  him  on  an  ordinary 
race-course.  By  learning  young,  the  jumping  muscles 
are  stimulated  during  the  special  period  of  develop- 
ment ;  and  the  action  itself  becomes  almost  automatic, 
and,  consequently,  as  nearly  perfect  as  possible.  When 
the  art  is  acquired  later  on,  the  effort  will  be  more  or 
less  laboured,  and  the  muscles  may  be  inadequate  in 
strength  for  this  new  kind  of  labour.  Of  course,  there 
are  exceptions  to  this  rule,  one  of  the  most  notable 
being  Voluptuary,  who,  as  a  six-year  old,  won  the 
Grand  Natiooal  of  1884.  This  son  of  Cremorne  and 
Miss  Evelyn  was  kept,  till  he  was  five  years  old,  on  the 
flat,  where  he  performed  very  indifferently.  He  was, 
then,  taken  in  hand  by  that  accomplished  horseman, 
Mr.  E.  P.  Wilson,  who  soon  taught  him  to  negotiate 
the  Aintree  style  of  country,  and  won  on  his  pupil  with 
great  ease.  I  may  remark  that  the  Liverpool  fences 
are  all  of  the  "  flying "  sort,  and  consist  chiefly  of 
hedges  with  a  ditch  on  the  taking  off  or  landing  side. 
Being  of  a  uniform  character,  they  do  not  demand  the 
same  amount  of  cleverness  that  is  required  in  a  more 
cramped  country.  Besides  this,  almost  all  the  Cre- 
morne s  are  natural  jumpers.  I  am  aware  that  it  is  a 
very  common  idea  among  racing  men  both  in  England 
and  in  India,  that  the  way  to  obtain  a  good  maiden 
chaser  is  to  pick  up  a  horse  that  has  shown  his  ability 
to  gallop,  stay,  and  carry  weight  on  the  flat ;  and  to 
teach  him  to  jump.  Following  the  opinion  of  the  best 
judges  on  the  subject,  in  Ireland,  I  maintain  that,  as  a 
rule,  such  animals  will  turn  out  failures ;  and  that  far 


TEACHING  HOUSES  TO  JTMP.          125 

better  results,  for  the  same  amount  of  money,  will 
ensue  from  buying  "  likely"  young  ones  and  teaching 
them  their  cross-country  business,  when  two-year  olds, 
if  in  Great  Britain ;  or,  as  three-year  olds,  in  India. 

As  I  have  thoroughly  discussed,  in  another  work, 
the  subject  of  riding,  I  need  not  dwell  on  it  further 
than  to  repeat  "that  the  art  of  riding  well  over  a 
country,  chiefly  consists  in  making  as  little  as  possible 
of  the  jumps,  and  that  th'}  fact  of  the  rider  treating 
fences  and  level  ground  with  equal  indifference,  will 
inspire  his  horse  with  confidence  to  take  things  in  the 
same  spirit."  Horses,  like  boys,  delight  in  a  scamper 
in  the  country ;  and  both  detest  their  ramble  being 
converted  into  a  sort  of  "punishment  drill, ".consisting 
of  marching  backwards  and  forwards  over  the  same 
ground.  Horses,  also,  being  gregarious,  love  to  follow 
their  leader.  Hence,  we  should  take  a  fresh  line  of 
country  as  often  as  practicable ;  avoid  making  the 
horses  jump  the  same  fence  twice  consecutively  ;  treat 
the  obstacles  as  if  they  were  things  that  were  only 
accidentally  met  with  during  the  stroll  ;  endeavour  to 
make  the  animals  enjoy  their  outing  as  much  as  pos- 
sible ;  and  stimulate  the  yourg  ones  to  go  forward  by 
the  lead  of  one  of  their  companions,  or,  when  obtain- 
able, by  the  music  of  the  hounds  in  front.  In  order  to 
furnish  a  good  idea  of  the  kind  of  training  for  jumping 
which  young  ones  get  in  Ireland,  I  give  the  following 
extract  from  a  letter  I  received  on  this  subject  from 
Mr.  Betagh,  who  has  had  great  experience  with  hunters 
and  race-horses  in  Ireland  : — 

"  My  system  of  teaching  horses  to  jump  is  to  avoid 
the  whip  and  all  harsh  treatment  in  the  preliminary 


126  HOESE   MANAGEMENT   IN   INDIA. 

lessons.  I  generally  ride  an  old  hunter  out  with  the 
young  one,  and  take  a  few  easy  fences,  while  the  groom 
follows,  leading  the  pupil  with  a  long  rein  and  cavesson. 
As  a  rale,  the  young  one  readily  follows  the  other, 
especially  if  they  have  been  companions  at  exercise. 
For  the  first  few  trials,  a  man  with  a  whip  may  go 
behind  the  youngster  and  crack  it  after  him  ;  but  he 
should  seldom  do  more  than  give  him  a  slight  touch 
on  the  quarters  if  he  does  not  go  over  freely.  If  a 
young  horse  is  punished  severely  in  his  early  lessons, 
he  will  for  ever  remember  it,  and  will,  probably,  learn 
to  refuse  ;  from  associating  in  his  mind  the  cruelty  he 
suffered,  with  the  sight  of  a  fence.  I  seldom  make  the 
animal  jump  the  same  fence  more  than  once ;  then, 
move  on  to  another,  and  so  on.  By  varying  the 
exercise,  the  young  one  will  be  induced  to  take  pleasure 
in  his  work,  which  he  will  generally  do,  if  treated 
kindly,  though  firmly.  After  a  very  few  lessons,  the 
colt  may  be  ridden  over  his  fences  ;  but  he  should, 
always,  until  he  is  fairly  proficient,  have  a  steady  true 
jumper  to  give  him  a  lead.  When  a  young  horse  is 
handy  at  his  fences,  the  sooner  he  is  schooled  with 
hounds  the  better ;  for  there  is  nothing  that  makes  a 
horse  jump  with  such  freedom  and  goodwill,  as  follow- 
ing them.  A  short  time  ago,  after  teaching  a  colt  of 
mine — a  half  brother  to  Cosmos — to  jump,  I  put  a 
stable  lad  on  him  and  took  him  to  the  Wards.  At  the 
very  first  fence,  the  crowd,  at  the  only  practicable  spot, 
shut  him  out ;  and  as  the  hounds  were  soon  out  of 
sight,  he  lagged  behind,  and  I  saw  no  more  of  him 
until  I  went  home.  The  boy  then  told  me  that  he  had 
turned  back,  as  he  was  not  able  to  get  over  the  big 


TEACHING   HORSES   TO   JUMP.  127 

fences.  A  few  days  after  that,  I  had  the  same  colt  and 
boy  out  with  my  own  harriers,  and  gave  the  lad  strict 
orders  to  stick  to  the  hounds.  The  result  was  that  the 
colt  never  turned  his  head  from  anything.  I  had 
hardly  landed  over  one  enormous  bank  with  a  grip  on 
the  taking  off  side,  which  was  almost  too  big  for  my 
liking,  although  I  was  on  one  of  the  boldest  hunters 
in  Ireland,  when,  to  my  surprise,  the  young  one 
was  at  my  girths,  sailing  away  in  high  delight  at  the 
fun. 

"  It  will  not  take  long  to  make  a  young  horse  a  good 
jumper,  provided  he  is  treated  with  kindness,  firmness, 
and  common  sense.  As  soon  as  he  gets  confidence  in 
himself,  he  will  be  fit  to  go  over  any  steeplechase 
course  ;  and,  then,  the  pace  may  be  increased  at  the 
fences.  He  should,  if  possible,  always  be  ridden  in 
company ;  sometimes,  getting  a  lead,  at  other  times 
taking  it,  or  going  all  abreast." 

The  preliminary  practice  I  would  pursue  in  "making" 
a  jumper,  is  first  to  give  him  a  good  mouth  by  driving 
him  on  foot  in  the  manner  described  in  Illustrated 
Horse  Breaking,  and  then  teach  him  to  leap  without 
anyone  on  his  back.  The  great  advantages  of  this 
method  are  that  the  horse  which  is  broken  according  to 
it,  acquires  a  perfect  mouth,  is  under  absolute  control, 
and  is  free  from  the  ill  effects  which  too  frequently 
result  from  the  punishment  and  "jobbing"  in  the 
mouth  that  are  inflicted  on  "  green "  horses  by  bad 
tempered  and  incompetent  riders.  After  a  horse  has 
learnt  to  leap  well,  when  driven  over  jumps  with  a 
rider  who  does  not  hold  the  reins,  on  his  back  (see 
Illustrated  Horse  Breaking],  he  will  be  far  less  liable  to 


128  HOBSE    MANAGEMENT    IN   INDIA. 

become  spoiled  by  a  rider  of  but  moderate  skill,  than 
he  would  be,  had  he  not  received  his  first  lessons  with 
the  "  long  reins  "  and  "leading  rein  crupper." 

"A  very  safe  way  for  teaching  horses  to  jump,  is  to 
make  a  circular  course  of  not  less  than  five  yards  broad 
and  about  150  yards  in  circumference,  and  enclose  it 
with  high  palings,  while  four  or  five  fences  of  different 
kinds — say,  a  hurdle  topped  with  brushwood,  an  Irish 
bank,  a  stone  wall,  a  water  jump,  and  a  post  and  rails 
—may  be  placed  at  intervals  round  it.  The  horse  is 
then  turned  loose  in  this  kind  of  circus,  either  with  or 
without  a  leader,  and  is  made  to  jump  with  a  little 
persuasion.  This  plan  should  be  used  only  as  an  intro- 
duction to  schooling."  (Biding  on  the  Flat  and  Across 
Country.) 

After  a  horse  has  become  perfect  in  his  preliminary 
work,  he  should  be  gradually  brought  on  to  the  nego- 
tiation, if  possible,  of  a  "  natural "  line  of  country,  or, 
failing  it,  by  one  of  "  made  "  fences.  At  first  the  best 
kind  of  obstacle  for  a  young  or  unschooled  horse,  is  low 
hedges  or  fences  made  up  of  thorns  ;  as  they  will  make 
the  animal  see  the  necessity  of  clearing  them,  without, 
at  the  same  time,  frightening  him  by  bringing  him 
down.  The  height,  of  course,  should  be  gradually 
increased.  Special  attention  should  be  paid  to  getting 
him  clever  at  water  and  fences  that  have  a  ditch  in 
front  of  them  ;  as  they  are,  of  all  others,  the  ones 
which  horses,  as  a  rule,  are  most  liable  to  refuse. 
"  Artificial  water,"  which  is  used  on  many  training 
courses  in  England,  and  which  consists  of  a  white 
sheet  or  whitewashed  strip  of  ground  of  the  required 
length  and  breadth,  with  a  bushed  fence  of  a  couple  of 


TEACHING  -HOUSES   TO   JUMP.  129 

feet  high  in  front,  may  be  employed,  with  great  ad- 
vantage, in  India,  where  suitable  brooks  are  generally 
difficult  to  find.  It  has  the  immense  merit  of  causing 
to  the  rider  who  goes  at  it,  the  smallest  possible  amount 
of  trepidation ;  as  he  will  know  full  well  that  it 
cannot  bring  him  to  grief.  Artificial  water  arranged  as 
I  have  described,  is,  usually,  taken  by  horses,  in  all 
good  faith,  as  the  real  article. 

In  India,  a  capital  plan  for  teaching  horses  to  become 
clever  over  walls,  without  running  any  undue  risk,  is 
to  practise  them  over  ones  made  up  to  the  proper 
height  with  single  rows  of  sun-dried  bricks,  which  will 
come  down  if  the  animal  "chances"  them,  but  will 
hurt  his  shins  sufficiently  to  render  him  more  careful 
in  the  future.  For  making  a  horse  clever  over  posts 
and  rails,  one  should  employ  a  very  thick  log  or  trunk 
of  a  tree,  so  that  the  animal  will  understand  that  it  is 
no  use  attempting  to  knock  it  down.  In  my  opinion, 
the  bar  ought  not  to  be  made  to  fall  down,  if  the  horse 
strikes  it.  If  the  breaker  or  his  helper  be  not  prepared 
to  mount  and  take  the  necessary  risk,  they  may  put 
the  animal  over  by  means  of  the  driving  reins  and 
leading  rein,  in  the  manner  before  described.  The 
bar  may  be  bushed  over  with  thorns.  A  bar,  which 
should  be  gradually  raised,  may  be  placed  across  the 
stable-yard  gateway,  or  other  convenient  passage,  so 
that  the  horses  may  get  accustomed  to  jump  it  when 
going  to,  and  returning  from  exercise.  Similar  ex- 
pedients with  other  kinds  of  fences  may  be  adopted,  as 
the  trainer  sees  fit.  I  need  only  add,  that  "  made  " 
fences  should  be  as  long,  from  side  to  side,  as  possible, 
and  have  wings  if  necessary. 

K 


130  HOESE   MANAGEMENT  IN   INDIA. 

Horses  that  are  being  trained  for  steeplechasing, 
should  be  taught  to  take  their  fences  fast  and  in  company. 
One  great  secret  of  success  in  this  form  of  sport,  is  to 
accustom  the  horses  to  the  exact  style  of  country  over 
which  they  have  got  to  travel. 


PAET      II. 
TRAINING  AND  RACING. 

CHAPTEK    I. 

KACING     IN    INDIA. 

RACING  MEN  AND  HOESES— ON  FORMING  A  USEFUL  STABLE — THE 
STYLE  OF  RACE-HORSE  SUITED  TO  INDIA — THE  DIFFERENT  CLASSES 
AND  THEIR  RESPECTIVE  FORM — TIMING — RECORDS  OF  FAST  TIMES. 

IN  England,  racing  is  almost  entirely  confined  to 
professionals,  and  to  a  few  moneyed  men,  who  can 
afford  to  run  horses  for  amusement,  just  as  others  go 
in  for  yachting,  hunting,  or  shooting,  caving  little  for 
the  cost,  as  long  as  they  get  sufficient  excitement  out 
of  the  particular  sport  they  pursue.  There,  racing 
is  such  a  complete  business,  and  its  attendant  expenses 
are  so  heavy,  that  a  man  of  moderate  means  cannot, 
with  any  safety,  follow  it,  unless  he  adopts  it  as  his 
profession.  In  India,  the  small  amount  of  public 
money  and  limited  speculation  render  the  turf,  as  a 
rule,  too  precarious  a  means  of  living,  except  in  the 
case  of  jockeys  and  trainers.  Few  of  the  latter  find 
training  pays,  unless  they  be  light  enough  to  earn  their 
winning  and  losing  mounts  on  the  horses  of  which 
they  have  charge. 


132  TRAINING  IN   INDIA. 

There  are  not  many  representatives  of  the  moneyed 
section  of  the  racing  public  in  India,  which  is,  above 
all  others,  the  country  for  a  comparatively  poor  man  to 
do  a  litfcle  racing  in,  without  it  costing  him  much, 
provided  he  knows  something  about  horses ;  for  stable 
expenses  are  very  moderate  (say  forty  rupees  a  month 
for  each  horse,  including  everything),  and  none  but 
first-class  animals  cost  extravagant  sums.  But  the  fact 
which  enables  men  of  small  means  to  race  in  India,  is 
the  system  that  divides  the  majority  of  races  among 
different  classes  of  horses.  These  events  serve  both  to 
fill  up  prospectuses,  and  to  accommodate  owners. 
Except  at  the  few  centres  of  racing,  it  is  difficult  to 
collect  sufficient  money  to  attract  first-class  animals, 
even  were  there  more  of  them  in  this  country,  so  that 
handicaps  have  to  be  resorted  to  in  order  to  bring  the 
one  or  two  of  them,  which  ever  appear  at  a  small 
meeting,  together  with  the  second-raters.  On  this 
account,  stewards  of  race  meetings,  in  order  to  get 
fields  together,  are  obliged  to  add  to  handicaps,  races 
for  "  all  horses,"  and  selling  races,  those  for  Arabs, 
country-breds,  galloways,  ponies,  and  for  maidens  of 
the  different  classes,  not  to  mention  still  more  minute 
divisions.  Thus,  an  owner  would  have  bad  luck  indeed, 
were  he  not  able  to  find  some  event  or  the  other  suit- 
able to  hio  horses,  even  if  he  had  nothing  better  than  a 
country-bred  pony,  a  half-miler,  and  a  jumping  nag; 
although  their  united  value  might  not  exceed  two 
thousand  rupees.  It  may  be  objected  that  this  is  not 
racing,  which  it  certainly  is  not  in  the  English  sense 
of  the  word ;  yet  for  all  that,  a  man,  who  is  sufficiently 
fond  of  horses  to  look  after  and  manage  them  himself, 


RACING   IN   INDIA.  138 

can  get  good  sport  with  a  few  moderate  ones.  Per- 
sonally I  would  take  more  interest  in  training  an 
inferior  animal,  and,  by  skill  and  work,  winning  races 
with  him  in  moderate  company,  than  in  owning  (as 
many  do  at  home)  first-class  horses  which  were  entirely 
in  the  hands  of  a  trainer,  on  whom  I  would  have  to  be 
solely  dependent  for  information  as  to  their  form  and 
pretensions. 

Six  or  seven  horses  will  be  found  a  large  enough 
string  for  up-country  meetings,  if  the  owner  intends  to 
look  after  them  himself,  and  expects  them  to  win  enough 
to  cover  their  expenses.  To  accomplish  this,  one 
should  have  horses  of  an  useful  class,  that  would  be 
certain  to  find  races  to  run  for,  at  the  different  meet- 
ings to  which  they  might  go,  with  a  fair  chance  of 
pulling  off  an  event  now  and  then.  Keeping  horses 
too  good  for  one's  line  of  country,  is  hardly  more 
paying  than  owning  animals  too  bad  for  it.  The 
presence  of  first-class  horses  (if  their  form  be  known) 
deters  owners  from  entering  against  them ;  the  races  do 
not  fill ;  and  even  if  they  do  so  on  an  odd  occasion,  it 
is  simply  "buying  money"  to  back  them;  while  in 
handicaps,  a  good  horse,  among  moderate  ones,  gets  so 
much  weight  piled  on,  that  it  is  almost  certain,  either 
to  break  him  down,  or  to  spoil  his  action.  An  owner 
should  remember  that  knowledge  of  the  best  manner 
in  which  to  "place"  his  horses,  is  the  great  secret  of 
success  in  racing. 

A  first-class  steeplechaser  does  not  come  under  these 
objections  ;  for  "  between  the  flags,"  one's  money  being 
"in  the  air,"  men  will  usually  enter  on  the  outside 
chance  of  a  fall  or  refusal.  Besides  this,  the  added 


134  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

money  alone  is  generally  worth  running  for,  even  with- 
out speculation. 

One  or  two  good  second-class  Australians  which  can 
stay  up  to  a  mile  and  a  half,  a  couple  of  Arabs— 
especially  if  one  or  both  be  galloways,  and  are  at  the 
same  time  good  enough  to  run  among  the  big  ones, 
like  what  Chieftain,  Caliph,  Abdool  Kayman,  and  Kex 
were— a  fast  13-2  Arab,  or  country-bred  pony,  a  half- 
miler  for  selling  races,  and  a  good  chaser,  would  form 
the  beau  ideal  of  an  useful  stable  for  up-country 
meetings. 

A  good  maiden  is  a  real  Eldorado,  whether  Australian , 
Arab,  or  chaser;  but  they  are  particularly  hard  to  get, 
and  uncertain  to  back,  unless  one  has  first-rate  trying 
tackle  with  which  to  test  their  powers.  I  may  here 
remark  that  maidens  in  India  take,  to  some  extent,  the 
place  which  two  and  three-year-olds  occupy  in  England  ; 
for  many  of  the  most  important  races  are  confined  to 
horses  that  have  never  won  during  any  previous  season, 
irrespective  of  their  age  ;  though,  of  course,  allowance 
of  weight  for  it  is  always  given. 

Speaking  generally,  no  weight  within  reason  can  bring 
Arabs  together  with  even  second-rate  Colonials. 

For  the  last  twenty  years,  we  have  not  had  a  single 
Cape  horse  that  could  hold  his  own  against  Australians. 
As  quite  as  high  prices  can  be  obtained  for  good  horses 
in  South  Africa  as  in  India,  it  evidently  would  not 
pay  to  export  them  from  the  former  to  the  latter 
country. 

Speaking  from  my  own  experience  of  South  African 
racing  during  the  year  1892,  I  would  say  that  the  best 
"Cape"  horses,  like  Prosecutor  for  instance,  although 


K AGING   IN   INDIA.  135 

quite  as  good  as  the  average  English  horses  imported, 
such  as  Savile,  Earl  Godwin,  or  Vichy,  are  fully  7  Ibs. 
inferior  to  the  English  horses,  Metal,  Blanchland,  and 
Presto,  and  to  the  Australians,  Kingcraft,  Statesman, 
Myall  King,  Moorhouse,  and  Little  Prince,  when  fit 
and  over  their  own  respective  distances.  With  the 
increase  of  railways  and  of  the  gold  "  output "  at 
the  "  Band,"  the  future  of  racing  in  South  Africa  looks 
bright.  At  the  same  time,  I  must  say  that  it  will  have 
no  chance,  for  many  years  to  come,  of  successfully 
competing  against  Australasia  in  the  Indian  horse 
market,  whether  with  blood  stock,  or  remounts. 
Although  there  are  some  fair  horses  bred  in  South 
Africa,  strange  to  say  there  are  hardly  any  smart 
ponies  produced  there.  The  only  exception  I  saw  was 
that  brilliant  chasing  pony,  Coachman. 

I  may  mention  that  the  old  Cape  Town  hero,  the 
ch.  c.h.  Echo,  9  st.,  at  Calcutta,  December,  1871,  won 
the  Stand  Plate,  1  mile  in  1  m.  48  s.,  when  he  was 
about  thirteen  years  old. 

There  is  a  sort  of  fatality  about  English  horses  in 
India  ;  for  few  out  of  the  many  that  are  imported, 
prove,  either  as  racers,  or  as  ordinary  riding  horses, 
to  be  worth  their  passage-money  out  to  this  country. 
Their  feet  and  legs  are  far  more  liable  "  to  go  to 
pieces,"  on  our  hard  ground,  than  those  of  Australia, 
New  Zealand,  or  the  Cape.  The  chief  reason  for  this, 
as  far  as  I  can  judge  is,  that  the  drier  climate  of  our 
Southern  colonies  is  more  favourable  to  the  development 
of  soundness  in  wind  and  limb,  as  regards  horses,  than 
is  the  moister  one  of  Great  Britain.  I  am  inclined  to 
go  so  far  as  to  think  that  horses  bred  in  a  dry  climate, 


136  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

and,  consequently,  on  hard  soil,  will,  after  a  few 
generations,  have  legs  and  feet  of  a  much  better  shape 
to  stand  work  on  hard  ground  than  those  of  animals 
that  are  natives  of  a  damp  country.  In  this  respect, 
the  horses  of  Australia  and  the  Cape  can  compare 
very  favourably  with  those  bred  in  England,  a  large 
proportion  of  which  possess  those  upright  pasterns  that 
are  entirely  unsuited  to  work  on  Indian  soil. 

The  majority  of  Indian  race-courses  are  so  hard  that 
they  tend  to  make  horses,  which  are  trained  on  them, 
go  short  and  "stilty."  Even  when  the  track  happens 
to  be  soft,  the  "going"  is  simply  heavy  without  any 
elasticity,  so  that  the  horse  is  taught  to  "  dwell  on  his 
stride."  We  hardly  ever  obtain  the  happy  medium 
afforded  by  the  light  springy  turf  in  England.  Good 
legs  and  feet  are  the  first  considerations,  and  then 
comes  the  power  of  carrying  weight  and  being  able  to 
stay.  An  English  horse,  or  Australian,  should  be  able 
to  race  under  10  st.  7  Ibs.,  one  and  a  half  miles.  If 
a  sound  game  horse  can  do  all  this,  his  being  a  little 
<(  troubled  with  the  slows  "  will  not  prevent  him  from 
paying  his  way.  A  flashy  thorough-bred  that  could 
stagger  home  in  extraordinary  good  time  over  5  furlongs 
with  6  st.  up,  would  be  out  of  place  in  India,  except, 
perhaps,  for  a  coup  at  Calcutta. 

With  the  exception  of  Eeputation  and  Oberon, 
neither  of  whom  stood  training  in  India,  there  have 
been  no  English  horses  imported  into  this  country 
that  were  up  to  good  handicap  form  in  the  land  of 
their  birth.  Metal,  by  his  running  with  Althorp  at 
Goodwood,  was  a  fair  second-rater.  In  India  he  was 
the  best  of  his  time  when  fit.  Blanchland,  who  was 


RACING   IN   INDIA.  137 

a  roarer,  was  probably  the  fastest  five  furlong  horse 
we  have  seen  in  India.  Presto,  who  was  a  smart 
selling  plater  in  England,  was  nearly  first-class  in  India. 
In  olden  days,  the  English  mares,  Morning  Star  and 
Bridesmaid  were,  at  their  own  distance,  unapproach- 
able by  their  Australian  rivals,  who,  it  must  be  con- 
fessed, had  but  little  pretensions  to  racing  form. 
Australian  horses,  such  as  Myall  King,  Moorhouse,  and 
Little  Prince  in  recent  times,  and  Kingcraft  in  former 
years,  have  certainly  held  their  own  against  all  comers. 
I  may  mention  that  the  only  first-class  Australian 
which  has  run  in  India,  was  Bravo,  the  Melbourne 
Cup  winner,  who,  from  unsoundness,  was  unable  to 
show  in  this  country  anything  like  his  true  form. 
The  prominent  running  in  England  of  the  Australian 
second-rater,  Ringmaster,  goes  to  prove  that  there  is 
not  much  to  choose,  from  a  racing  point  of  view, 
between  Australian  and  English  horses.  In  India, 
honours  seem  to  have  been  fairly  divided  between 
them,  taking  into  consideration  that  of  the  former 
there  have  been  far  more  runners  than  of  the  latter. 
As  regards  price  and  the  capability  of  standing  work  in 
India,  I  think  the  balance  is  all  in  favour  of  Australians, 
of  which  there  are  many  well-bred  specimens  imported 
every  year  into  India.  English  horses,  owing  to  their 
high  price,  are  never  sent  out  on  sale  to  this  count} y. 

Country-breds  sometimes  hold  their  own  in  hack 
selling  races — winner  to  be  sold  for  from  Bs.  200  to 
500 — when  not  beyond  f  mile.  Those  that  do  so  have 
almost  always  a  strong  dash  of  English  blood,  from 
which  they  generally  derive  their  turn  of  speed,  as  well 
as  some  of  their  inherited  infirmities,  which  doom  them 


13.S  TKAINING   IN   INDIA. 

to  running  for  such  minor  events.  A  useful  horse  for 
such  races — winner  to  he  sold  for  Es.  500  or  Rs.  600 — 
ought  to  be  able  to  do  with  10  st.  up,  £  mile,  in  52  s., 
or  f  mile  in  1  m.  19  s.,  on  an  ordinary  race-course. 

Without  wishing  in  the  slightest  to  attempt  to 
discourage  those  who  desire  to  improve  the  breed  of 
horses  in  India,  I  am  convinced  the  fact  remains,  that 
racing  stock  of  even  the  most  moderate  pretensions 
cannot  be  bred  in  India  without  the  blood  being  con- 
stantly renewed  by  suitable  importations,  whether  from 
Europe,  the  Colonies,  or  America.  The  effect  of  the 
climate,  which  is  manifest  in  the  indigenous  equine 
type,  will  not  allow,  without  constant  foreign  aid,  the 
production  of  animals  fit  either  for  the  turf  or  for  heavy 
saddle  work.  The  country  produce  bred  by  General 
Parrott  from  nearly  pure  English  blood,  although  in- 
capable of  holding  their  own  against  Australians,  have 
been,  at  weight  for  age  and  class,  capable  of  defeating 
Arabs  at  all  distances.  As  a  rule,  however,  the  sons 
of  the  Desert  have  "the  pull"  in  races  of  a  mile  and 
a  quarter  and  upwards,  against  other  Country -breds. 
Among  the  best  have  been — Pretender,  who  belonged 
to  Mr.  George  Plowden,  Meg  Merrilies,  who  won  the 
Govern  or- General's  Cup  in  1858,  and,  also,  in  1859, 
Annandale,  the  black  mare  Gipsy,  Deception,  M.  T., 
late  Mermaid,  Kathleen,  Geraldine,  Surprise,  May 
Queen,  Engadine,  Tangree,  and  Minden. 

To  judge  by  Predominant,  Sylvia,  Lord  Clyde, 
Labby,  Mike,  Maythome,  Bustle,  Marquise,  and  others, 
we  must  regard  English  ponies  as  a  good  deal  better 
than  those  of  all  other  classes.  Next  10  them  come 
Australasian  ponies,  like  Little  Wonder  and  Achieve- 


RACING  IN   INDIA.  139 

raent.  Then  Arabs,  and  lastly  country-breds.  As 
exceptions,  I  may  mention  the  Arabs,  Rex  and  Blitz, 
who,  for  their  respective  heights,  were  as  good  as 
anything  that  ever  carried  silk  in  India. 

Though  there  have  been  many  instances  of  13-2  ponies 
running  successfully  among  galloways  (14  hands  and 
under)  at  the  usual  allowance  of  3  Ibs.  the  quarter  inch, 
it  is  rare  indeed  to  meet  with  a  pony  lower  than  that 
which  can  do  so. 

At  most  meetings,  the  following  classes  are  those 
for  wilich.  races  are  generally  made,  with  the  distances 
usually  run  : — 

1  All  horses  ...  ...  1    to  2  miles. 

2  Arabs     ...  ...  ...  1J  to  2     „ 

3  Arabs  and  country-breds        ...  1    to  2     ,, 

4  Country-breds          ...  ...  i  to  1  mile. 

5  Ponies  (14  hands  and  under)...  A  to  1     ,, 

6  Ponies  (13-2  and  under)         ...  \  „ 

7  Ponies  (13  hands  and  under) ...  \  to    \  mile. 

8  Selling  Racehorses ...  ...  -|  to    1  „ 

In  discussing  the  "form"  of  horses,  I  have  been 
obliged  to  bring  in  the  subject  of  timing,  as  it  is  so 
universally  used  and  regarded  out  here.  I  am  quite 
aware  how  fallible  a  test  it  is,  and  how  much  it  varies 
according  to  the  state  of  the  course  and  the  way  in 
which  a  race  is  run.  The  great  majority  of  Indian 
courses  are  so  level,  and  the  "  going  "  so  very  much  the 
same  on  all,  that  there  cannot  be  the  same  objection 
to  timing  in  this  country  as  in  England,  where 
every  course  varies  in  severity  ;  especially  if  rain  falls. 
Nevertheless,  in  races  in  England,  where  several 
horses  start,  and  in  which  the  running  is  certain  to  be 


140  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

cut  out  by  some  of  them,  the  timing  of  similar  horses 
is  singularly  close,  on  the  same  courses,  considering 
how  variable  the  English  climate  is.  For  instance, 
take  that  of  the  great  three-year  old  races,  from  year 
to  year. 

We  find  timing  is  a  perfectly  reliable  test  in  pedes- 
trianism,  and  can  pronounce  with  certainty  that  a  man 
who  can  do  his  100  yards  in  10  seconds,  or  his  mile 
under  4  m.  16  s.  on  level  ground,  is  undoubtedly  a  first- 
class  runner;  and  so  would  be  a  horse  which  could, 
with  weight  for  age  and  class,  do  his  mile  in  1  m.  43  s., 
or  two  miles  in  3  m.  39  s.  on  the  Calcutta  Course  for 
instance,  if  he  will  but  try  in  public;  for  herein  lies  the 
source  of  nine-tenths  of  the  disappointments  timing 
leads  to.  The  "going"  on  most  Indian  race-courses, 
except  at  Bangalore,  Hyderabad,  Poonah,  and  Dehra 
Doon,  is  very  similar,  being  almost  quite  level  and 
pretty  hard.  As  it  is  impossible  to  get  all  horses  to 
run  the  same  in  public  as  in  private,  I  would  strongly 
advise  the  young  turfite  to  limit  the  use  of  the  stop 
watch  to  public  performances,  and  to  regulating  the 
pace  of  training  gallops.  If  one  wishes  to  test  the 
powers  of  a  young  one,  it  should  be  done,  not  by 
"  putting  him  against  the  watch,"  but  by  trying  him 
with  some  horse  that  has  recently  run  well  in  public, 
and  is  at  the  time  of  the  trial  in  racing  condition. 
Then,  if  the  young  one  beats  the  trial  horse,  and  does 
the  distance  in  really  good  time,  it  is  all  the  more 
to  his  credit.  No  exact  information  as  to  a  horse's 
form  can  be  obtained  by  timing  his  gallops  when  he 
takes  them  alone  ;  for  not  one  horse  in  ten  will  run 
the  same  by  himself  as  in  company  ;  and  it  would  only 


RACING   IN   INDIA.  141 

lead  to  disappointment  to  allow  for  an  error  that,  for 
all  the  owner  knows,  may  be  either  for  or  against  his 
horse's  powers. 

I  believe  that,  even  with  the  greatest  care  and  under 
the  most  favourable  circumstances,  the  time  test  alone 
cannot  be  relied  upon,  with  a  smaller  margin  for  error 
than  10  Ibs.  in  1  mile,  which,  allowing  for  difference  in 
horses,  and  for  the  different  way  races  are  run,  we  may 
assume  would  be  equivalent  to  from  20  to  30  yards  in 
that  distance,  or  from  1 J  to  2  seconds,  which  does  not 
say  very  much  for  timing,  beyond  affording  an  ap- 
proximate idea  of  a  horse's  powers. 

On  a  heavy  course,  a  horse  will  take  4  or  5  seconds 
longer  to  do  a  mile,  than  on  a  light  one. 

Another  thing  to  be  considered  is,  that  we  must 
allow  at  least  half  a  second  for  the  timer's  own 
individual  error  ;  while  there  is  still  more  to  be  allowed 
for  the  way  in  which  horses  get  off,  whether  from  a 
flying  start,  or  from  a  walk. 

It  does  riot  at  all  follow  that  because  a  horse  cannot 
be  got  to  do  good  time  in  private,  he  is,  on  that 
account,  a  moderate  animal  ;  for  many — particularly 
stayers — require  the  stimulus  of  company  to  make 
them  extend  themselves. 

When  timing  in  private,  the  trainer  should  be  most 
careful  to  observe  how  his  horses  finish  ;  for  an  animal 
who  finishes  strong,  will  always — provided  he  runs 
honest — beat  another  that  can  do  even  slightly  better 
time,  but  is  "  all  out"  on  Hearing  the  winning-post. 

The  following  tables  furnish  instances  of  first-class 
timing.  For  uniformity  sake,  and  because  distances 
and  time  are  carefully  measured  there,  I  have  given 


142  TRAINING  IN   INDIA. 

only  Calcutta  records.  I  have  rejected  several  which 
have  official  sanction ;  some,  because  they  were  "  too 
good  "  ;  others,  because  owing  to  the  nature  of  the 
course,  the  exact  moment  of  starting  could  not  have 
been  obtained.  Such  instances  (vide  Appendix,  C.  T. 
C.  Book  Racing  Calendar,  1891-2)  as,  b.  a.  gal.  Turkish 
Flag,  lOst.,  2  miles,  3m.  46  s.,  and  b.  a.  p.  Minton,  8st. 
41bs.,  J  mile,  1  m.  19  s.,  both  at  Bombay,  are  manifestly 
absurd. 


GOOD   PEEFOEMANCES   BY  AUSTEALIANS. 


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TEAINING  IN  INDIA. 

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FAST  TIMING  IN  AUSTEALIA. 


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TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 


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T#    XO    Th 

r-1r-«n 


CHAPTEK   II. 

ON   THE    THEORY   OF   TRAINING. 

TRAINING — DEVELOPMENT  OF  MUSCLE — EFFECT  OF  EXERCISE  ON  THE 
SYSTEM  —  NATURE  OF  EXERCISE  —  FOOD  —  HEALTH  —  SWEATING- 
ARTIFICIAL  SWEATING — PHYSIC  — SIGNS  OF  CONDITION. 

Training  is  the  art  of  preparing  a  horse  to  gallop 
a  certain  distance  at  the  greatest  possible  speed. 

In  order  to  accomplish  this,  the  following  conditions 
are  necessary  :— 

1st. — That  the  muscles  which  are  used  in   galloping 

be   developed  to  the   highest  extent  for  the 

object  in  view. 
2nd  — That     the    whole     system,     both     nervous, 

muscular,  and   functional,    be   in    a    healthy 

state. 
'3rd. — That  the  organs  of  breathing  be  in  the  best 

possible  condition  to  sustain  the  system  in  its 

required  effort. 
±th. — That  the  muscles  be  accustomed  to  the  nature 

of  the    action   they   will   be   called   upon   to 

perform. 
oth. — That  there  be  a  minimum  of  fat  in  the  system, 

compatible  with  health ;   so  that  the  animal 

may  not  be  retarded  by  useless  weight,  nor  his 

muscles  impeded  by  its  presence. 


148  TEAINING  IN  INDIA. 

Development  of  Muscle. — On  this  subject  Dr. 
Carpenter  (Human  Physiology]  remarks  that  "  the 
frequently  renewed  exercise  of  muscles,  by  producing  a 
determination  of  blood  towards  them,  oocasions  an 
increase  in  the  nutrition  ;  so  that  a  large  amount  of 
new  tissue  is  developed,  and  the  muscles  augment  in 
size  and  vigour.  This  is  true,  not  only  of  the  whole 
muscular  system  when  equally  exercised,  but  also  of 
any  particular  set  of  muscles  which  is  more  used  than 
another.  Of  the  former,  we  have  an  example  in  those 
who  practise  a  system  of  gymnastics  adapted  to  call 
the  various  muscles  alike  into  play ;  and  of  the  latter, 
in  the  limbs  of  individuals  who  follow  any  calling  that 
habitually  requires  the  exertion  of  either  pair,  to  the 
partial  exclusion  of  the  other,  as  the  arms  of  the  smith, 
or  the  legs  of  the  opera-dancer.  But  this  increased 
nutrition  cannot  take  place  unless  an  adequate  supply 
of  food  be  afforded ;  and  if  the  amount  of  nutritive 
material  be  insufficient,  the  result  will  be  a  progressive 
diminution  in  the  size  and  power  of  the  muscles,  which 
will  manifest  itself  the  more  rapidly  as  the  amount  of 
exertion,  and  consequently  the  degree  of  waste  is 
greater.  Nor  can  it  be  effected  if  the  exercise  be 
incessant,  for  it  is  during  the  intervals  of  repose  that 
the  reparation  of  the  muscular  tissue  occurs  ;  and  the 
muscular  system,  like  the  nervous,  may  be  worn  out 
by  incessant  use.  The  more  violent  the  action,  the 
longer  will  be  the  period  of  subsequent  repose  required 
for  the  reparation  of  the  tissue." 

From  this  we  see  that,  while  giving  the  horse  the 
exercise  necessary  to  develop  those  muscles  which  are 
used  in  galloping,  we  should  attend  to  his  proper 


NATUEE   OF  EXEECISE.  149 

feeding ;  should  afford  him  the  rest  indispensable  for 
the  repair  of  tissue,  and  should  preserve  around  him 
the  conditions  that  are  most  conducive  to  health. 

Effect  of  Exercise  on  the  System. —  The 
various  tissues  of  the  body  have  but  a  limited  time  for 
existence,  which  period  is  directly  influenced  by  the 
amount  of  exercise  taken  by  the  animal.  Apart  from 
the  necessity  there  is  for  exercise  to  develop  muscle, 
to  reduce  fat,  and  to  maintain  health,  experience  also 
teaches  us  that  tissue  which  is  formed  under  condi- 
tions of  rapid  waste  and  repair,  is  stronger  and  of 
better  quality  than  that  subjected  to  more  gradual 
change ;  and  anatomical  investigation  proves  that  the 
former,  from  being  more  vascular,  is  redder  and 
healthier-looking  than  the  latter.  Hence,  to  improve 
the  quality  of  the  muscular  and  nervous  tissues,  we 
should  give  as  much  exercise  as  is  compatible  with  the 
individual  capabilities  of  the  animal  trained. 

Exercise  purifies  the  blood,  by  quickening  the  action 
of  the  lungs,  which  supply  oxygen  to  the  vital  fluid  for 
the  breaking  up  of  effete  matters  contained  in  it.  By 
quickening  the  circulation,  it  stimulates  the  processes 
of  nutrition  for  the  building  up  of  new  tissue  ;  and,  of 
excretion,  for  the  removal  of  effete  and  deleterious 
substances.  It  also  strengthens  the  action  of  the 
heart  and  lungs. 

Nature  of  Exercise.— We  may  conclude  that 
this  should  gradually  conform  to  that  of  the  race  for 
which  the  animal  is  being  trained,  so  that,  speaking 
generally,  only  the  muscles  which  are  particularly  used 
in  galloping  may  be  specially  developed ;  for,  were 
other  muscles,  also,  called  into  abnormal  play,  their 


150  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

extra  nutrition  would  but  tend  to  deprive  the  muscles 
used  in  galloping,  of  material  for  repair,  and  would 
add  unnecessary  weight  to  be  carried.  No  amount  of 
trotting  or  walking  can  prove  an  efficient  substitute 
for  galloping,  of  which  exercise  the  trainer  should 
endeavour  to  give  his  horses  as  much  as  possible,  under 
certain  reservations,  to  which  I  shall  presently  allude. 
In  o^'der  that  fast  work  may  be  given  with  safety, 
the  horse  should  be  gradually  accustomed  to  it ;  the 
golden  rule  here  being,  that  the  length  of  a  horse's 
gallop  should  never  exceed  the  distance  which  he  can 
go — at  the  time  being — without  his  muscles  becoming 
fatigued,  or — which  is  the  same  thing — without  his 
becoming  "  blown  ;  "  for  neither  man  or  horse  are  ever 
so  "beat"  as  when  they  are  "out  of  wind."  In  fast 
work,  the  suspensory  ligaments  are  particularly  liable 
to  sprain.  In  my  Veterinary  Notes  for  Horse  Owners 
I  have  alluded  to  this  point  as  follows — "When  the 
horse  is  fresh  and  untired,  the  muscles  to  which  the 
perforans  and  perforatus  tendons  are  attached,  contract 
with  such,  precision  that  the  foot  is  'picked'  up  (flexed) 
before  undue  strain  can  fall  on  the  suspensory  liga- 
ment ;  in  fact;  these  tendons  act  as  assistant  braces 
to  it.  But  if  the  pace  be  continued,  the  horse  will 
'  dwell '  more  and  more  in  his  stride,  and  as  the  two 
muscles  which  move  the  tendons  become  gradually 
fatigued,  they  also  become  unable  to  contract  with 
sufficient  quickness  to  save  the  suspensory  ligament 
from  undue  strain.  Besides  this,  the  muscles  get  tired, 
but  the  ligament  does  not  experience  the  sensation  of 
fatigue  ;  hence  the  horse  throws  weight  on  the  latter 
to  save  the  former.  We  may  easily  imagine  how  great 


NATUEE    OF   EXERCISE.  151 

this  strain  must  be  in  the  case  of  a  race-horse  struggling 
home  during  a  desperate  finish.  When  the  muscles 
which  flex  the  fore-legs  become  tired,  a  considerable 
portion  of  the  weight  of  the  horse  and  his  rider,  which 
is  propelled  forward  by  the  hind,  has  to  be  borne  by 
the  suspensory  ligaments  of  the  fore-legs.  No  wonder 
then  that  race-horses,  as  a  rule,  break  down  within 
the  '  distance,'  especially  if  the  ligament  has  been  pre- 
viously injured.  We  also  may  readily  see  why  they 
are  more  apt  to  break  down  when  out  of  work  than 
when  in  condition." 

Fast  work  should  be  very  sparingly  given  on  hard 
ground,  owing  to  the  great  danger  there  is  of  horses 
exercised  on  it  spraining  their  suspensory  ligaments, 
and  injuring  the  bones  of  their  legs  and  feet. 

It  is  most  important  that  the  trainer  should  recog- 
nise the  fact  that  he  can  greatly  increase  a  horse's 
speed  by  practice.  We  find,  as  a  rule,  that  a  pedes- 
trian who  has  been  put  into  regular  training  for  the 
first  time,  will,  after  a  year's  constant  practice,  do  his 
100  yards,  say,  1  sec.  faster,  or  his  mile,  say,  20  sec. 
better  than  he  could  have  done  before,  even  when  in 
condition.  The  same  holds  good  at  boxing,  fencing, 
and  other  kindred  sports ;  and,  undoubtedly,  does  so 
with  horses,  whose  muscles  obey  the  same  laws  as 
those  of  our  own  bodies.  The  benefit,  however,  which 
may  be  derived  from  practice,  in  this  respect,  will  be 
more  or  less  lost  if  the  work  be  continued  after  the 
muscles  have  become  fatigued;  for  the  simple  reason 
that,  as  soon  as  they  get  into  this  condition,  the  speed 
at  which  they  first  moved  will  become  decreased,  and 
what  was,  at  starting,  fast  work,  ends  by  becoming 


152  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

slow.  Hence,  the  trainer,  speaking  generally,  should 
rigidly  limit  the  distance  over  which  he  sends  an 
animal  at  a  fast  pace,  to  one  which  the  horse  can  cover 
without  having  to  slacken  off  at  the  finish. 

Experience  teaches  us  that  we  must  be  very  careful 
in  applying  the  fact  that  speed  can  be  greatly  increased 
by  practice,  to  horses  ;  because,  if  we  push  it  to  an 
undue  extent,  they  will  be  apt  to  become  disgusted  with 
their  work,  and  may  refuse  to  "  try"  ;  a  proceeding 
which  will  nullify  any  calculation  made  on  the  basis  of 
the  horse  being  a  machine.  For  this  reason,  we  should, 
as  a  rule,  never  fully  extend  an  animal  in  a  training 
gallop.  If  we  have  to  do  this  in  a  trial  or  in  a  race,  so 
much  the  worse  for  the  horse  in  the  great  majority 
of  cases ;  for,  unless  he  is  exceptionally  "  game,"  the 
fact  of  his  knowing  the  utmost  extent  of  his  own 
powers,  will  prevent  him  from  struggling  as  resolutely 
as  he  would  do,  were  his  self-knowledge  less  extended. 
How  often  do  we  find  that,  even  winning,  after  a  severe 
finish,  converts,  for  the  remainder  of  his  life,  a  good 
horse  into  a  worthless  brute,  as  far  as  racing  is 
concerned  ;  and  that  the  effect  of  losing,  under  similar 
circumstances,  is  still  more  liable  to  ruin  an  animal. 
Horses  vary  so  much  in  the  manner  they  stand  fast 
work  that  it  is  impossible  to  lay  down  any  detailed 
rules  for  guidance  on  the  subject.  Sluggish  horses  are,  as 
a  rule,  far  better  in  this  respect  than  are  impetuous  ones  ; 
and  thorough-breds,  than  "  cocktails."  Pedestrians  can 
stand  more  training  than  horses,  and  will  often  bear 
being  extended  day  after  day  without  losing  their  "  turn 
of  speed."  This  fact  is  probably  to  be  accounted  for 
by  the  higher  development  of  their  nervous  system. 


NATURE    OF  EXERCISE .  153 

When  a  horse  is  restricted  for  some  time  to  slow 
gallops,  his  style,  however  good  it  may  have  been 
originally,  will  gradually  accommodate  itself  to  this 
pace,  and  will,  in  course  of  time,  become  permanently 
altered,  or  take  a  long  period  to  recover.  The  reason 
for  this  is  that  the  muscles  which  are  called  into  play, 
obeying  a  beneficent  law  of  nature,  gradually  acquire  a 
style  of  action  which  will  enable  them  to  perform  their 
accustomed  task  with  the  least  possible  exertion  to 
themselves.  Thus,  when  they  have  become  habituated 
to  a  slow  gallop,  they  will  be  unable  to  act  at  a  fast 
pace  to  the  best  advantage,  simply  because  they  are 
unused  to  it.  This  law  is  well  proved  by  the  fact  that 
training  horses  for  long  distances  has  a  very  prejudicial 
effect  on  their  speed  for  short  races.  Most  men,  who 
have  sparred  much,  know  how  slow  the  use  of  heavy 
dumb-bells  makes  them. 

Continued  slow  work  spoils  the  action  of  the  horse, 
in  that  it  accustoms  him  to  move  his  muscles  slowly 
and  to  take  short  strides.  Besides  this,  as  it  does  not 
call  into  play  his  muscles  of  forced  respiration  (see  page 
161),  which  are  greatly  used  at  fast  paces,  it  is  entirely 
inadequate  to  render  him  "  fit  "  to  race.  Work  on 
deep  ground  causes  a  horse  to  shorten  his  stride  and 
to  "  dwell  "  on  it.  The  practice  of  carrying  heavy 
weights  makes  the  animal  go  short.  Training  a  horse 
on  a  hilly  course,  when  he  has  got  to  race  on  level 
ground,  is  a  great  mistake — always  supposing  that 
he  is  sound — for,  from  constantly  going  up  hill,  he  soon 
learns  to  "  go  high  ;  "  as  he  finds,  by  doing  so,  that  he 
lengthens  his  stride.  I  need  hardly  say  that  although 
some  really  good  horses,  like  Lecturer,  the  Cesare  witch 


154  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

winner  of  1866,  have  high  action,  we  must  acknowledge 
that  they  would  be  still  better  animals,  if  they  possessed 
more  of  a  "  daisy-cutting  "  style  ;  for  any  undue  bend- 
ing of  the  knees  must  tend  to  shorten  the  stride.  Of 
course,  the  converse  of  all  this,  also,  holds  good  ;  as 
we  saw  in  1871,  when  Colonel  Macpherson's  g.  a.  h. 
Malabar  won  the  Dehra  Doon  Derby,  from  a  field  which 
contained  two  or  three  horses  which  could  have  given 
him,  at  least,  a  stone  on  the  flat  ;  his  excellence  up  the 
hill  being  due  to  the  fact  that  he  had  been  trained  on 
it  for  a  couple  of  years.  When  he  was,  subsequently, 
taken  to  run  on  the  level  course  at  Umballa,  he  was 
found  to  be  incapable  of  acting  to  advantage  on  it. 
During  the  lengthy  preparation  which  Scot  Free;  the 
winner  of  the  Two  Thousand  Guineas  in  1884,  received 
for  the  St.  Leger,  he  was  given  almost  all  his  gallops 
on  Side  Hill  or  on  Long  Hill,  both  of  which  New- 
market training  courses  form  comparatively  steep 
gradients.  I  saw  him  do  some  of  his  last  gallops  before 
going  to  Doncaster  ;  and  although  his  muscular 
development  was  perfect,  I  could  not  help  being 
impressed  with  the  fact  that  his  action  was  much 
"  higher "  than  when  he  won  The  Guineas,  beating 
Harvester,  Superba,  and  others.  He  started  first 
favourite  for  the  St.  Leger,  at  11  to  4,  and  was  never 
once  u  in  it."  I  maintain  that  galloping  a  horse  con- 
stantly up  hill  is  not  sufficient  even  for  getting  his 
wind  in  good  order  for  a  race  on  the  flat.  We  know — 
to  take  an  extreme  case — that  no  amount  of  practice 
which  a  sailor  might  have  in  running  up  and  down  the 
rigging  of  his  ship,  would  enable  him  to  "  stay  "  even 
150  yards  on  the  cinder  path  ;  and  that  mountaineers, 


NATURE    OF   EXERCISE.  155 

however  good  their  wind  might  be  for  facing  a  steep 
hillside,  are  soon  "  blown,"  if  they  have  to  run  fast  on 
level  ground ;  the  reason  being  that  both  find  the  action 
a  novel  one  to  their  muscles. 

We  may  safely  conclude  that  a  horse  should  very 
rarely  be  fully  "  extended  "  over  a  distance  equal  to  that 
of  the  race  for  which  he  is  being  trained,  and  only  then 
towards  the  latter  end  of  his  preparation.  "  Getting 
the  distance  into  them  "  is  too  often  synonymous  with 
"  taking  the  speed  and  life  out  of  them." 

Kepeated  fast  work,  for  comparatively  short  distances, 
with  intervals  of  rest  between,  will  be  found  to  be 
accompanied  by  less  risk  of  accident,  and  less  danger  of 
making  a  horse  slow,  than  long  fast  gallops. 

Fast  work  is  not  alone  requisite  for  preserving 
and  improving  the  speed  of  the  limbs ;  but  is  equally 
essential  for  bringing  the  respiratory  muscles  into  such 
a  condition  that  they  can  maintain  their  action  under 
high  pressure.  We  may  rest  assured  that  if  a  horse  be 
thoroughly  fit  and  well,  has  had  lots  of  work,  and  has 
had  his  speed  developed  and  his  wind  made  clear  by 
plenty  of  short  spins,  with  a  few  fast  gallops  for  nearly 
the  length  of  the  race  for  which  he  is  going  to  run,  he 
will,  in  nineteen  cases  out  of  twenty,  stay  the  distance, 
unless,  indeed,  it  be  beyond  that  of  which  he  is 
naturally  capable. 

From  the  foregoing  remarks  we  may  see  that  in  order 
to  bring  a  horse  "  tit  to  the  post,"  we  must  give  him  a 
large  amount  of  exercise,  which  should  not  be  at  a 
long,  slow  gallop.  Hence,  the  exercise  which  we  are 
unable  to  give  at  a  fast  pace,  should  be  at  one  which 
will  be  as  little  prejudicial  to  his  speed  as  possible,  such 


156  TKAINING  IN   INDIA. 

as  the  walk,  trot,  and  canter,  which  are  totally 
different  in  their  action  to  the  gallop. 

Food. — The  old  writers  on  training  were  accus- 
tomed to  lay  considerable  stress  on  the  necessity  of 
"hard"  food,  and  a  restricted  allowance  of  water,  in 
order  to  reduce  the  size  of  a  horse's  stomach  and  intes- 
tines, and  to  harden  his  muscles.  At  first  sight,  the 
former  consideration  seems  to  be  a  most  important  one  ; 
because,  if  these  organs  be  distended  by  the  bulky 
nature  of  the  food,  the  diaphragm  will  be  impeded 
in  its  effort  to  afford  room  for  the  action  of  the 
lungs.  As  the  question  of  food  is  entirely  dependent 
on  conditions  of  health  and  nutrition  ;  the  trainer  may 
rest  assured  that  if  they  be  duly  maintained,  the 
animal's  organs  will  accommodate  themselves,  in  the 
best  possible  manner,  to  the  work  which  he  is  called 
upon  to  perform. 

When  a  horse's  powers  are  fully  taxed,  we  may 
safely  rely  on  his  appetite  being  the  best  guide  for 
determining  the  amount  of  his  hay,  corn,  and  water  ; 
for  he  will  instinctively  choose  the  proportion  best 
calculated  to  furnish  material  for  the  repair  of  tissue, 
always  supposing  that  he  shows  no  signs  of  ill-health, 
and  is  sound  on  his  legs. 

Health. — As  the  due  nutrition  of  the  system  is 
dependent  on  the  state  of  the  general  health,  we  should 
endeavour  to  secure  the  former  by  maintaining  the 
latter  in  the  best  possible  condition ;  thus  avoiding  the 
too  common  error  of  neglecting  the  cause  for  the  effect. 
Hence,  if  the  slightest  symptom  of  indisposition  can 
be  traced  to  the  effects  of  the  food,  its  nature  or 
amount,  as  the  case  may  be,  should  be  at  once  changed. 


SWEATING.  157 

The  usual  symptoms  of  derangement,  caused  by  errors 
in  diet,  are  feverishness,  with  quickened  pulse,  and  hot, 
dry  skin  ;  looseness  or  constipation  of  the  bowels  ;  the 
presence  of  flakes  of  mucus  mixed  with  the  dung, 
indicating  irritation  of  the  intestines ;  sour  smell  from 
the  mouth ;  the  practices  of  grinding  the  teeth  and 
licking  whitewashed  walls,  &c.,  which  show  acidity  of 
the  stomach ;  dark-coloured  urine,  evincing  that  the 
.  animal  is  fed  on  food  of  a  too  highly  nitrogenous 
nature  ;  yellowness  of  the  gums  and  lining  membrane 
of  the  eyelids,  pointing  to  derangement  of  the 
liver ;  a  disordered  state  of  the  skin  ;  abnormal 
appetite,  &c. 

Sweating. — The  result  of  my  own  observations — 
through  a  long  experience  in  several  branches  of  train- 
ing— on  drawing  either  man  or  horse  "  fine,"  is  that  it 
is  entirely  a  question  of  the  state  of  the  nerves  of  the 
individual  trained  ;  for,  as  Stonehenge  justly  remarks, 
"the  nervous  system  cannot  respond  to  the  calls  of 
its  great  centre  without  having  a  due  supply  of  fatty 
matter."  Horses,  like  men,  vary,  one  with  another, 
in  regard  to  the  amount  of  fat  which  their  systems  can 
lose  without  their  becoming  "  stale."  Most  men  who 
have  trained  hard  for  pedestrianism,  rowing,  race 
running,  &c.,  will  practically  understand  the  meaning 
of  staleness,  the  causes  of  which,  we  may  safely  infer, 
are  the  same  both  in  men  and  horses.  When  a  man 
gets  much  below  his  ordinary  healthy  weight,  whether 
by  excessive  exercise,  physic,  sweating,  or  Banting,  and 
continues  hard  work,  he  will,  as  a  rule,  soon  become 
nervous  and  shaky ;  a  state  which  can  be  cured  only 
by  rest,  and  by  discontinuing  the  means  taken  to  get 


158  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

thin  ;    and,  then,  as  his  weight  rises,  his  nerves  will 
regain  their  tone. 

I  do  not,  for  a  moment,  mean  to  say  that  the  dis- 
turbance of  the  equilibrium  of  the  system,  due  to  an 
abnormal  loss  of  fat,  is  the  sole  cause  of  a  horse  becom- 
ing stale ;  for  I  know  well  that  the  effects  of  over-work 
and  the  feverishness  induced  by  excitement  and  high 
feeding,  also  tend  to  bring  about  that  condition.  But 
I  wish,  simply,  to  impress  on  my  readers  the  fact  that- 
a  certain  amount  of  fat,  in  the  body  of  the  horse,  is 
indispensable  to  the  continued  healthy  action  of  his 
nervous  system,  on  which  is  dependent  the  exhibition 
of  all  muscular  force.  Hence,  we  should  avoid  the 
mistake  of  drawing  a  horse  fine  too  soon,  and  should 
endeavour  to  apportion  his  work  in  such  a  manner  that 
he  will  be  "  trained  to  the  hour,"  knowing  well  that 
it  is  impossible  to  keep  him  "  wound  up  to  concert 
pitch,"  beyond  a  few  days. 

When  a  horse,  under  ordinary  conditions,  is  well  fed 
and  little  worked,  there  is  not  alone  a  quantity  of 
adipose  tissue  deposited  in  his  system  ;  but  also  a  certain 
amount  of  infiltration  of  fat,  in  the  form  of  distinct 
drops,  takes  place  in  the  cells  of  the  different  tissues, 
and  particularly  in  those  of  the  liver.  This  fat,  by 
distending  the  cells,  renders  the  muscles,  liver,  and 
other  involved  structures,  unfit  to  bear  the  strain  of 
violent  and  continued  exertion.  The  object  of  training 
is  not  alone  to  get  rid  of  the  retarding  weight  of  a 
quantity  of  useless  fat,  but  also  to  eliminate  the  infil- 
trated fat  from  tissues  that  are  called  into  action  during 
work ;  hence,  when  we  sweat  a  horse,  we  do  so  in  order 
to  remove  from  his  system  a  certain  amount  of  fat, 


SWEATING.  159 

some  of  which  is  broken  up  by  the  oxidation  of  its 
carbon  by  the  agency  of  respiration,  while  the  greater 
part  of  the  remainder  is  carried  out,  in  the  form  of 
oily  matter,  along  with  the  perspiration,  which  fluid  is 
directly  abstracted  from  the  blood.  For  the  main- 
tenance of  health,  the  blood  must  contain  a  certain 
proportion  of  water,  which  varies,  under  special  con- 
ditions, such  as  violent  exercise,  purging,  deprivation  of 
water,  excessive  perspiration,  &c.,  from  700  to  800  parts 
in  a  thousand.  If,  in  case  of  loss,  the  normal  proportion 
of  water  be  not  speedily  restored,  the  animal's  health 
will  suffer.  Thus  we  may  see  that  the  proper  object  of 
sweating  a  horse  is  to  reduce  the  amount  of  fat,  and 
not  the  amount  of  water  there  is  in  his  system  ;  and 
that  as  soon  as  we  fail  to  find  that  oily  matter  is  given 
off,  to  any  appreciable  extent,  with  his  perspiration,  so 
soon  should  we  stop  giving  him  any  more  sweats.  I 
need  hardly  point  out  how  opposed  to  common  sense 
and  to  physiological  teaching,  is  the  practice  of  stinting 
a  horse  of  water  after  sweating  him.  In  fact,  want  of 
a  due  supply  of  water  interferes  with  the  whole  process 
of  nutrition.  "  The  activity  of  absorption  by  the  blood- 
vessels depends  upon  the  due  fluidity  of  the  materials 
to  be  absorbed,  for  it  is  well  known  that  no  fluids 
quickly  penetrate  the  vessels,  but  such  as  are  of  lesser 
density  than  the  blood."  (Williams?) 

From  the  foregoing  remarks  we  may  draw  the  prac- 
tical conclusion,  that  we  may  take,  during  training, 
the  state  of  the  perspiration  as  a  guide  by  which  to 
judge  of  the  amount  of  fat  in  the  horse's  system,  and 
that  we  should  regulate  his  work  so  that  the  sweat, 
after  his  gallops,  may  not  completely  lose  its  greasy 


160  TBAINING  IN   INDIA. 

feel,  unti]  within  a  few  days  of  the  race  for  which  he  is 
being  trained.  This  is,  of  course,  supposing  that  he  is 
one  of  the  sort  that  will  stand  being  "drawn  fine." 

Artificial  Sweating. — By  this  term  I  mean  any 
process  of  sweating  which  is  accomplished  without 
the  aid  of  exercise,  such  as  that  by  the  Turkish  bath, 
or  by  clothing  the  horse  very  heavily  in  a  warm, 
closed-up  stable,  &c.  Such  sweating,  I  think,  is  most 
objectionable,  unless,  indeed,  the  state  of  the  animal's 
limbs  precludes  exertion.  When  perspiration  is  thus 
artificially  induced,  the  increased  excretory  action  is 
confined  to  the  pores  of  the  skin,  so  that  the  blood 
rapidly  becomes  charged  with  effete  matter  which  the 
lungs  fail  to  eliminate  with  due  promptness ;  as  the 
respiration  is  not  accelerated  by  exertion.  Hence,  the 
lungs  become  gorged  with  insufficiently  aerated  blood, 
which  causes  the  breathing  to  become  laboured,  and 
the  action  of  the  heart  tumultuous.  These  abnormal 
conditions  cause  general  distress,  and  tend  to  injure 
the  healthy  working  of  the  heart ;  results  that  speedily 
— if  oft  repeated — upset  the  nervous  system,  and 
render  the  animal  stale  and  incapable  of  prolonged 
and  vigorous  exertion. 

Physic. — Before  commencing  training,  it  is  generally 
advisable  to  give  a  moderate  dose  of  physic,  in  order  to 
eliminate  from  the  system  an  excess  of  the  products 
resulting  from  the  waste  of  tissue,  which  are  not 
excreted  with  sufficient  rapidity  for  the  requirements 
of  hard  exercise,  and  to  get  rid  of  the  superabundant 
nutritive  material  absorbed  from  the  chyle.  The  diseases 
known  as  azoturia  and  lymphangitis  are  respectively 
brought  on  when  these  two  conditions  exist  to  a  highly 


SIGNS   OF   CONDITION.  161 

injurious  extent.  In  both,  the  administration  of  a 
purgative  is  advisable.  Although  we  may  not  have 
either  complaint  developed;  still  feverishness, " filled" 
legs,  dark-coloured  urine,  <£c.,  often  result  from  similar 
causes,  when  the  precaution  of  giving  a  horse  a  dose 
of  physic  is  not  observed  before  putting  him  into 
training. 

Signs  of  Condition. — When  a  horse  is  in  perfect 
condition,  his  coat  will  be  soft  and  glossy  like  satin; 
his  eye  bright,  but  tranquil ;  his  sweat  scanty,  will  dry 
readily,  and  will  be  free  from  oily  matter ;  his  legs  and 
feet  cool ;  his  muscles  hard,  prominent,  and  distinct 
from  each  other ;  those  extending  along  each  side  of 
his  spine  will  be  full  and  massive ;  while  those  over  his 
quarters  will  swell  up  to  a  certain  convexity.  The  ribs 
will  be  defined,  although  covered  with  a  powerful  sheet 
of  muscle,  which,  as  well  as  the  muscles  that  cover  the 
belly,  will  have  become  developed  by  the  forced 
respiration  necessitated  by  fast  work.  The  fact  of 
these  muscles  being  in  this  condition  is  manifested  by 
the  presence  of  their  raised  though  irregular  border, 
which  runs  in  a  more  or  less  diagonal  direction  down 
each  side  of  the  abdomen  towards  the  groin.  The 
"quarter  mark" — division  between  the  biceps  rotator 
tibialis  and  triceps  abductor  femoris  muscles — is  well  de- 
fined. The  space  round  the  anus  should  be  prominent 
and  filled  up ;  the  thighs  so  developed  that  they  should 
meet  for  a  considerable  way  down.  The  crest  should 
be  full  and  hard ;  and  the  large  caput  muscles  which 
lie  just  above  the  fore  arm,  should  form  a  distinct 
lump.  "Who  can  fail  to  see  in  a  well-trained  race- 
horse the  muscles,  standing,  as  it  were,  prominently 

M 


162  TEAINING   IN   INDIA. 

one  from  another  about  the  quarter  and  thighs,  '  hard 
as  iron  to  the  touch,'  and  giving  the  animal  an  appear- 
ance of  being  thin  and  poor?  The  appearance  of 
thinness  is  the  result  of  the  great  prominence  of  each 
individual  muscle,  of  increase  in  their  volume  and 
weight,  and  an  extraordinary  healthy  tonicity." 
(Williams.) 


CHAPTER    III. 

FOOD    DURING    TRAINING. 

As  the  subject  of  food  has  been  fully  discussed  in 
Part  I.  on  Horse  Management,  I  shall  treat  on  it,  here, 
only  as  far  as  it  relates  to  training  for  racing.  If  oats 
can  be  procured  heavy  enough,  they  are  by  far  the  best 
grain  on  which  to  train.  In  England,  old  horses 
whose  powers  of  assimilation  are  somewhat  impaired 
are  often  allowed,  with  good  results,  a  small  proportion 
of  beans,  or  half  beans  and  half  peas,  with  their  corn, 
in  order  to  increase  the  nutrient  value  of  the  food ;  as 
the  measure  of  a  horse's  appetite  is  more  by  bulk  than 
by  weight.  With  our  light  Indian  oats,  one  part  of 
gram  to  three  of  corn  will  be  found  to  be  a  good 
general  division.  The  same  proportion  of  Jculthee  and 
oats  may  be  used.  Boiled  urud  may  be  substituted  for 
Jculthee.  If  oats  be  not  procurable,  parched  barley  and 
gram- may  be  given. 

I  may  here  remark  that. beans,  peas,  gram,  Jculthee, 
and  urud  are  very  similar  in  their  composition ;  and 
that  barley  closely  resembles  oats.  These  grains  differ 
however,  in  their  action  on  the  digestive  organs,  beans, 
having  a  constipating  tendency,  while  both  gram  and 
barley  have  the  opposite  effect. 

The  dung  of  a  healthy  horse  should  be  fairly  formedj 


164  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

brittle,  friable,  and  devoid  of  any  adherent  slime.  As 
health  is,  above  all  others,  the  one  essential  condition, 
without  which  it  is  impossible  to  get  a  horse  fit,  the 
trainer  should  so  regulate  the  food  that  the  dung  should 
present  a  normal  appearance,  which  is  comparatively 
easy  to  obtain  in  England  where  sound,  heavy  oats  are 
procurable ;  but  in  India,  where  gram  or  barley  often 
has  to  be  used,  the  task  is  much  more  difficult,  always 
considering  the  large  amount  of  hard  food  that  is 
requisite  for  the  utmost  development  of  a  horse's  powers, 
In  cases  where  the  digestion  begins  to  become  upset 
by  too  highly  stimulating  a  diet,  the  trainer  should 
diminish  the  quantity,  and  should  further  use  means 
to  restore  the  functions  to  a  healthy  condition.  With 
this  object  in  view,  he  may  mix  chopped  hay  through 
the  corn,  or  use,  instead  of  it,  from  1  to  2  Ibs.  of 
dry  bran  daily ;  or  give  a  few  bran  or  bran  and  linseed 
mashes. 

As  a  rule,  as  soon  as  a  horse  gets  gradually  into 
strong  work,  he  ought  to  have  as  much  corn  as  he  can 
eat,  provided  the  chief  part  of  it  be  oats.  10  Ibs.  will 
be  enough  to  commence  on  with  an  Australian,  which 
quantity  may  gradually  be  increased  by  1  Ib.  a  week. 
A  full  average  amount  will  be  :  gram  4  Ibs.,  oats  14  Ibs.; 
or  gram  6  Ibs.,  parched  barley  10  Ibs.  In  either  case, 
1  Ib.  of  suttoo  may  be  given  in  the  animal's  drinking 
water,  as  described  on  page  34. 

An  Arab  will  eat  from  2  Ibs.  to  4  Ibs.  less  corn  than 
an  Australian. 

Oats,  gram,  and  barley  should  always  be  given  quite 
dry;  the  first  should  be  bruised,  and  the  other  two 
broken.  I  found  the  following  food  suited  an  old 


FOOD  DURING   TRAINING.  165 

Arab  that  I  trained  very  successfully,  better  than  any 
other : — 

Oats        ...  ...  ...          6  Ibs. 

Gram       ...  ...  ...          4     „ 

Bran        ...  ,..  ...  2     „ 

Linseed  ...  ...  ...  1     ,, 

At  night,  the  two  last-mentioned  ingredients — the 
linseed  having  been  previously  kept  boiling  for  two  or 
three  hours — were  given  mixed  with  1  Ib.  of  corn. 

My  experience  is,  that  even  with  Indian  oats,  a  horse 
can  be  got  at  least  7  Ibs.  "  fitter  "  than  with  any  other 
grain . 

Horses  in  training  should  get  a  bran,  or  bran  and 
linseed,  mash  once,  and  in  some  cases  twice  a  week, 
as  they  may  seem  to  require  it.  Saturday  and  Wed- 
nesday nights  are  generally  the  most  convenient  times 
at  which  to  give  it. 

Through  the  cold  weather,  a  couple  of  pounds  of 
carrots  may  be  allowed,  with  great  advantage,  to  each 
horse.  In  case  they  be  not  available,  some  green  food 
may  be  substituted.  The  roots,  or  green  fodder,  may 
be  stopped  a  week  or  ten  days  before  running. 

Linseed  or  hay  tea  may  be  given  from  time  to  time. 

It  is  impossible  to  train  a  horse  properly  without 
good  grass,  on  the  quality  of  which  quite  as  much,  if 
not  more,  depends  than  on  that  of  the  corn.  For  this 
purpose,  only  the  best  picked  doob  grass  (Madrasee 
Hnrryalee)  should  be  used,  after  having  been  dried  in 
the  sun  for  a  day.  As  a  rule,  the  horse  should  be 
allowed  as  much  of  it  as  he  will  eat ;  unless,  indeed,  he 
is  a  very  gross  feeder  ;  the  time  of  his  preparation  is 
limited ;  or  he  is  fat,  while  his  legs  are  infirm.  An 


166  TRAINING  IN   INDIA. 

animal  on  a  full  allowance  of  corn  will  eat  far  less  hay 
than  what  is  commonly  supposed.  General  Fitzwygram 
states  that  "  practically  it  will  be  found  that  horses 
which  are  not  limited  in  regard  to  oats,  will  not  usually 
consume  above  six  pounds  of  hay  per  diem." 

In  concluding  this  subject,  I  may  remark  that  the 
trainer,  while  supplying  the  horse  with  food  suitable 
for  the  requirements  of  his  system,  when  undergoing 
severe  work,  should  never  lose  sight  of  the  fact  that 
the  proper  assimilation  of  such  food  can  only  be 
ensured  as  long  as  the  functions  of  digestion  are  in  a 
healthy  state.  To  maintain  this  all-important  condi- 
tion, he  should  study  the  general  question  of  diet,  and 
the  various  peculiarities  of  each  individual  horse ; 
should  preserve  a  sufficient  variety  in  the  food,  so  that 
the  animal  be  not  disgusted  by  a  never-ending  mono- 
tony ;  and  should  supplement  the  hard  fare,  from  time 
to  time,  with  a  handful  of  carrots  or  parsnips,  a  bunch 
of  lucern,  of  freshly-picked  green  grass,  or  of  young 
oats  or  wheat,  a  piece  of  sugar-cane,  a  linseed  mash  ; 
anything,  in  fact,  to  keep  the  appetite  from  palling  on 
corn,  which  is,  after  all,  the  chief  source  from  which  to 
obtain  muscle. 


CHAPTEK  IV. 

DAILY  EOUTINE   IN   TRAINING. 

DURING  the  training  months,  the  syces  should  be  up 
nearly  an  hour  before  daylight,  and  should  give  each 
of  the  horses  a  little  water,  say,  two  or  three  pints, 
and  from  one  to  one  and  a  half  pounds  of  corn,  which 
quantity  may  be  increased  to  two  pounds,  if  the 
animals  are  to  be  kept  out  longer  than  three  hours. 
When  this  is  eaten,  the  clothing  worn  at  night  should 
be  taken  off,  the  coats  wisped  over,  and  smoothened 
down  with  a  towel,  the  manes  and  tails  set  straight, 
the  eyes,  muzzles,  and  docks  sponged  out,  and  fresh 
clothing  put  on  according  to  the  weather.  The  horses 
are  now  taken  to  the  exercising  ground,  and  are  kept 
walking  for  fully  an  hour,  so  that  they  may  empty 
themselves,  and  then  they  get  their  work,  fast  or  slow, 
as  the  case  may  be.  In  some  racing  stables  in  England, 
the  horses  that  go  out  early  in  the  morning,  say,  at  six 
o'clock,  during  the  hot  days  of  summer,  get  nothing 
before  starting ;  while  in  others,  they  have  a  very 
small  feed.  The  advocates  of  the  former  system  aver 
that  their  animals,  being  empty,  are  in  the  best  possible 
condition  for  getting  work,  and  that  nothing  is  gained 
by  feeding  them  at  that  time.  If  we  may  reason  from 
our  own  cases,  we  may  assume  that  the  horse  in 
India  finds  his  chhotee  haziree  both  agreeable  and 


168  TKAINING  IN  INDIA. 

"  sustaining  "  before  his  morning  work.  On  the  other 
hand,  it  is  certain  that  this  practice  of  giving  horses 
an  early  feed  causes  them,  in  many  instances,  to 
"  scour  "  when  taken  out  to  work.  We  should,  in  such 
cases,  omit  this  light  repast.  The  diarrhoea  which  is 
set  up  in  this  manner,  is  due  to  the  food,  the  digestion 
of  which  was  checked  by  exercise,  acting  as  an  irritant 
to  the  alimentary  canal. 

When  a  horse  has  finished  his  exercise,  he  may  be 
either  walked  home  to  his  stable,  or  rubbed  down  on 
the  spot.  If  the  latter  plan  be  adopted,  he  may  be 
walked  or  trotted  to  the  rubbing-down  shed,  or  to  the 
lee  of  any  favourable  cover.  The  girths  should  be 
slackened,  and,  if  he  be  worked  in  clothing,  his  hood 
should  be  quickly  removed,  and  if  there  be  any  sweat 
visible  on  his  neck,  it  should  be  scrapsd  off  with  the 
copper  scrapers  that  are  made  for  this  purpose,  Above 
all  things,  the  hollow  between  the  jaws  should  be  care- 
fully dried  with  a  towel ;  for  neglect  of  this  precaution 
has  often  been  the  cause  of  subsequent  cough,  or  sore- 
throat.  The  bridle  should  now  be  changed  for  a 
common  watering  one,  as  horses  are  apt  to  spoil  the 
reins  by  biting  them  whilst  being  groomed.  If  the 
animal  be  restless,  a  man  may  stand  in  front  with  a  rein 
in  each  hand,  and  hold  his  head  up  ;  while  one  or  two 
syces,  at  each  side,  rub  him  down  with  a  wisp  of  dry 
straw,  or  of  sun  (unprepared  hemp).  The  wisps  should 
be  rubbed  well  into  the  coat,  and  should  not  be  used 
as  fans.  If  he  be  inclined  to  bite,  the  syce  who  holds 
the  reins  may  keep  a  stick  in  one  hand  pointing  across 
the  horse's  face,  so  as  to  keep  him  in  order,  or  a  muzzle 
may  be  put  on.  The  breastpiece  is  next  removed ;  the 


DAILY  KOUTINE   IN   TEAINING.  169 

base  of  the  neck  and  chest  scraped  and  dried ;  and, 
lastly,  the  body  clothing  is  taken  off,  and  the  barrel, 
loins,  and  quarters  finished.  Dry,  light  clothing  is  put 
on,  and  he  should  get  half  a  bucket  of  water,  say, 
about  a  gallon.  This  rubbing  down  should  not  take 
more  than  five  or  six  minutes,  and  after  it,  the  animal 
should  be  started  home  at  a  walk,  without  further 
delay. 

Though  the  horse,  on  leaving  his  stable,  should  be 
ridden  at  a  walk  before  his  work  commences,  he  had 
better  be  led  home  ;  for  then  he  will  return  cooler,  and 
will  not  be  so  liable  to  break  out  into  a  sweat  again, 
as  he  would  be  were  he  ridden  back.  If  the  horse  is 
to  be  ridden  on  his  way  home,  the  felt  saddle-cloth,  if 
it  has  been  used,  should  be  put  on  inside  out,  so  that 
the  portion  of  it  which  has  become  wet  from  sweat,  may 
not  come  in  contact  with  the  skin  of  the  animal's  back ; 
for,  if  it  did  so,  it  would  act,  more  or  less,  as  a  poultice, 
and  render  the  part  soft  and  tender.  Besides  this,  a 
dry  surface  next  the  skin  is  more  comfortable  than  a 
damp  one. 

Having  arrived  at  the  stable,  he  may  get  as  much 
water  as  he  chooses  to  drink,  with  or  without  suttoo 
mixed  through  it,  as  the  trainer  sees  fit  ;  and  then  he 
is  tied  up,  his  clothing  removed,  and  the  grooming 
begun. 

The  practice  of  rubbing  a  horse  down  immediately 
after  his  gallop  is  specially  applicable  to  an  animal 
which  has  been  worked  in  clothing,  and  which,  in  con- 
sequence of  the  presence  of  the  damp  material  next 
its  skin,  would,  were  it  not  removed,  be  liable  to  become 
enervated  and  chilled  during  the  walk  home.  When, 


170  TKAINING   IN   INDIA. 

on  the  contrary,  a  horse  is  worked  without  clothing, 
which  as  a  rule  is  much  the  best  plan,  it  is  advisable  to 
walk  him,  or,  if  he  be  at  all  excitable,  to  have  him  led 
back  to  his  stable.  In  this  case,  also,  I  would  give  him 
half  a  bucket  of  water  to  drink  immediately  after  his 
work. 

I  may  here  remark  that,  if  a  horse's  coat  is  long,  a 
considerable  amount  of  hair  can  be  got  off  by  hand- 
rubbing  him  completely  over,  immediately  after  his 
gallop,  in  place  of  wisping  him  down.  For  this,  the 
help  of  four  men  is  imperative,  lest  any  one  part  of  his 
body  be  allowed  to  cool  faster  than  another.  While 
hand-rubbing,  the  syces  may  keep  their  hands  damp 
with  water,  so  as  to  get  more  hair  off. 

The  grooming  being  finished,  the  horse  gets  the 
remainder  of  his  water — as  much  as  he  will  drink — or 
water  and  suttoo,  as  the  case  may  be.  He  may  have  a 
handful  of  dried  doob  grass  to  amuse  himself  with,  until 
he  gets  his  feed.  The  syce  now  tidies  up  the  stable, 
lays  down  the  bedding,  prepares  and  gives  the  corn. 
He  should  not  spend  more  than  a  quarter  of  an  hour 
over  these  preparations. 

I  strongly  advocate  the  practice  of  putting  dried 
grass  before  the  horse  at  the  same  time  that  he  gets 
his  corn.  A  supply  of  fresh  water  may,  with  advan- 
tage, be  always  left  in  the  stall. 

The  stables  are  now  closed  till  twelve  or  half-past, 
and  the  horses  are  allowed  to  rest  undisturbed. 

At  noon,  the  animal  is  lightly  groomed,  fed,  and  is 
left  t  again  to  himself  till  four  or  half-past,  at  which 
time  he  is  watered,  groomed,  and  gets  half  a  feed. 
After  that,  he  is  taken  out  and  walked  for  an  hour  to 


DAILY   ROUTINE    IN   TRAINING.  171 

an  hour  and  a  half.  On  returning,  he  is  fed,  clothed 
for  the  night,  the  bedding,  &c.,  is  put  in  order,  and  he 
is  then  left  to  enjoy  his  well-earned  repose. 

When  a  horse  is  galloped  in  the  evening  instead  of 
the  morning,  the  same  routine  should  be  observed  ; 
except  that  the  afternoon's  grooming  should  be  com- 
menced half  an  hour  earlier.  In  this  case,  only  a  few 
go-downs  of  water  should  be  given  before  it.  Here, 
instead  of  being  watered  in  the  afternoon,  he  should 
be  watered  at  mid-day,  and  then  should  have  no  more 
water,  except  the  few  go-downs  already  mentioned,  till 
after  work.  When  taken  out,  he  should  have,  at  the 
very  least,  an  hour's  walking  exercise  before  his  gallop, 
and  after  that  he  should  get  half  a  bucket  of  water, 
with  a  full  allowance  on  his  return  to  the  stable.  He 
is  then  groomed,  fed,  and  bedded  down  for  the  night. 

Supposing  that  a  horse  in  training  gets  16  Ibs.  of  corn 
a  day,  it  may  be  divided  into  feeds  in  the  following 
manner  : — 

Early  morning  feed     lib.  \    — 

Morning  „        4  Ibs.  4 

Mid-day  „        ..          ...     4  Ibs.      or  L     4 

Afternoon  ,,        2  Ibs.  2 

Evening  ,,          5  Ibs.  '      6 


CHAPTEE  V. 

MANAGEMENT  DURING  THE  HOT  WEATHER. 

IN  India  the  hot  weather  stops  racing  in  the  same 
manner  as  the  winter  does  in  England.  During  the 
months  of  April,  May,  and  June,  in  fact  until  the  rains 
commence,  the  trainer — if  he  be  in  the  plains— should 
not  do  more  with  his  horses  than  to  keep  them  in 
healthy  exercise ;  for  the  climate  of  itself  will  cause  a 
considerable  strain  on  their  systems. 

I  am  much  averse  to  the  plan  of  throwing  sound, 
healthy  horses  altogether  out  of  training  during  the 
summer,  when  they  are  required  for  the  following 
season's  racing ;  for  hard  condition,  once  lost,  takes  a 
long  time  to  regain ;  and  the  abrupt  changes  in  the 
Indian  seasons  do  not  allow  of  a  long  period  for  strict 
training.  Thus,  if  a  horse  be  permitted  to  get  gross  or 
poor,  and  his  muscles  flaccid  from  want  of  exercise, 
and  he  be  not  put  to  work  before  the  middle  of  July, 
it  will  be  impossible  to  get  him  at  all  "fit"  before 
November  or  December.  I  would,  on  the  contrary, 
advise  that  a  sound  horse  should  get,  all  through  the 
hot  weather,  a  fair  amount  of  healthy  work,  which, 
when  it  consists  of  cantering  and  trotting,  should  be 
given  in  the  early  mornings. 

Through  these  slack  months,  any  injuries  that  the 
horse's  feet  and  legs  may  have  sustained  during  the 


MANAGEMENT  DURING   THE   HOT   WEATHER.       173 

previous  season  should  be  carefully  treated.  On  this 
subject  it  is  sufficient  to  remark,  that  time  and  rest  are 
the  best  means  to  obtain  repair  of  injured  structures ; 
and  I  would  advise  my  readers  to  avoid  heroic  methods 
of  treatment,  such  as  blistering,  firing,  bleeding,  and 
giving  strong  purgatives,  except  under  competent 
veterinary  advice. 

During  the  hot  weather,  horses  should  get  a  less 
quantity  of  food  than  when  in  training,  though  they 
should  on  no  account  be  kept  low  ;  for  if  they  be  not 
liberally  fed,  their  systems  will  be  unable  to  resist  the 
debilitating  effects  of  the  climate.  It  is  not  from 
theory,  but  from  what  I  have  seen  in  practice,  that  I 
speak  positively  on  this  subject.  An  Arab  may  get 
eight,  and  an  Australian  ten  pounds  of  corn — three  parts 
oats,  one  part  gram — with  a  couple  of  pounds  of  bran ; 
and  twice  a  week,  at  night,  a  bran  and  linseed  mash ; 
or,  every  second  night,  a  feed  of  boiled  barley  mixed 
with  a  pound  of  bran.  A  liberal  supply  of  any  green 
food  which  is  obtainable,  should  be  given. 

The  chief  point  to  be  considered  is  that  the  dung 
should  be  properly  formed — though  that  of  some  horses 
which  have  been  trained  a  good  deal,  always  remains 
abnormally  loose — brittle,  devoid  of  all  stickiness  and 
bad  odour,  and  should  be  of  a  healthy  yellow  colour. 
When  oats  are  used,  the  dung  is  much  more  yellow 
than  with  any  other  grain. 

During  the  hot  weather,  the  horses  should  have  an 
hour  and  a  half's  walking  exercise  in  the  morning,  and 
a  little  less  in  the  evening.  It  is  preferable  to  have 
horses  ridden  at  walking  exercise  than  led.  Almost 
every  syce  can  ride  well  enough  for  this.  Horses  should 


174  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

be  made  to  walk  smartly.  Nothing  looks  slacker  or 
causes  an  animal  to  walk  in  a  more  slovenly  manner, 
than  the  way  syces  often  lead  horses,  with  a  long  rein 
or  rope  over  their  shoulder,  while  they  hobble  along 
in  front,  at  the  rate  of  about  two  miles  an  hour. 


CHAPTER  VI. 

PEACTICAL    TRAINING. 

REMARKS  OX  RACE-HORSES  IN  INDIA— TRAINING  QUARTERS— GENERAL 
RULES  FOR  WORK  DURING  TRAINING— DETAIL  OF  WOBK— SWEAT- 
ING —  REMARKS  ON  TRAINING  CONTINUED  —  TRAINING  BY  SHORT 
REPEATED  GALLOPS— REMARKS  ON  TRAINING  CONTINUED— TRIALS — 
TRAINING  PONIES — SETTING — TREATMENT  AFTER  RUNNING — RACE- 
HORSES TRAVELLING  BY  RAIL. 

Race-horses  in  India. — It  is  an  old  and  true  turf 
maxim,  that  the  better  bred  a  horse  is,  the  more 
training  will  he  stand.  In  this  country,  " blood"  is 
rather  an  uncertain  guide  for  the  trainer ;  for  many  of 
our  horses  are  "  cocktails  "  in  the  strict  English  sense 
of  the  word.  At  the  same  time  I  must  admit  that  the 
type  of  horse  which  Australia  sends  us,  is  improving 
yearly  in  quality  and  breeding,  and  that  cases  of 
giving  "  salt-water  pedigrees "  are  becoming  of  rare 
occurrence. 

The  subject  of  pure  blood  and  high  caste  in  the 
Arab  is  one  on  which  I  have  never  been  able  to  gain 
any  exact  information  ;  nor  do  I  think  that  any  distinct 
rules,  as  to  external  appearance,  can  be  laid  down,  that 
would  not  equally  apply  to  any  other  breed  of  horses 
intended  to  gallop  fast,  and  "  stay,"  with  a  fair  weight 
up.  Many  young  Arabs  which  look  unpromising  at 
first,  to  our  eyes,  often  turn  out  the  best  in  the  end. 
These  horses  take  a  long  time  to  mature  ;  their  powers 


176  TKAINING   IN   INDIA. 

rarely  becoming  fully  developed  before  they  are  eight 
or  nine  years  old,  and  until  they  have  been  raced  for 
two  or  three  seasons.  On  this  account,  one  should  not 
lose  heart  because  a  likely-looking  son  of  the  Desert 
does  not  answer  one's  expectations  at  an  early  date.  I 
may  mention  that  Arabs  can  stand  more  work  in  India 
than  any  other  class,  and  that  their  forte  is  undoubtedly 
distance. 

A  young  Australian — say  a  three-year-old — appears 
to  be — allowing  for  the  difference  between  the  dates 
from  which  they  respectively  take  their  age — nearly  a 
year ;  a  Country-bred,  a  year  and  a  half ;  and  an  Arab 
two,  if  not  three,  years,  more  backward  than  an  English 
horse  of  the  same  age.  Many  three-year-old  English 
horses  (like  St.  Gatien  who,  at  that  age,  with  8st.  lOlbs. 
up,  won  the  Csesarwitch  in  a  common  canter  against 
a  good  field)  are  in  their  prime  at  the  "back  end"  of 
the  season. 

Young  Arabs  especially,  and  indeed  all  young  horses, 
may,  with  great  advantage,  be  trained  and  taught  to 
gallop,  without  being  brought  to  the  post,  the  season 
before  they  are  actually  run.  We  generally  find  a 
horse  that  has  been  raced  the  first  year  he  has  been 
trained,  to  become  in  the  next  season  from  10  Ibs.  to 
1  st.  better  (not  allowing  for  age)  than  he  was  during 
the  preceding  one.  If  horses  are  run  the  first  year  they 
are  put  to  work,  they  will  rarely  be  able  to  successfully 
contend  against  platers,  even  when  receiving,  as 
maidens,  from  7  Ibs.  to  1  st. ;  simply  because  they  have 
not  had  time  to  learn  their  business.  We  seldom  see 
maidens  which  have  been  run  thus,  come  out  in  any- 
thing like  their  subsequent  form,  until,  perhaps,  towards 


RACE-HORSES   IN   INDIA.  177 

the  end  of  the  season,  when  there  is  little  to  be  won 
with  them,  on  account  of  the  most  important  maiden 
races  having  been  already  decided.  In  England,  a 
young  one  can  be  kept  at  work  for  six  months  before 
he  runs  for  the  first  two  or  three-year-old  events,  but 
out  here,  the  hot  weather  allows  but  little  more  than 
three  months,  during  which  to  prepare  a  maiden, 
without  suffering  many  of  the  best  stakes,  which  are 
reserved  for  his  class,  to  pass  by  uncontended  for.  We 
should  not  lose  sight  of  the  fact,  that  it  often  takes 
more  time  to  teach  a  horse  to  gallop,  than  to  get  him 
into  condition. 

As  it  requires  at  least  two  years'  conditioning  to 
enable  a  horse  to  live  amongst  the  first  flight  in  "the 
Shires;  "  it  will,  certainly,  require  no  shorter  period  to 
bring  a  young  one — probably  fresh  off  the  ship — fit  to 
race  over  a  distance  in  India. 

Small,  compact  horses  mature  earlier  than  those  of  a 
larger  and  looser  frame,  and  consequently  may  be  run 
at  an  earlier  age.  Sluggish  horses  can  almost  always 
both  stand  work  better  and  stay  longer  than  impetuous 
ones.  Old  horses  require  usually  less  work  to  get  into 
galloping  condition  than  young  ones  do,  though  they 
take  more  time  to  put  up  muscle. 

In  India,  horses  are  rarely  trained  specially — as  in 
England — for  one  particular  race,  as  there  are  few 
events  worth  an  owner's  undivided  attention.  The 
usual  practice  is  to  give  horses,  within  certain  limits, 
more  of  a  general  than  of  a  particular  preparation. 
However,  one  should  never  sacrifice  the  speed  of  a 
flyer  by  giving  him  long  work,  when  it  has  been  proved 
that,  fit  and  well,  he  is  unable  to  stay  a  distance. 

N 


178  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

Ponies,  13  hands  and  under,  had  best  be  trained  for 
from  a  quarter  to  half  a  mile.  Although  there  have  been 
many  instances — take  Chieftain  and  Rex — of  Arab 
galloways  being  able  to  hold  their  own,  at  even  weights, 
with  Arabs  of  all  sizes;  still,  in  ninety-nine  cases  out  of 
a  hundred,  allowance  for  height — 3  Ib.  the  J  inch — will 
not  bring  a  13  and  13-2  pony  together,  nor  the  latter 
with  one  of  14  hands,  provided  the  galloway  has  any 
pretensions  to  racing  form.  But  if  an  owner  happens 
to  possess  such  a  rarity,  like  what  Abdool  Rayman 
and  Rex  were,  he  had  better  train  him  for  distances 
at  which  he  will  meet  the  class  bigger  than  himself ; 
for  if  the  animal  can  succeed  with  them,  he  will 
have  little  difficulty  in  beating  those  of  his  own 
size,  even  in  races  shorter  than  those  for  which  he  was 
prepared. 

For  "all  Arabs,"  1J  miles  will  be  a  fair  average 
distance  over  which  to  train  them.  Ralf  a  mile  less 
will  usually  answer  for  Australians  and  English  horses. 

Quite  as  much,  if  not  more,  depends  on  a  horse's 
stable  management,  as  on  the  work  he  gets,  in  bringing 
him  fit  to  the  starting-post.  Many  horses  have  been 
got  into  good  condition,  and  have  won  important  races, 
by  being  simply  hacked,  with,  now  and  then  perhaps, 
a  canter  on  a  soft  bit  of  turf;  or  even  by  doing  nothing 
more  than  trotting  work  in  a  very  light  trap,  when 
their  legs  have  been  particularly  infirm.  But  I  doubt 
whether  a  horse  has  ever  been  brought  within  a  stone 
of  his  proper  form  when  he  has  been  but  indifferently 
looked  after  in  the  stable. 

Training  Quarters. — The  worst  of  the  hot  weather 
being  over  by  the  beginning  of  July,  the  horses  may 


TRAINING  QUARTERS.  1*79 

be  put  into  steady  work  from  that  date.  Before  this, 
the  owner  should  have  made  up  his  mind  as  to  what  he 
intends  doing  with  them  during  the  ensuing  season ; 
whether  to  run  them  early;  to  wait  for  some  particular 
meeting  later  on;  or  to  gradually  gallop  them  into 
condition,  as  they  work  down  country  from  one  meeting 
to  another,  which  is  the  usual  plan  adopted ;  as  the 
different  meetings  are  fixed  to  suit  this  arrangement. 

To  perform  well  on  a  hilly  course  a  horse  that  has 
been  accustomed  to  flat  courses,  ought,  as  a  rule,  have 
at  least  a  month's  work  on  it,  so  as  to  "  get  the  hill " 
into  him.  An  instance  of  the  beneficial  effect  of  this 
practice  was  strikingly  shown  by  the  moderate  Malabar 
(see  page  154).  I  need  hardly  remind  those  of  my 
readers  who  have  had  long  experience  in  training,  that 
a  horse  with  naturally  high  action  will  require  far  less 
time  to  learn  how  to  climb  a  hill,  than  a  "daisy  cutter." 
At  Newmarket,  many  horses  are  spoiled  for  races  on 
level  ground,  on  account  of  having  been  given  too  much 
of  their  work  up  a  hill  (see  page  154). 

Perhaps  the  best  thing  to  do  with  valuable  horses 
is  to  send  them  at  the  close  of  the  racing  season  (the 
end.of  March)  to  some  semi-hill  station,  where,  after 
a  month  or  six  weeks'  rest,  they  may  be  hacked  about 
with  a  light  weight  up,  and  got  into  good  working 
order,  before  being  put  into  regular  training.  In  this 
way  they  may  be  healthier  and  fresher  than  had  they 
remained  in  the  plains. 

The  practice  of  sending  horses  which  have  spent 
the  hot  weather  and  rains  in  the  plains,  as  late  in  the 
year  as  September,  to  places  close  to  the  hills,  is  often 
accompanied  by  some  risk,  as  the  nights  there  are 


180  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

then  getting  cold— especially  towards  the  end  of  that 
month — and  animals  whose  livers  are  more  or  less 
deranged  by  the  effects  of  the  preceding  hot  weather, 
are  very  liable  to  get  congestion  of  that  organ  from 
the  sudden  change  of  climate.  (See  Veterinary  Notes 
for  Horse  Owners.)  If  an  owner  intends  sending  his 
horses  to  such  places,  I  would  advise  him  to  do  so 
before  the  hot  weather  commences. 

It  appears  that  the  worst  kind  of  climate  for  a  horse 
to  live  in  is  a  damp  hot  one,  like  that  of  Bengal,  for 
instance.  A  damp,  cold  climate,  like  that  of  Scotland, 
is  not  incompatible  with  the  breeding  of  good  cattle, 
provided  they  be  treated  more  or  less  as  exotics.  But 
the  best  of  all  is  a  dry  warm  one.  During  the  exces- 
sive heat  of  several  hot  weathers  at  Meean  Meer  and 
at  Cawnpore,  both  of  which  places  possess  a  very  dry 
climate,  I  have  never  found  that  the  horses  I  kept 
suffered  in  any  way  from  the  great  heat,  as  long  as 
they  were  well  protected  from  the  direct  rays  of  the 
sun,  and  had  a  free  circulation  of  air  through  their 
stables.  Although  I  do  not  say  that  horses  will  thrive 
quite  as  well  during  the  hot  weather  and  rains  in  the 
plains,  as  in  cooler  climates,  such  as  Dehra  and  Ban- 
galore ;  still  I  do  not  think  that  the  balance  is  very 
much  in  favour  of  them,  especially  when  we  take  the 
cases  of  horses  that  it  would  be  injudicious  to  train 
on  a  hilly  course.  In  making  these  remarks,  I  again 
except  all  hot,  damp  climates,  in  which  it  would  be 
most  unwise  to  keep  valuable  horses  during  the  trying 
months  of  the  year. 

Mozufferpore,  possessing,  as  it  does,  a  race-course 
covered  with  soft  and  elastic  turf,  offers  many  advan- 


GENERAL  EULES  FOR  WORK  DURING  TRAINING.      181 

tages;  but  I  question  much  if  its  climate  is  not  too  damp, 
in  which  to  summer  horses.  The  same  objection  may, 
with  still  greater  force,  be  urged  against  the  Sonthal 
Hills. 

General  Rules  for  Work  during  Training. — 
Before  a  horse  is  put  into  training,  he  should,  if  possible, 
be  in  a  sound  state  of  health,  and  his  muscles  should 
be  well  developed  by  quiet,  slow  work  and  hacking. 

If  practicable,  gallop  only  in  the  morning,  and  get  the 
horses  back  early  to  their  stables,  not  later,  during  the 
cold  weather,  than  half-past  eight  o'clock.  Apart  from 
the  fact  that  evening  work,  by  exciting  a  horse,  is  apt 
to  prevent  him  from  having  a  good  night's  rest,  we 
should  remember  that  the  ground,  on  account  of  the 
presence  of  the  dew,  is  softest  in  the  early  morning. 

I  think,  however,  it  is  a  mistake,  as  some  do,  to 
gallop  horses  too  early  in  the  morning  when  it  is  all  but 
dark ;  for  by  this  practice,  accidents  are  liable  to  occur, 
especially  from  horses  putting  their  feet  into  holes 
that  are  made  by  rats,  which  rodents  burrow  very 
rapidly  on  many  of  our  Indian  courses.  Besides  this, 
too  early  rising  deprives  horses  of  a  part  of  their  valu- 
able night's  rest,  and  is  apt  to  induce  coughs  a"nd  colds. 
I  am  rather  inclined  to  think  that  galloping  in  the 
twilight  is  apt  to  make  them  "go  higher"  than  they 
would  do  were  they  worked  at  a  time  when  they  could 
clearly  see  where  they  were  going. 

However  backward  in  condition  horses  may  be,  they 
should  not,  except  in  very  rare  cases,  be  worked  twice 
a  day.  Here  I  do  not  take  into  account  their  evening 
walk. 

They  should  not  get  their  gallop  until  they  have 


182  TKAINING  IN  INDIA. 

walked  for  at  least  an  hour,  and  cleared  themselves 
out. 

Horses  which  become  much  excited  when  brought 
on  a  race-course,  should  have  their  work  away  from  it 
as  much  as  possible  ;  and  the  place  for  their  gallops 
should  be  frequently  changed.  When  such  animals 
have  to  be  worked  on  a  race-course,  they  should  be 
sent  for  their  spin  as  soon  as  they  arrive  on  the  track, 
and  should  then  be  taken  home  without  delay. 

"When  training  for  a  Monsoon  Meeting,  it  is  often 
desirable  to  gallop  one's  horses  in  the  evening  instead 
of  the  morning ;  for  flies,  which  are  fearfully  annoying 
during  the  rains,  are  much  less  so  in  the  former  than 
in  the  latter  time.  Besides  this,  if  the  course  be  far 
from  the  stable,  the  horses  can  rarely  return  before  the 
morning  sun  is  well  up.  A  sweat,  however,  should 
never  be  given  in  the  evening,  if  it  can  possibly  be 
avoided. 

Before  sending  a  horse  a  gallop,  his  legs  and  feet 
should  be  examined,  and  if  there  be  anything  wrong, 
or  the  slightest  heat  present,  he  should  be  sent  back 
to  the  stable.  As  a  rule,  unless  a  horse  which  is  suffer- 
ing from  some  injury,  actually  goes  lame,  a  syce  will 
rarely  inform  his  master  of  the  accident;. 

A  horse  should  be  given  a  preliminary  canter  before 
sending  him  a  sharp  gallop,  unless  he  be  a  very  ex- 
citable animal. 

The  heavier  topped  a  horse  is,  especially  if  he  have 
a  thick  neck  and  coarse  shoulders,  the  more  careful 
should  the  trainer  be  about  giving  him  fast  work,  par- 
ticularly down  any  incline. 

Horees  should  not  be  kept  too  long  on  hard  food, 


GENERAL  EULES  FOE  WOEK  DUEING  TEAINING.   183 

and  the  trainer  should  never  be  afraid  of  giving  them 
a  bunch  of  lucern,  or  a  few  carrots. 

If  a  horse  in  strong  work,  begins  to  leave  much  of 
his  corn  untouched,  say,  anything  over  half  a  pound  at 
each  feed,  the  chances  are  that  he  is  getting  too  much 
work,  which  should  be  lessened,  or  altogether  stopped, 
as  the  case  may  require,  and  he  should  have  two  or 
three  bran  mashes  at  successive  feeding  hours,  some 
green  meat,  or  even  an  alterative  ball,  if  he  be  at  all 
"  over-marked."  The  time  a  horse  takes  to  eat  his 
allowance  of  corn  may  be  used  as  a  measure  of  his 
appetite.  Thus,  say  a  certain  horse,  who,  after  work, 
usually  consumes  his  morning  feed  of  4  Ibs.  in  25 
minutes,  takes  oil  a  particular  day  half  an  hour  to  get 
through  the  same  amount,  the  owner  may  reasonably 
conclude  that  he  is  a  little  off  his  feed.  By  observing 
such  indications  in  time,  the  chances  of  over-working 
a  horse  will  be  materially  lessened. 

"It  is  well  known  to  horsemen  who  are  close 
observers,  that,  though  a  horse  cannot  make  a  great 
race  when  decidedly  off  the  feed,  some  of  the  finest 
efforts  that  ever  were  made,  and  some  of  the  greatest 
successes  that  ever  were  won,  came  just  as  the  horse 
was  beginning  to  get  dainty,  and  to  pick  and  nibble  at 
the  oats."  (Hiram  Woodruf.) 

A  horse  should  never  be  fully  extended  earlier  than 
a  fortnight  before  the  day  on  which  he  has  to  run 
for  if  if  this  done,  he  will  be  apt  to  get  slow.  Yet 
for  all  that,  he  should  be  sent  along  pretty  fast,  occa- 
sionally, during  the  latter  part  of  his  training,  in  order 
to  vary  the  monotony  of  the  work,  "  and  to  get  the 
pace  into  him." 


184  TBAINING-  IK   INDIA. 

Avoid  trying  your  horses  against  each  other,  or 
against  the  watch. 

"  When  a  horse  gets  to  know  his  speed  in  his  exer- 
cise, it  is  seldom  he  can  afterwards  be  got  to  struggle 
well  in  a  severe  contested  race."  (Darvill.) 

On  finishing  a  gallop,  always  turn  round  towards  the 
inside  of  the  curve  on  which  you  are  galloping.  If  the 
direction  be  in  a  straight  line,  turn  in  preference  to 
the  right  about,  as  you  would  on  a  right-handed  course. 
This  practice  will  tend  to  prevent  horses  learning  to 
bolt  off  the  course ;  for  when  they  do  so,  they  almost 
invariably  go  off  towards  the  outside,  and  not  to  the 
inside  of  it. 

On  a  race-course,  finish  the  gallop  a  couple  of  hundred 
yards  beyond  the  winning-post,  and  then  gradually 
pull  up. 

If  a  rubbing-down  shed  be  used,  it  should  be  placed 
beyond  the  winning-post,  and  on  the  inside  of  the 
course. 

One  should  avoid  galloping  horses  in  clothing ;  as  it 
cramps  their  action,  and  the  extra  weight  tends  to 
shorten  their  stride,  and  strain  their  legs. 

I  cannot  help  condemning  the  practice  many  adopt, 
of  having  their  horses  galloped  constantly  in  heavy 
clothing.  An  English  jockey,  whose  lowest  riding 
weight  is  say  8.st.,  will,  when  not  wasting,  and  when 
wearing  warm  clothes  on  a  cold  morning,  weigh  close 
upon,  if  not  quite,  9  st. ;  to  this  add  7  or  8  Ibs.  for  the 
saddle,  2  to  3  Ibs.  for  the  bridle  and  martingale,  and 
from  14  to  21  Ibs.  for  the  clothing,  and  we  will  have 
the  animal  carrying  about  11  st.,  which  is  a  truly  pre- 
posterous weight  for  a  training  gallop ;  and  then  men 


GENERAL  RULES  FOR  WORK  DURING-  TRAINING.      185 

who  allow  this,  will,  when  their  horses  become  lame  or 
get  slow,  wonder  how  in  the  world  it  occurred !  If  a 
trainer  wants  to  get  the  fat  off  a  horse,  by  all  means 
let  him  put  clothing  on,  and  give  the  animal  his  sweat 
a  little  later  than  usual  in  the  morning,  at  a  trot,  or  at 
alternate  trofcs  and  canters,  so  that  he  may  not  spoil 
his  action,  or  risk  his  legs.  When  the  horse  is  pulled 
up,  let  him  be  well  covered  over  with  rugs  till  the  sweat 
trickles  down  his  pasterns ;  and  repeat,  every  week  or 
ten  days,  this  process,  which  will  take  the  "  beef"  off 
the  grossest  horse  quite  quick  enough.  A  trainer 
should  consider  the  feelings  of  his  horses,  and  it  is 
only  reasonable  to  suppose  that  an  animal  which  is 
constantly  exercised  in  heavy  clothing,  must  feel  his 
movements  cramped  both  by  the  weight  he  carries, 
and  by  the  presence  of  the  rugs,  and  that  he  will  con- 
sequently lose  heart  for  the  want  of  the  exhilaration 
of  spirits  produced  by  a  free  and  untrammelled  gallop. 
The  mind  of  the  horse  has  undoubtedly  a  great  deal  to 
say  to  the  quick,  elastic  stride,  and  the  lightning  dash  of 
speed  at  the  finish,  exhibited  by  a  well-trained  race- 
horse. 

Admiral  Kous,  in  his  book  on  "  Horse-racing/'  states 
that  "  generally  speaking,  race-horses  ought  to  be 
galloped  stripped  all  the  year  round,  but  comfortably 
clothed  indoors  suitable  to  the  temperature." 

One  should  have  as  light  riding  boys  as  possible 
compatible  with  their  being  able  to  hold  their  horses 
together.  Even  with  a  screw,  it  is  generally  better  to 
put  up  a  stone  or  so  extra,  than  to  be  obliged  to  employ 
a  curb  instead  of  a  snaffle  for  his  mouth,  in  order  to 
enable  a  light  lad  to  hold  him. 


186  TEAINING  IN   INDIA. 

If  a  horse  can  be  held  with  a  snaffle,  never  employ 
any  other  bit  for  him.  Never  use  whip  or  spur  in  a 
training  gallop,  unless  with  a  very  sluggish  horse,  with 
one  that  is  apt  to  bolt  off  the  course,  or  with  young 
animals  that  go  awkwardly  and  require  a  deal  of 
collecting. 

The  longer  distance  a  horse  has  to  go,  the  finer 
should  he  be  drawn. 

As  a  rule,  do  not  have  a  less  interval  than  ten  days 
between  each  sweat.  Rarely  sweat  later  than  ten  days 
before  a  race ;  for  a  horse  should  have  just  enough  time 
before  'running,  to  be  eased  off,  so  as  to  get  a  little 
"  above  himself;  "  sufficient,  in  fact,  to  allow  his  nerves 
to  regain  their  tone. 

A  horse  should  never  scrape  quite  clean  and  watery 
sooner  than  the  last  ten  days  of  his  final  preparation ; 
for  if  he  does  so,  he  is  almost  certain  to  become  stale. 

Assuming  that  a  horse,  in  training,  continues  in  good 
health  and  spirits,  with  his  legs  cool  and  fine,  that  he 
is  never  off  his  feed,  and  that  his  dung  is  in  good  order  ; 
we  may  safely  be  guided  .by  the  way  he  scrapes,  after 
his  morning  gallop,  in  judging  of  the  manner  in  which 
his  condition  is  progressing,  and  whether  he  requires  a 
sweat,  or  more  or  less  work,  so  that  his  sweat  may  be 
gradually  reduced  down  to  the  desired  consistency. 
When  a  horse  is  gross,  his  sweat  is  thick  and  greasy  to 
touch ;  but  when  he  is  in  perfect  condition,  it  is 
generally  scanty,  comes  off  as  clear  as  water,  and  dries 
almost  as  soon  as  the  scrapers  have  passed  over  the 
surface  of  the  skin.  He  will  then  have  the  smallest 
amount  of  fat  in  his  system  compatible  with  his  nerves 
remaining  for  but  a  very  few  days  in  good  order.  Of 


GENEEAL  RULES  FOR  WORK  DURING  TRAINING.   187 

course,  he  should  be  wound  up  to  this  concert  pitch, 
only  just  before  his  race.  I  am,  here,  taking  for  granted 
that  the  animal  is  of  the  sort  which  bears  being  drawn 
fine. 

When  a  horse,  after  slight  exertion,  breaks  out  into 
a  watery  and  copious  sweat,  and  dries  slowly,  we  may 
be  pretty  certain  that  he  does  so  through  weakness, 
and  that  he  is  in  a  most  unfit  state  in  which  to  con- 
tinue training.  In  fact,  what  such  an  animal  would 
require  would,  as  a  rule,  be  a  few  linseed  and  bran 
rnashes,  some  green  food,  and  several  days'  rest. 

Many  excitable  horses,  when  in  perfect  condition, 
will  break  out  into  a  profuse  sweat  if  brought 
on  to  a  race-course.  This  should  not  be  confounded 
with  sweating  from  weakness,  or  grossness. 

The  great  thing  to  avoid  is  getting  a  horse  fit  too 
soon.  Condition  is  only  relative  ;  for  a  horse  may  be 
in  perfect  training,  although  showing  little  muscle. 
What  we  want,  however,  is  quantity  as  well  as  quality 
of  muscle,  with  clean  "  pipes,"  and  the  "  faculty  of 
going  "  thoroughly  developed.  This  desired  state  can 
only  be  obtained  by  work,  which  cannot  be  continued, 
if  the  horse  be  prematurely  brought  too  fine ;  for  the 
consequent  strain  on  his  nervous  system  will  be  more 
than  it  can  bear,  and  he  will,  consequently,  soon  become 
stale. 

I  think  experience  will  bear  me  out  in  saying  that 
Country-breds,  during  training,  can  very  rarely  stand 
being  galloped  oftener  than  every  second  day.  They 
should,  also,  be  run  "  bigger  "  than  any  other  class. 

Horses  differ  so  much  in  the  way  they  stand  work, 
that  it  is  impossible  to  lay  down  fixed  rules  on  this 


188  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

subject.  A  writer  on  training  can  only  give  illus- 
trative work  and  general  rules,  just  as  a  whist 
authority  may  point  out  the  proper  leads,  and  how  to 
play  certain  hands.  In  both  cases,  the  inferences  to  be 
drawn,  and  lessons  to  be  learned,  will  be  only  for 
general  application. 

In  the  following  pages  I  shall  consider  the  training 
of  the  average  style  of  Australian  we  have  in  India ; 
taking  for  granted  that  he  continues  sound  and  in  good 
health.  If  a  horse  in  training  has  a  soft  constitution, 
or  has  infirm  legs,  I  must  leave  the  trainer  to  exercise 
his  own  common  sense  to  provide  for  the  varying  cir- 
cumstances under  which  the  uncertainty  of  horse-flesh 
may  place  him. 

Detail  of  Work. — To  proceed  to  the  routine  of 
training,  one  should  first  consider  what  length  of  time 
the  horse  has  to  get  fit  in  before  running.  If  there  be 
five  or  six  months,  they  may  be  divided  into  two 
periods ;  namely,  preparatory  work  for  about  a  couple 
of  months,  and  the  remainder  actual  training. 

Before  commencing  any  work,  the  horse  may  get  the 
following  alterative  ball : — 

Barbadoes  aloes     .         .        .   •      2  drachms. 

Nitre 3       „ 

Tartar  emetic        ...         1  drachm. 
Treacle  enough  to  make  a  ball. 

But  if  he  be  gross,  or  with  not  the  best  of  forelegs 
to  stand  the  work  necessary  to  reduce  his  system,  a 
physic  ball  (of  four  drachms  of  aloes  and  two  of  ginger) 
should  be  given.  Before  administering  the  medicine, 
the  corn  should  be  stopped,  and  bran  mashes  substi- 
tuted for  a  couple  of  days. 


DETAIL   OF  WORK.  189 

I  think  the  morning,  say  about  nine  o'clock,  is  the 
safest  time  to  give  a  ball  to  a  horse,  and  that  there  is 
then,  little  chance  of  his  becoming  over-purged  during 
the  night,  when  help  cannot  be  readily  obtained. 

The  first  month's  exercise  may  consist  of  walking 
for  a  longer  distance  than  the  horse  has  done  during 
the  summer,  say,  eight  miles  in  the  morning  and  four 
in  the  evening,  varied  every  second  day  or  so  by  a 
couple  of  miles  trotting,  or  a  slow  canter  for  half  a 
mile  now  and  then.  In  fact,  the  work  should  not 
exceed  gentle  hacking.  On  commencing  the  second 
month,  the  trotting  may  be  stopped,  and  slow  canter- 
ing, up  to  one  mile,  substituted.  This  work  ought 
only  to  take  place  in  the  morning,  and  should  be 
gradually  lengthened.  The  speed  of  the  canter  ought 
only  to  be  just  sufficient  to  keep  the  horse  out  of  trot, 
or  perhaps  a  very  little  more.  During  this  month,  no 
clothing  should  be  put  on  at  exercise  ;  for  the  weather 
will  be  still  very  warm.  On  no  account  should  the 
horse  do  more  work  than,  in  the  morning,  a  slow 
canter  after  an  hour's  walking ;  and  in  the  evening, 
nothing  more  than  a  four  or  five-mile  walk.  The  morn- 
ing work  should  be  completed,  and  the  horse  back  in 
his  stable,  before  the  sun  is  well  up. 

On  finishing  the  canter,  the  horse  should  be  pulled 
up  very  gradually,  so  as  not  to  strain  his  forelegs  or 
hocks,  and  not  until  he  has  gone  a  couple  of  hundred 
yards  beyond  the  winning-post — if  on  a  race-course. 
He  may  then  be  turned  round  towards  the  inside, 
and  trotted  to  the  rubbing- down  shed,  where  he  is 
scraped  and  rubbed  down  (see  page  168) ;  or  he  may 
be  walked  home. 


190  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

These  canters  may  be  given  two  or  three  times  a 
week.  On  two  other  days,  the  monotony  of  the  work 
may  be  broken,  by  taking  the  horse  out  in  the  country, 
and  then  trotting,  cantering,  and  walking  him  by  turns 
for  eight  or  nine  miles.  This  will  keep  him  fresh,  and 
in  good  spirits  ;  for  he  appreciates  an  "  outing  "  and 
change  of  scene,  just  as  much  as  we  do  ourselves. 

After  these  two  months  of  preparatory  work,  the 
horse's  muscles  and  sinews  will  have  begun  to  harden, 
and  he  may  now  be  put  to  regular  galloping. 

Want  of  preparatory  work,  before  giving  horses 
regular  gallops,  is  but  the  too  frequent  cause  of  break- 
downs. 

The  work  I  shall  now  consider,  is  that  which  would 
be  suitable  for  an  ordinary  Australian.  An  Arab's 
gallops  might  be  a  quarter  longer.  With  him,  a  long 
slow  gallop  for  two  and  a  half  or  three  miles  might 
from  time  to  time  be  substituted  for  the  short  "  spurts." 
In  timing,  allowance  should  be  made  for  the  fact  of  the 
Arab's  comparative  slowness.  Thus,  for  instance,  a 
second-class  Arab  that  could  do  at  weight  for  age  a  mile 
in  1  m.  57  s.,  i.e.,  say  9  s.  worse  than  a  second-class 
Colonial,  ought  in  a  gallop,  at  conventional  half  speed, 
over  that  distance,  to  take  about  15  s.  longer  than 
would  the  Australian  under  similar  conditions ;  for,  of 
course,  the  difference  of  time  between  the  two,  at  half 
speed,  would  be  nearly  double  that  between  them  when 
fully  extended,  the  distance  being  the  same  in  both 
cases. 

It  is  not  without  considerable  hesitation  that  I  give 
illustrative  timing ;  for  I  know  well  what  a  large 
margin  mast  be  allowed  under  varying  conditions  de- 


DETAIL   OF   WORK.  191 

pendent  on  the  style  of  horse,  the  weight  he  carries, 
and  the  state  of  the  galloping  track.  I,  therefore,  crave 
the  indulgence  of  my  readers  in  the  attempt  which  I 
make  to  furnish  inexperienced  amateur  trainers  who 
are  unable  to  obtain  practical  assistance,  with  a  sound 
general  idea  of  the  nature  of  the  work  required  to  bring 
an  ordinary  race-horse  in  India  fit  to  the  starting-post. 

At  first,  the  work  should  commence  with  slow  canters, 
which  may  gradually  be  improved,  say,  after  a  couple  of 
months,  up  to  a  little  better  than  half  speed.  An 
ordinary  Australian,  unless,  indeed,  he  be  wanted  for 
some  particular  distance,  may  commence  at  three  fur- 
longs every  morning  and  increase  it  up  to  a  mile  by  the 
end  of  two  months.  Further  than  this  may  make 
him  slow.  But  if  he  is  to  be  trained  for  races  of  only  a 
certain  length,  then  a  third  of  that  may  be  begun  with, 
and  he  should  gradually  go  up  to  three-quarters  of  the 
full  distance.  This  may  be  varied  once  a  week  by  a 
half-mile  spin,  somewhat  quicker  than  the  usual  pace, 
in  order  to  keep  up  the  horse's  "  faculty  of  going."  An 
off-day's  hacking  in  the  country  will  be  of  great  service, 
as  well  as  a  slow  gallop  once  a  week  for  a  couple  of 
miles.  For  instance,  the  week's  work  might  be  divided 
in  the  following  way,  after  the  horse  has  been  in  regular 
training  for  a  month  and  a  half : — 

Monday        .  .       f  mile,  half  speed. 

Tuesday        .  .      hacking  in  the  country. 

Wednesday  .'  .       J  mile,  three-quarter  speed. 

Thursday      .  .       |  mile,  half  speed,  or  walking. 

Friday          .  .       f  mile,  half  speed. 

Saturday     -.  .       1J  to  2  miles,  slow. 

Sunday         .  .       rest. 


102  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

Besides  the  rest  on  Sundays,  I  would  advise  the 
trainer  to  give  the  ordinary  Arab  or  Australian  an  extra 
day's  rest  once  a  fortnight  in  the  middle  of  the  week ; 
and  a  bran,  or  linseed  and  bran,  mash  may  be  substi- 
tuted for  the  usual  feed  of  corn  on  the  evening  of  the 
preceding  day,  just  as  if  it  were  a  Saturday.  Horses 
that  are  at  all  shy  feeders,  or  are  easily  upset  by  work, 
should  have  this  extra  day's  rest  every  week. 

What  we  call  half  speed  is  considerably  faster  than 
if  the  distance  were  done  in  twice  as  long  a  time  as  the 
horse  could  do  it  at  full  speed.  A  similar  remark 
applies  fco  conventional  three-quarter  and  quarter  speed. 
The  latter  is  in  reality  about  seven  annas,  half  speed 
somewhat  better  than  ten  annas,  and  three-quarter 
speed  about  fourteen  annas  (adopting  the  custom  of 
counting  pace  by  annas;  see  page  112).  Thus,  for  a 
horse  that  can  do  his  mile  in  1  m.  48  s.,  the  time  that 
he  would  take  to  do  that  distance  at  the  different  rates 
would  be  about  as  follows  : — 

Quarter  speed         .  .  .3  mins.  50  sees. 

Half  speed  .  .  .  2     „      45   „ 

Three-quarter  speed          .  .  2     ,,        5   „ 

Full  speed  .  .  .1  min.    48  ,, 

As  a  rule,  a  uniform  pace  should  be  maintained 
during  each  gallop ;  for  nothing  upsets  a  horse's  style 
of  going,  and  temper,  more  than  "putting  on  the 
steam"  the  moment  he  enters  the  straight  run  in. 
Horses  accustomed  to  this  practice,  often  refuse  to 
extend  themselves,  until  their  "  heads  are  turned  home," 
and  then  either  bolt,  or  run  away.  This,  of  course, 
would  be  fatal  in  a  race. 

The  speed  and  distance  of  the  weekly  work  which  I 


DETAIL   OF   WORK.  193 

have  detailed,  should  be  gradually  increased  as  the 
preparation  proceeds.  Thus,  a  second-class  Australian, 
say  one  who  could  cover  his  mile  with  weight  for  age 
up  in  1  m.  48  s.,  might  commence  doing  his  half  mile 
gallops  in  1  m.  45  s.,  and  towards  the  end  of  two  months 
might  do  the  three-quarters  of  a  mile  in  1  in.  50  s. 

During  regular  training,  a  horse  should  travel  about 
twelve  miles  a  day,  including  every  kind  of  exercise. 
For  instance,  four  miles  before  the  morning  gallop, 
which  might  be  for  one  and  a  half  miles,  a  one-and-a- 
half  mile  walk  back  to  stable,  and  a  five-mile  walk  in 
the  evening:  an  amount  which  should  be  rarely 
exceeded  ;  for  long  continued  walking  makes  horses 
stale  and  leg- weary.  On  days  of  rest,  a  five-mile  walk 
in  the  morning,  and  a  four  mile  one  in  the  evening  will 
generally  be  enough.  If  a  horse  be  gross,  and  have  at 
the  same  time  doubtful  legs,  I  would  prefer  to  trust  to 
a  mild  dose  of  physic,  say  once  a  month,  and  a  sweat, 
say  once  a  week,  given  at  a  trot  and  a  walk,  alternately, 
late  in  the  morning,  than  too  long-continued  walking 
exercise. 

At  Newmarket,  horses  in  training  are  usually  kept 
out  in  the  morning  about  two  hours  and  a  half ;  a  period 
which  is  sometimes  extended  to  three  hours,  Some 
trainers  give  them  also  a  walk  in  the  evening ;  while 
others  take  them  out  only  once. 

I  may  remark  that  the  usual  practice  at  Newmarket 
is,  after  the  horse  has  been  walked  for  about  three 
quarters  of  an  hour,  to  give  him  two  canters  of  about 
three-quarters  of  a  mile  each,  and  then  to  send  him  his 
gallop.  Between  the  canters,  and  between  the  last 
canter  and  the  gallop,  the  horse  is  walked  back  to  the 

o 


194  TEAIN1NG    IN   INDIA. 

spot  from  which  he  first  started,     As  in  other  details 
of  training  in  England,  no  invariable  routine  is  observed. 
I  have  previously  pointed  out,  that  the  trainer  must 
be  guided  by  the  manner  a  horse  scrapes,  in  deciding 
as  to  the  advisability  of  giving  him  a  sweat ;  for  at  this 
stage  of  his  work  he  will  not  be  sent  fast  enough  to  try 
his  lungs,  so  as  to  judge  by  their  condition.     During 
this  time,  the  sweat  will  be  gradually  losing  its  greasy 
feel,  though  it  will  still  come  off  pretty  thick.     As  it  is 
impossible  to  give  minute  advice  on  this  subject,  I  must 
leave  the  tyro  to  be  guided  by  his  own  common  sense, 
and  by  the  general  principles  on  which  I  have  touched. 
Sweating. — Before  describing  tho  process  of  sweat- 
ing a  horse,  I  would  beg  my  readers  to  remember  that 
the  grosser  and  more  unfit  the  animal  is,  the  slower 
the  pace  of  the  sweat,  and  the  less  severe  should  it  be. 
If  time  be  limited,  a  stout,  lusty  horse  will  probably 
require  a  sweat,  given  at  a  slow  pace,  once  a  fortnight. 
English   blankets,   and   not   country  ones,  should   be 
used ;  for  the  texture  of  the  former  is  much  closer  and 
softer  than  that  of  the  latter.    The  clothes  and  distance 
may  be  arranged  as  follows  : — 

Put  a  thick  rug  over  the  horse's  back  in  the  ordinary 
manner ;  then  take  a  long  blanket,  fold  it  lengthwise 
in  two  or  three  folds,  so  that  it  may  not  be  too  broad, 
pass  one  end  under  the  horse's  belly  to  a  man  on  the 
off  side,  make  him  draw  it  towards  himself  till  it  be 
properly  divided,  and  pass  the  ends  one  above  the  other, 
over  the  horse's  back,  so  that  the  rug  and  blanket  may 
be  tightly  wrapped  round  his  body.  A  long  blanket 
folded  like  a  shawl,  is  passed  in  front  of  the  horse's 
chest,  and  well  up  his  neck — so  that  it  may  not 


SWEATING.  195 

interfere  with  the  action  of  his  forelegs — the  ends 
are  crossed  over  his  neck,  chest,  and  withers,  and  are 
brought  down  on  each  side,  under  the  place  for  the 
saddle,  which  is  now  put  on,  and  which  will  keep  his 
chest  rug  in  its  place.  A  couple  of  hoods — the  under- 
neath one  having  the  ears  cut  off — will  complete  the 
clothing.  The  horse  may  now  be  sent  on  his  journey, 
the  length  of  which,  as  well  as  the  amount  of  clothing, 
will  depend  on  the  style  of  the  animal  and  on  the  heat 
of  the  weather.  If  the  sweat  be  given  in  September, 
October,  February,  or  March,  it  will  be  quite  enough 
to  send  a  stout,  hardy,  well-bred  horse  two  miles  at  a 
trot,  or  very  slow  canter,  and  another  two  miles  at  half 
speed,  which  would  be  about  6  minutes  for  the  latter 
distance  (taking  into  consideration  the  extra  weight  of 
the  sweaters),  and  the  pace  may  be  slightly  improved 
for  the  last  half-mile.  After  this,  he  is  trotted  to  his 
rubbing -down  shed,  the  girths  of  the  saddle  are 
slackened,  and  he  is  covered  over  with  more  clothing 
for  about  ten  minutes,  or  until  the  sweat  begins  to 
trickle  freely  down  his  legs,  and  drop  from  his  fetlocks. 
If  the  trainer  perceives  by  his  laboured  breathing 
that  the  horse  is  much  distressed,  he  should  lose  no 
time  in  relieving  him  of  the  clothing,  the  hoods  being 
first  removed  and  the  neck  wrell  scraped,  wisped  down, 
and  dried  ;  particular  care  being  taken  to  dry  the  space 
between  the  jaws. 

The  saddle  and  blanket  across  the  chest  are  taken 
off,  and  after  that  the  body  clothing.  Each  part  on 
being  uncovered,  is  scraped  and  dried  in  succession. 
The  horse  should  now  get  about  a  gallon  of  water  to 
drink,  and  a  suit  of  dry  clothing,  rather  light  than 


196  TKAINING  IN  INDIA. 

heavy,  and  suitable  to  the  weather,  being  put  on,  he 
should  be  walked  about  for  a  few  minutes,  so  that  the 
trainer  may  see  whether  he  will  "break  out"  again 
or  not.  If  this  occurs,  he  should  be  stripped,  dried, 
saddled,  and  ridden  quietly  about,  in  the  direction  of 
his  stable,  till  he  has  cooled  down.  But  if  the  animal 
shows  no  signs  of  breaking  out,  he  should  be  led  home 
to  his  stable  without  further  delay. 

During  the  colder  months— November,  December, 
and  January — the  distance  may  be  increased. 

With  the  clothing  I  have  described,  a  five  or  six-mile 
trot,  or  alternate  trots  and  canters,  will  be  sufficient 
for  ordinary  horses  possessed  of  no  remarkable  game- 
ness  or  stoutness. 

Light  carcassed  horses  will  not  require  sweating  at 
all ;  as  a  four-mile  gallop  at  half  speed  without  clothing, 
or  with  only  a  hood,  or  one  light  suit,  once  a  fortnight 
will  be  all  that  is  generally  required. 

If,  after  a  sweat,  a  horse  refuses  his  corn,  he  should 
get  some  green  food,  such  as  carrots  or  lucern,  during 
the  day,  a  bran  mash  at  night,  no  work  next  day  beyond 
walking,  and  his  regular  gallops  should  not  be  com- 
menced again  until  he  has  recovered  his  appetite  and 
spirits.  As  a  general  rule,  a  horse  should  not  be 
worked  on  the  day  following  a  sweat,  which,  for  that 
reason,  is  usually  given  on  a  Saturday. 

In  the  case  of  a  lusty  horse  with  doubtful  forelegs, 
it  would  be  dangerous  to  trust  alone  to  exercise  to  get 
him  fine  enough,  or  even  to  sweating  in  the  ordinary 
way,  which,  from  the  extra  weight  carried,  would  try 
his  legs  too  much.  Such  a  one  will  probably  require 
physic  once  a  month,  and  once  a  fortnight  a  sweat, 


SWEATING.  197 

which  may  be  given  at  a  trot,  or  by  trotting  and 
walking  alternately,  and  later  than  usual  in  the  morn- 
ing, so  that  the  heat  of  the  sun  may  aid  the  wasting 
process  without  entailing  extra  work  on  the  legs. 
Gross  horses  with  infirm  forelegs  are  always  the  most 
difficult  to  bring  out ;  for  the  heavier  they  are  above, 
the  worse  chance  will  their  legs  stand.  On  this 
account,  before  the  trainer  can  venture  ,to  send  them 
fast,  he  must  get  off  some  of  the  weight. 

It  is  a  matter  of  importance  to  have  a  light  weight 
up  when  giving  a  horse  a  sweat ;  and,  in  order  to 
obtain  proper  control,  there  is  no  objection  to  his 
using  a  curb,  instead  of  a  snaffle.  If  a  lad  much  over 
8  st.  rides,  the  pace  should  not  exceed  that  of  a  trot. 

In  England,  trainers  now  rarely  sweat  their  horses. 
As  Tom  Jennings,  who  trained  Gladiateur,  Fille  de 
1'Air,  Kayon  d'Or,  etc.,  once  remarked  to  me,  "  If  you 
send  them  fast  enough,  they'll  want  no  sweating.  The 
difficulty,  then,  will  be  to  keep  them  big  enough." 
This  at  Newmarket  answers  well,  when  the  trainer  has 
elastic  turf,  like  that  on  the  Limekilns,  on  which  to 
gallop  his  horses,  and  when  he  can  buy,  without  putting 
his  hand  into  his  own  pocket,  an  unlimited  number  of 
yearlings  to  replace  the  older  horses  as  they  break 
down. 

Remarks  on  Training  Continued.— If,  in  the 
middle  of  the  training,  the  horse  appears  at  all  feverish, 
or  his  legs  inclined  to  inflammation  from  work  and 
high  feeding,  he  should  be  thrown  out  of  work  for  a 
week,  bran-mashed  for  the  first  two  or  three  days, 
have  some  green  meat  given,  and  an  alterative  ball 
administered.  For  three  or  four  days  after  this,  his 


198  TEAINING   IN    INDIA. 

corn  should    be    diminished    by   one-half,    and    only 
walking  exercise  allowed. 

During  the   third   month  of  the    preparation,   the 
horse,  if  an  Australian    or    English    animal,  may  at 
first    be   sent    a    mile    at    about    half  speed,  say  in 
2  m.  45  s.,   the  time  and    distance  being   gradually 
improved  until  he  does  l£  miles  in,  say,  2  m.  35  s.  , 
which    would    be    about    conventional    three-quarter 
speed.     The   short   spin   once   a  week  may  now  be 
gradually  increased  to  one  of  three  quarters  of  a  mile. 
During  the  last  month  of  training,  the  spin  may  be  dis- 
continued and  a  long  gallop   substituted,  or  an  extra 
day's  rest,  in  the  middle  of  the  week,  according  as  the 
horse  is  found  to  stand  his  work.       The  speed  of  the 
regular  !£  mile  gallops  may  be  gradually  increased,  up 
to  the    beginning  of  the  last   fortnight,   to  within  6 
or  7  sec.  of  full  speed  ;    and  no  sweat  should  be  given 
later  than  this.     During  the  last  fortnight,  the  trainer 
should  be  most  careful   not  to  overwork    his   horse 
though  he  ought  to  wait  till  then  before  fully  extending 
him.     Two  Sundays'   rest,   another   day's   extra  rest 
between  the  fast  work,  with  perhaps  a  day's  hacking, 
two  long  slow  gallops,  six  or  seven  fast  ones,  to  be  run 
at  nearly,  if  not  quite,  full  speed,  and  gradually  working 
up  to  the  distance  that  has  to   be  run ;  a  slow  canter 
for  three  quarters  of  a  mile,  on  the  day  before  the  race  ; 
and  the  race  day  itself  will  be  a  judicious  division  of 
the  last  fortnight.      The  fast   gallops  should  not  be 
given  by  racing  horses  against  each  other;  for  a  very 
little  of  that  kind  of  work  will  go  a  long  way. 

I  have  endeavoured,  by  using  approximate  times  for 
the  gallops,  to  give  a  general  idea  of  what  would  be 


TRAINING  BY  SHORT  REPEATED  GALLOPS.    199 

advisable  with  a  sound,  stout,  second-class  Australian, 
which,  with  9  st.  7  Ibs.  up  could  do,  on  a  level  course, 
his  mile  in  1  m.  48  s.,  or  1J  miles  in  about  2m.  18  s. 
But  there  is  such  infinite  variety  in  the  way  different 
horses  stand  training,  that  it  would  be  fruitless  to  give 
more  than  a  general  outline  of  the  system  to  be 
pursued,  with  some  hints  and  general  directions  which 
I  hope  may  prove  useful.  All  the  same,  however  well 
up  a  man  without  personal  experience  may  be  in  book 
lore  on  training,  the  chances  are  that  he  will  ruin  a 
horse  or  two  in  his  first  essay  ;  but  as  soon  as  he  gets 
some  practical  experience,  he  will  quickly  learn  how  to 
apply  his  book  knowledge. 

Training  by  short  repeated  gallops. — There 
are  many  horses  whose  legs  would  not  stand  the  pre- 
paration I  have  described.  With  such  animals,  the 
trainer  may  adopt,  with  advantage,  the  system  of  short 
repeated  gallops,  instead  of  that  of  the  ordinary  long 
ones.  For  instance,  in  place  of  sending  the  horse  a 
mile  gallop,  he  might  tell  the  riding  lad  to  walk  him 
round  the  course  to  the  half-mile  post,  and  gallop  him 
at  the  speed  ordered,  then  walk  him  round  to  the  same 
place,  and  gallop  him  as  before.  In  this  case,  the 
muscles  will  have  performed  the  same  work  as  they 
would  have  done,  had  the  distance  been  one  mile,  and 
the  suspensory  ligaments  would  not  have  run  a  tithe  of 
the  danger  of  becoming  sprained ;  for  the  time  that  these 
structures  are  peculiarly  liable  to  injury  is  after  the 
horse  has  begun  to  tire  in  his  gallop  (see  Veterinary 
Notes  for  Horse  Owners).  At  other  times  accidents 
rarely  occur,  except  when  a  horse  puts  his  foot  on 
uneven  ground,  or  hits  himself. 


200  TEAINING   IN   INDIA. 

These  repeated  gallops  may  be  commenced  at  a 
quarter  of  a  mile,  and  be  increased  by  degrees,  say,  in 
six  weeks'  time,  up  to  three-quarters  of  a  mile.  At 
the  shorter  distances  they  may  be  given  three  times  in 
a  morning,  and  at  the  longer  twice ;  and  the  pace  should 
be  gradually  improved,  as  the  horse's  system  becomes 
braced  and  strengthened  by  exercise. 

Remarks  on  Training  continued. — For  a  horse 
that  can  stand  them,  I  think  single  gallops  are,  as  a 
rule,  best  in  India,  taking  into  consideration  the 
peculiarities  of  the  climate,  and  the  difficulty  there 
exists  in  getting  a  sufficient  number  of  riding  lads. 

One  should  never  forget  that  many  horses  run  best 
untrained.  These  are,  generally,  light  carcassed  impe- 
tuous ones,  which  a  sight  of  a  'race-course  would  upset 
for  a  fortnight.  Such  animals  should  be  well  looked 
after  in  their  stable,  get  lots  of  walking  exercise  and 
quiet  hacking,  and  have  a  gallop  only  once  in  a  way — 
say  every  ten  days— and  that  away  from  a  course. 

Kogues  or  bolters  should  never  be  trained  on  a  race- 
course, but  should  get  their  work  hacking,  pig-sticking, 
or  with  the  hounds.  One  can  often  get  a  long  stretch 
of  soft  ground  by  the  roadside  or  in  the  jungle,  on 
which  to  extend  a  horse  without  letting  him  suspect 
that  "business  "  is  meant.  I  may  remark  that  horses 
are  extremely  sharp  in  this  respect,  and  know  a  great 
deal  more  about  racing  than  we  usually  give  them  credit 
for. 

At  the  risk  of  being  laughed  at,  I  positively  assert 
that  many  horses  know  when  they  lose  or  win  a  race, 
and  show  this  knowledge  often  most  markedly  by  the 
way  they  look  and  carry  themselves  after  running.  I 


SPUES.  201 

have  frequently  remarked  that  the  once  well-known 
Arab  galloway,  Caliph,  very  seldom  on  the  day  of  a 
race  required  a  setting  muzzle ;  for  he  would,  of  his  own 
accord,  neither  touch  his  hay,  nor  his  bedding,  and 
only  just  wet  his  lips  in  the  morning,  though  he  would 
take  his  allowance  of  corn  all  right.  I  believe  the  Arab 
Sunbeam  had  the  same  peculiarity.  It  may  be  asked 
how  they  knew  they  had  to  run  on  some  particular  day. 
Very  easily,  I  should  say,  from  the  fixed  routine  they 
had  been  accustomed  to  at  previous  meetings — such  as 
being  plated,  having  their  manes  plaited,  having  a  slack 
day  on  the  previous  one  after  several  days  of  fast  work, 
etc. — and  from  the  appearance  of  the  race-course,  which 
made  the  fact  manifest  that  races  were  about  to  come 
off. 

Most  platers,  on  coming  to  the  track  of  a  strange 
race-course  will  plainly  show  that  they  know  what  it  is. 
Then  again,  how  many  old  race-horses  know  when  to 
make  their  effort  on  nearing  the  winning-post ;  though 
some  of  them  would  probably  "  shut  up  "  were  they 
called  upon  earlier  by  their  jockeys.  How  well  a  horse 
knows  whether  his  rider  has  spurs  on  or  not  !  Some 
will  be  as  sluggish  as  a  cow  if  they  are  absent,  though 
were  the  Latchfords  on,  they  would  be  all  life,  even 
without  being  touched.  Others  will  refuse  to  try  if  they 
get  the  slightest  prick,  and,  even  when  the  jockey  is 
without  spurs,  they  will  require  a  few  kicks  in  the  ribs, 
just  to  show  no  punishment  is  meant,  before  they  will 
consent  to  go  kindly. 

There  is  always  a  difficulty  about  riding  boys  in  this 
country.  In  England,  stable  lads  can  either  ride,  or 
are  capable  of  being  taught  ;  but  among  natives  it  is 


202  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

not  the  custom,  and,  as  it  is  very  difficult' to  get  lads, 
one  is  frequently  forced  to  send  horses  alone,  or  at  most 
in  pairs.  I  am  aware  of  the  difficulty  of  finding  a  boy 
who  has  even  a  little  idea  of  pace.  In  default  of  having 
such  a  one,  I  strongly  recommend  the  amateur  trainer 
to  time  every  gallop,  as  well  as  each  quarter  of  a  mile 
of  it,  so  that  he  may  be  able  to  correct  the  lad  as  occa- 
sion may  require.  To  do  this,  one  will  require  a  good 
stop  watch  ;  the  best  kind  for  this  work  being  one 
which  has  a  double  second  hand  so  arranged  that  one 
of  its  branches  can  be  made  to  stop  at  any  moment, 
and,  by  a  second  pressure  rejoin  its  fellow,  which  in  the 
meantime  continues  to  go  on,  but  which  can  be  stopped 
together  with  the  other  at  any  moment.  Thus,  each 
quarter  of  a  mile  can  be  accurately  timed,  as  well  as 
the  entire  gallop.  With  such  a  watch,  the  time  of  the 
second  horse  as  well  as  that  of  the  first  horse  in  a 
race  can  be  ascertained  with  precision. 

Young  horses  should  generally  have  a  horse  to  lead 
them  in  their  gallops,  and  should  occasionally  be 
allowed  to  draw  level  and  pass  the  other  on  nearing 
the  winning-post.  In  doing  this,  the  pace  of  the 
leader  should  be  checked,  so  as  to  allow  the  change  of 
position  to  be  made  without  an  effort  on  the  part  of  the 
youngster,  who,  in  this  way,  will  gradually  learn  his 
business,  and,  towards  the  end  of  his  training,  will  be 
accustomed  either  to  wait  or  to  lead. 

When  horses  are  trained  for  short  distance  races, 
as  for  half  or  three-quarters  of  a  mile,  they  may  be  run 
much  bigger  than  were  they  intended  for  longer  ones  ; 
and  the  trainer  should  avoid  ever  sending  them  long 
gallops,  except  at  a  canter  now  and  then,  which  will  be 


TRIALS.  203 

less  detrimental  to  their  pace  than  gallops  at,  say,  three- 
quarter  speed  for  a  mile,  or  a  mile  and  a  quarter.  They 
should  have  lots  of  walking  and  hacking.  Three  gallops 
a  week  over  the  short  distance  they  will  have  to  race, 
will  usually  be  enough.  Another  point  is  that,  for  short 
races,  horses  should  never  be  galloped  on  a  heavy 
course,  as  it  teaches  them  to  dwell  in  their  stride,  and 
to  lose  the  quick  stroke  in  the  gallop  which  is  essential 
to  speed.  They  should  also  be  taught  to  start  well 
and  get  quickly  on  their  legs.  To  do  this  the  rider 
must  have  hands  good  enough  to  catch  his  horse  by 
the  head,  and  send  him  "  into  his  bridle "  in  a 
moment. 

Trials. — In  order  to  obtain  a  satisfactory  trial,  horses 
should  only  be  tried  when  they  are  quite  fit,  which 
ought  to  be  but  a  few  days  before  the  actual  race  comes 
off,  unless  the  owner  trains  his  animals  specially  for  a 
trial,  to  see,  for  instance,  if  they  be  worth  keeping  for 
another  season.  The  trial  horse  should  be,  in  every 
case,  equally  well  trained,  and  be  one  whose  present 
(not  past)  public  form  is  thoroughly  well  known  to  the 
trainer.  Equally  good  jockeys  should  be  put  up,  or,  in 
default,  equally  bad,  and  the  trial  should  be  ridden  out, 
as  in  a  regular  race,  without  favour  or  affection.  Even 
with  every  precaution,  trials  are  not  always  to  be  relied 
on,  and  a  margin  of  10  Ibs.  for  mistakes  would  be  little 
enough  in  the  generality  of  cases ;  for  very  many  horses 
perform  differently  in  public  from  what  they  do  in 
private.  Besides,  with  a  lot  of  horses  in  a  race,  one 
can  never  tell  how  it  will  be  run,  or  what  accidents 
may  happen.  It  is  dangerous  with  horses  that  are  at 
all  shifty,  to  finish  a  trial  at  some  point  before  the 


204  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

winning-post,  on  -the  course  on  which  the  race  has  to 
come  off. 

If  an  owner  tries  a  lot  of  fresh  horses,  and  finds  but 
little  difference  between  them,  or  at  least,  between  the 
best  three  or  four,  he  may  be  almost  certain  that  there 
is  not  a  race-horse  among  them.  According  to  Admiral 
Eous  there  is  an  average  of  about  three  remarkable 
runners  in  2,000.  There  being  so  many  failures  among 
even  English  thorough-bred  stock,  it  would  be  unwise 
for  Indian  owners  of  small  strings  to  be  over  sanguine 
respecting  the  subsequent  career  of  their  likely,  though 
untried,  maiden  Australians,  Arabs,  or  Couritry-breds. 
Trials  between  untrained  horses  are  worth  very  little ; 
because  training  makes  a  vast  difference  between 
animals  of  different  stamps.  Light  carcassed,  im- 
petuous non-stayers,  who  would  probably  never  be  fit 
for  anything  but  selling  races,  would,  perhaps,  in  a  trial 
for  a  short  distance,  beat  with  ease  an  equally  untrained 
race-horse  which  might  require  months  of  galloping  to 
get  fit.  Keally  valuable  horses,  which  can  race  and 
stay,  are  the  very  kind  that  require  a  long  time,  and 
an  enormous  amount  of  work  to  develop  their  powers 
to  the  utmost;  but  impetuous  non-stayers,  that  are 
often  hardly  worth  their  keep,  will  always  be  more  or 
less  in  condition  by  dancing  about,  and  fretting,  when- 
ever they  are  taken  out  of  the  stable. 

I  am  very  averse  to  trials,  as  a  general  rule  ;  for  they 
are  liable  to  upset  a  horse  in  his  work  and  to  cause 
accidents.  With  the  best  arrangements,  they  are 
often  very  misleading  as  to  the  idea  they  give  of  actual 
form. 

In  the  preceding  pages,  I  have  considered  the  work  a 


TEIALS.  205 

horse  may  get,  if  there  be  five  or  six  months  to  prepare 
him  in  before  he  runs.  If,  however,  the  time  be  limited 
to  only  two  or  three  months,  a  dose  of  physic  on  com- 
mencing will  be  generally  required;  for  one  must  hurry 
on  the  work,  which,  with  high  feeding,  if  physic  be  not 
given,  is  apt  to  upset  a  horse's  system  and  make  him 
feverish,  thereby  rendering  his  legs  prone  to  inflamma- 
tion. Pursuing  the  system  I  have  already  described, 
the  horse  will  be  put,  without  loss  of  time,  into  slow 
work,  which  may  be  increased  up  to  a  little  beyond 
half  speed  by  the  time  half  the  period  allowed  for 
training  has  elapsed.  If  the  horse  is  well,  and  his  legs 
fine  and  cool,  no  more  medicine  need  be  given,  aud  the 
work  can  be  continued  as  I  have  shown  in  the  second 
preparation.  But  if  the  horse's  system  appear  at  all 
out  of  sorts,  or  his  legs  inclined  to  fill,  an  alterative  or 
physic  ball — as  the  case  may  require — should  be  given ; 
and  three  or  four  days  after  the  medicine  has  "set," 
work  may  be  re-commenced. 

It  will  be  a  great  assistance  to  an  amateur  unac- 
customed to  training,  to  keep  a  diary  in  which  to  enter 
the  distance  and  speed  of  the  work  done,  and  the 
amount  of  corn  eaten,  every  day  by  each  horse,  with 
any  remarks  on  their  condition,  etc.,  he  may  wish  to 
note. 

I  have  already  gone  fully  into  the  subject  of  food,  so 
shall  not  again  notice  it  further  than  by  saying  that, 
in  training,  a  horse's  corn  should  be  gradually  increased 
up  to  the  last  two  months,  during  which  time  he  should 
have  his  full  allowance,  namely,  as  much  as  he  can 
eat.  If  a  horse's  digestion  gets  upset  by  too  much 
corn,  it  should  be  diminished,  a  bran  mash  may  be 


206  TEAINING    IN    INDIA. 

given  for  a  couple  of  nights,  and  some  green  meat, 
such  as  carrots  or  lucern,  substituted  for  a  part  of  the 
corn. 

The  amateur  trainer  will  do  well  to  study  the  marks 
of  good  condition  in  the  horse.  Until  by  practice  he 
is  able  to  recognise  them,  he  need  not  hope  for  much 
success  in  his  efforts  ;  for  to  train  well  one  must  have 
an  educated  eye  to  detect  the  minute  graduations  of 
condition,  and  having  acquired  it,  one  will  see  at  a 
glance  what  each  horse  lacks. 

The  most  unerring  sign  of  condition  in  an  athlete 
is  the  fact  of  his  being  able  to  go  through  hard  work 
without  becoming  thirsty.  The  horse  trainer  will  also 
find  that  as  a  horse  gets  fit,  the  avidity  with  which 
he  takes  his  water  after  his  morning  gallops  will  de- 
crease ;  and  that  staleness  is  almost  always  accom- 
panied by  more  or  less  thirst. 

Training  Ponies. — Many  ponies  of  14  hands,  and 
even  smaller,  will  stand  as  much  training  as  big  horses. 
The  famous  13.1  Arab  pony,  Blitz,  was  a  case  in  point. 
We  shall  generally  find  that  the  better  bred  (and  con- 
sequently bigger,  as  a  rule)  a  pony  is,  the  more  work 
will  he  bear.  Blood  English  and  Australian  arid  high- 
caste  Arab  ponies  may  be  trained  according  to  the 
principles  and  routine  which  I  have  indicated  for 
horses. 

For  ordinary  Country-bred  ponies,  six  weeks'  training 
will  generally  be  quite  long  enough,  provided  they 
commence  in  hard  working  condition.  As  a  rule,  they 
should  not  be  galloped  oftener  than  twice  a  week,  nor 
farther  than  half  a  mile,  except  when  the  distance  they 
have  got  to  run  is  much  longer,  in  which  case  they 


SETTING.  207 

may  be  sent  on  an  extra  bit.  Sweating  and  long 
slow  gallops  should  be  avoided,  and  I  would  ad- 
vise that  the  pace  of  the  work  should  be  kept  pretty 
brisk. 

In  some  parts  of  India — as  in  Cachar — only 
ponies  are  used  for  racing,  and  are  often  asked  to 
go  long  distances,  frequently  over  a  mile.  Let  us 
suppose  a  country-bred  pony  to  be  trained  for  a  race 
of  that  length,  and  that  he  has  six  weeks  in  which 
to  get  fit  ;  I  would,  then,  recommend  something  like 
the  fallowing  preparation  : — 

First  fortnight. — A  gallop  at  half  speed,  on  Mondays 
and  Thursdays,  for  a  quarter  of  a  mile,  twice  on  the 
same  morning,  with  a  walk  for  a  mile  between  the 
spins. 

Second  fortnight. — Single  gallops  on  the  same  morn- 
ings, commencing  at  half  a  mile,  and  going  up  to 
three-quarters  of  a  mile,  improving  the  pace  up  to 
three-quarter  speed. 

Last  fortnight. — Four  gallops,  a  little  better  than 
three-quarter  speed,  for  something  under  a  mile. 

On  off  days,  the  pony  should  have  a  fair  amount 
of  exercise,  hacking,  etc.,  which,  I  think,  should  not 
exceed  9  cr  10  miles  a  day. 

If  an  owner  has  a  real  "  glutton  "  for  work,  he  may 
take  liberties  with  him,  but  country-bred  ponies 
usually  are  not  of  that  sort. 

Setting-— The  degree  of  "  setting,"  which  term  is 
used  to  express  the  routine  employed  in  stinting  a 
horse  of  his  food  and  water  before  a  race,  will 
depend  on  the  distance  to  be  run,  the  time  of  day 
at  which  the  horse  is  to  come  to  the  post,  and  on 


208  TEAINING    IN    INDIA. 

the  condition  and  constitutional  peculiarities  of  the 
animal  itself.  The  longer  the  race  is,  the  sharper 
should  he  be  set.  If  it  is  to  come  off  in  the  morn- 
ing and  the  horse  be  gross,  he  should  get,  on  the 
previous  day,  only  about  three  pounds  of  hay  or 
dried  grass,  given  in  quantities  of  one  pound  each, 
after  his  morning,  midday,  and  evening  feeds ;  the 
muzzle  being  put  on  to  prevent  him  eating  his 
bedding.  The  evening  feed  maybe  slightly  decreased, 
and  the  early  morning  feed  of  one  pound  should  be 
given  three  hours  before  the  race  comes  off.  In  this 
case,  no  change  in  the  system  of  watering  on  the 
day  preceding  the  race  is  needed. 

Water  is  very  rapidly  absorbed  into  the  blood,  and 
on  that  account,  when  taken  in  moderation,  a  couple 
of  hours  or  so  before  a  race,  it  does  not  act  as  a 
mechanical  obstruction  to  the  organs  exerted  in  violent 
exercise,  nor  does  it  occupy  the  functions  of  the  diges- 
tive apparatus  in  its  assimilation,  for  a  considerable 
time,  as  corn  would  do.  For  these  reasons  one  need  not 
stint  a  horse  so  sharply  in  the  matter  of  water,  as  in 
that  of  food. 

If  the  races  be  held  in  the  evening — as  they  almost 
always  are — the  setting  need  not  be  so  strict,  and  an 
allowance  of,  say,  6  Ibs.  of  dried  grass  may  be  given  the 
day  before.  The  trainer  will  now  be  guided  by  the  style 
of  horse,  whether  to  put  on  the  muzzle  the  night  before 
the  race,  or  to  wait  till  the  next  morning.  In  most 
cases  I  think  it  better  to  adopt  the  latter  method ;  for 
if  the  muzzle  be  applied  overnight,  there  is  a  great 
probability  of  the  horse  getting  fidgeted  by  it,  and 
thereby  being  prevented  from  having  a  good  night's 


SETTING.  209 

rest.  Anyhow,  on  the  morning  of  the  race,  he  is  given 
his  usual  one-pound  feed,  and  is  taken  out  for  an  hour 
and  a  half's  walk,  or  he  may  get  a  very  slow  canter  for 
three-quarters  of  a  mile,  and  be  sent  the  next  quarter 
at  nearly  full  speed  just  to  open  his  pipes  and  to  give 
him  the  idea  that  his  day's  work  is  finished.  After  that 
he  may  get  about  half  his  allowance  of  water,  and 
nearly  his  full  feed  of  corn,  with  a  small  handful  of 
dried  grass.  The  muzzle  is  now  put  on,  and  at  noon 
he  may  get  a  couple  of  pounds  of  corn.  If  the  race 
comes  off  about  four  o'clock,  he  should  get  nothing 
more ;  but  if  at  a  later  hour,  a  double  handful  of  corn 
may  be  given  three  hours,  or  three  hours  and  a  half, 
before  the  saddling  bell  rings. 

If  a  muzzle  does  not  irritate  a  horse,  it  is  better  to  use 
one  than  to  take  up  the  bedding,  without  which  most 
horses  will  not  lie  down  during  the  day,  and  many  will 
abstain  from  staling  much  longer  than  they  ought  to  do. 
On  the  day  of  the  race,  the  grooming  should  be  got 
over  quickly  ;  for  the  horse  should  be  disturbed  and 
excited  as  little  as  possible.  For  the  same  reason,  I 
would  never  plait  the  mane  of  an  excitable  horse.  I 
may  remark  that  the  use  of  plaiting  the  mane  is  to 
prevent  the  hair  flying  about  and  getting  entangled  with 
the  fingers  of  the  rider,  while  he  is  holding  the  reins, 
especially  when  he  wants  to  shorten  his  grip  on  them. 

Having  arrived  at  the  race-course,  the  horse  should 
be  kept  walking  in  the  shade,  if  possible,  and  the 
saddling  should  be  done  quietly,  and  without  any  fuss. 
I  think  it  is  advisable  for  the  owner  to  look  after  this 
operation  himself,  and  to  see  that  the  weights,  girths, 
stirrup  leathers,  &c.,  are  all  right.  The  horse  gets  now, 

p 


210  TKAINING   IN   INDIA. 

from  a  leather-covered  soda-water  bottle,  just  enough 
water  to  rinse  his  mouth  out,  the  jockey  is  given  a  leg- 
up,  the  syce  dusts  his  boots  down,  and  off  they  start 
for  the  post,  where,  in  case  of  accidents,  a  syce  should 
always  go,  and  should  take  a  spare  stirrup  leather  and 
girth  ;  for  such  things  sometimes  break  at  false  starts. 
Besides  this,  the  jockey  may  have  to  dismount  in  order 
to  arrange  some  part  of  the  gear,  and  might  require  the 
syce  to  hold  his  horse,  or  to  lead  him  up  to  the  starting- 
post  in  case  he  was  fractious. 

Treatment  after  running. — A  horse  should  be 
watered  immediately  after  a  race,  and,  if  he  be  much 
distressed,  he  may  get  \\  oz.  sweet  spirits  of  nitre  in  a 
drench,  or  2  drs.  carbonate  of  ammonia  in  a  ball.  If 
he  has  not  to  run  for  five  or  six  days,  he  may  get  a  bran 
mash  or  two.  But  if  a  fortnight  or  more  is  to  elapse 
before  his  next  race,  he  may  have  an  alterative  ball,  and 
be  kept  on  green  food  for  a  couple  of  days  or  more. 
His  legs  and  feet  may,  with  advantage,  be  fomented 
after  running. 

Race-horses  travelling  by  rail.— It  may  not  be 
out  of  place  for  me  here  to  remark  that  when  race- 
horses are  taken  by  rail,  during  the  cold  weather,  their 
tails  (when  they  are  in  the  horse-boxes)  should  be 
pointed  towards  the  engine,  so  as  to  obviate,  as  much 
as  possible,  the  chance  of  the  animals  catching  cold. 


CHAPTEK    VII. 

RACE-COURSES. 

ON  KEEPING  A  GALLOPING  TRACK  IN  ORDER — EFFECT  OF  GROUND  ON 
HORSES— MEASURING  COURSES— LENGTHS  OF  DIFFERENT  COURSES  IN 
INDIA. 

THE  climate  and  the  hardness  of  the  ground  are  the 
two  great  difficulties  which  a  trainer  has  to  contend 
against  in  India.  When  a  race-course  is  on  the 
ordinary  soil  we  meet  with  in  this  Presidency,  having 
generally  a  substratum  of  kunkur,  nothing  but  con- 
stant manuring  and  picking  up  can  keep  it  in  order. 
This  costs  so  much,  that  the  Clerk  of  the  Course 
(unless  the  Eace  Fund  be  particularly  rich)  may  be 
well  contented  if  he  can  keep  a  galloping  track,  even 
if  only  four  yards  broad,  in  good  going  order  all  the 
year  round.  Just  before  the  close  of  the  rains,  he 
should  take  advantage  of  the  softness  of  the  ground  to 
plough  it  up.  It  will  cost  about  Ks.  30  a  mile  to  plough 
and  harrow  a  course  40  feet  broad.  If  the  ploughing 
be  delayed,  nothing  but  the  pick-axe  will  touch  hard 
soil.  When  arranging  coolies  for  picking  up  ground, 
it  is  a  good  plan  to  have  two  men  to  each  pick-axe,  or 
hoe  (phurwa),  so  that  one  may  relieve  the  other.  They 
will,  alternately,  pulverise  the  clods  with  a  wooden 
batten  (mungurree  or  tapee).  The  cost  of  labour  may 
be  calculated  as  follows  : 


212  TRAINING   IN    INDIA. 

On  the  hardest  kurikur  soil,  a  coolie,  using  a  pick- 
axe (gyntee),  can  pick  up  and  pulverise  about  30  square 
yards,  4  to  6  inches  deep,  a  day ;  or,  with  a  hoe,  he 
can  do  about  40  square  yards  of  ordinary  hard,  sun- 
baked soil ;  or  60  square  yards  of  easy  soil.  The  clods 
should  be  pulverised  as  the  picking  up  proceeds ;  for  if 
left  for  a  few  days  exposed  to  the  sun,  they  will  become 
almost  as  hard  as  so  many  stones.  The  best  pick-axes 
for  this  work  are  those  supplied  by  Government  to 
regiments  among  their  entrenching  tools.  Litter  or 
tan  should  now  be  put  down  without  delay.  It  is  no 
use  applying  them  before  the  ground  is  thoroughly 
loosened ;  for,  until  it  becomes  so,  manure  would  have 
as  little  chance  of  working  into  and  amalgamating 
with  it,  as  it  would  on  a  metalled  road.  On  a  track  four 
yards  broad,  such  as  I  have  described,  it  would  take 
2,000  (1  maund=821bs.)maundsof  tan,  or  1,500  maunds 
of  litter,  to  lay  down  a  mile  properly.  The  cartage 
of  this  will  come  to  about  Rs.  3  a  hundred  maunds, 
when  brought  from  a  distance  of  three  miles.  The 
spreading  of  the  litter  or  tan  will  come  to  about  eight 
annas  a  hundred  maunds.  Litter  can  sometimes  be 
got  from  artillery,  cavalry,  or  elephant  lines,  for  the 
mere  carting  of  it  away ;  but  when  it  is  sold,  its 
price  will  not  usually  exceed  eight  annas  a  cart-load  of 
about  20  maunds.  Old  and  thoroughly  decomposed 
litter  is  the  best.  New  litter  always  contains  a  large 
quantity  of  particles  of  undigested  corn  which  have 
passed  through  in  the  dung  of  the  horses.  The  presence 
of  this  grain  will  generally  attract  numerous  field  rats, 
that  will  burrow  all  over  the  course,  and  thus  give  a 
great  deal  of  trouble  before  they  can  be  exterminated, 


RACE-COURSES.  213 

which  is  best  done  by  filling  the  holes  with  water,  and 
killing  the  rats  as  they  come  to  the  surface. 

The  Indian  sun  bakes  the  earth  hard,  and  seems  to 
burn  up  in  a  very  short  time  whatever  kind  of  manure 
is  put  on  it ;  so  that  nothing  but  constant  picking  up 
and  laying  down  litter,  sand,  or  tan,  at  least  twice  a 
year,  will  keep  a  galloping  track  in  anything  like  good 
order. 

A  track,  5  feet  broad,  will  be  found  to  be  quite  wide 
enough  on  which  to  work  a  horse  by  himself. 

By  constant  manuring,  a  thin  layer  of  good  soil  will 
in.  tim.3  be- formed  ;  but  if  the  course  be  neglected  for 
even  a  couple  of  years,  it  will  become  as  hard  as  a 
turnpike  road. 

The  beau  ideal  of  a  galloping  track  is  an  elastic  one, 
that  will  neither  jar  the  joints  and  suspensory  liga- 
ments by  its  hardness,  strain  the  back  tendons,  or 
cause  a  horse  to  hit  himself  by  its  stickiness,  like 
on  soft  clay,  nor  shorten  the  stride  and  make  it 
dwelling  by  deadness,  like  on  sand. 

A  heavy  course  is  particularly  trying  to  a  horse  with 
oblique,  and  a  hard  course  to  one  with  upright  pasterns. 
Irregularities  on  the  surface  of  the  ground  are  a  fre- 
quent cause  of  sprain  to  tendons  and  ligaments. 

A  galloping  track  such  as  I  have  mentioned,  and  1-J 
miles  round,  will  cost  about  Ks.  400  a  year  to  keep  in 
good  going  order. 

The  periphery  of  a  race-course,  for  big  horses,  should 
not  be  less  than  1}  miles.  One  of  5  furlongs  will  do 
for  small  ponies. 

I  may  mention  that  a  distance  is  240  yards. 

On   a  race-course,   where  horses   are   trained,   one 


214  TRAINING   IN  INDIA. 

should  erect  a  rubbing-down  shed  beyond  the  winning- 
post  and  on  the  inside  of  the  course.  These  sheds  are 
made  of  split  bamboo  and  dry  thatching  grass  (Hind. 
Phoos).  A  couple  of  stalls,  roofed  over  in  case  of  rain, 
with  a  small  enclosure  in  front  to  keep  off  people 
troubled  with  curiosity,  will  cost  about  Es.  16.  Ghu- 
ramee  (thatcher)  is  the  name  given  to  the  labourers 
who  do  this  chhuppur  work. 

There  should  be,  near  each  stand,  a  piece  of  ground 
carefully  flagged  and  made  level,  on  which  to  measure 
horses. 

Eace-courses  are  supposed  to  be  measured  on  a  line 
5  feet  from  the  inner  edge  all  round ;  but  practically 
the  best  plan  is  to  measure  close  to  the  inside,  and  then 
add  to  the  length  obtained  10J  yards,  under  the 
assumption  that  the  course  is  a  circle,  which  is  near 
enough  for  all  practical  purposes.  This  mathematical 
problem  I  leave  to  my  readers  to  work  out  for  them- 
selves. 

If  horses  are  obliged  to  be  galloped  on  the  outside,  on 
account  of  the  inside  being  closed,  the  increased  dis- 
tance, once  round,  which  might  require  to  be  done, 
in  the  event  of  a  trial,  may  be  readily  calculated.  For 
instance,  say  that  the  gallop  is  to  be  taken  25  feet  from 
the  inside,  i.e.,  20  feet  outside  the  line  on  which  the 
course  was  measured,  then  the  increased  distance 
would  be  four  times  10 J  yards,  viz.,  42  yards  :  in  fact, 
we  add  10J  yards  to  the  length  of  the  course,  for  every 
5  feet  the  galloping  track  is  outside  the  line  on  which 
the  course  was  measured. 

A  surveyor's  large  perambulator  is  more  correct  and 
expeditious  than  the  ordinary  chain. 


LENGTHS   OF   INDIAN   RACE-COURSES. 


215 


As  a  rule,  courses  in.  the  morning  give  about  a  couple 
of  seconds  slower  time  for  a  mile,  than  they  do  in  the 
evening. 

I  believe  that  the  Bangalore  course,  for  1-|  miles,  is 
about  six  seconds  slower  than  that  of  Madras. 

The  lj  miles  at  Dehra  Doon  is  very  little  slower 
than  that  on  an  ordinary  flat  track ;  but  the  mile  is 
quite  2  sec.  slower. 

Eaces  over  J  mile  at  Lucknow,  generally  give  bad 
timing,  owing  to  the  slight  hill,  for  about  half  a  mile, 
which  leads  up  to  that  post. 

The  Calcutta,  Sonepore,  and  Meerut  courses  are  very 
fast. 

LENGTHS  OF  INDIAN  RACE-COURSES. 


Miles  Fur. 

Agra  r 1  4 

Ahmedabad 1  4 

Ahmednuggur  r  ...     I  3 

Allygurh  I     1  0 

Assensole  r 0  6 

Bangalore  r 1  2 

Bareilly  r  1  6 

Baroda 1  4 

Barrackpore  /'  .14 

Belgaum  r  ...  .1  2 

Berhampore ...  .  1  6 

Bhawulpore  ...  .2  0 

Bolarum 1  3 

Bombay  (Byculla)  r  1  4 
Bombay  (Mahalux- 

mi)  r 1  4 

Bowenpilly  r  (3 

miles  from Secun- 

derabad,  monsoon 

race-course)  r  ...  1  1 

Burdwan  r  .  ...  1  3 


Cachav  /' 
Calcutta  r 


0  5 

1  .-> 


Yds. 

0 

55 

0 

0 

217 

0 

45 

10 

37 

61 

0 

0 

160 
67 


204 
95 

0 
36 


Miles  Fur.  Yds. 


Calcutta  St.  Leger  r 

Cawnpore  I   

Chudderghat  r  (8 
miles  from  Secun- 
derabad)  ... 

Chupra  r 

Cuttack 

Dacca  r 

Debrogurh     . . . 

Deesa      

Dehra  r 

Dharwar  I      

Dinagepore    

Dum  Dum     

Do.  Steeplechase 


Ferozepore  r 
Fyzabad . . . 


6 


Goruckporer  ...  1  3  99 
Hyderabad  (Sincl)  .14  7 
Jacobabadr  ..,  1  6  25 


1 

3 

1 

4 

1 

5 

1 

3 

1 

4 

1 

4 

1 

4 

1 

1 

0 

7 

1 

0 

2 

1 

1 

6 

0 

7 

1 

3 

1 

4 

1 

6 

132 
148 


142 
146 

83 

140 

0 

30 

192 

58 

0 

200 
80 

0 

187 


216 


TRAINING   IN  INDIA. 


Miles 

Fur. 

Yds. 

Miles 

Fur. 

Yds- 

Jamalpore      

1 

0 

0 

Muttra   

1 

4 

0 

Jessore    

1 

4 

11 

Mysore  

] 

7 

110 

Jhelum  r 

1 

2 

o 

Jorehaut        

J 

1 

125 

Nusseerabad    (Raj- 

Joudhpore     
Jubbulpore  r  

1 
I 

4 
0 

98 
126 

pootana)  r  

1 

3 

45 

Jullundurr   

1 

3 

5 

Peshawur  1    

1 

4 

106 

Poona  r  

1 

4 

47 

Kamptee  r    

1 

4 

92 

Purneah  

1 

4 

0 

Kurrachee  r  

1 

3 

45 

Rajkote  (Kattywar) 

1 

3 

120 

Lahore  1  

1 

6 

20 

Ram  pore  Beauleah  r 

1 

2 

50 

Lucknow  1    

1 

6 

0 

Rawul  Pindee  I    ... 

1 

3 

49 

Madras?'        

1 

4 

30 

Setapore  1      

j 

4 

11 

Meerut  r        

1 

5 

89 

Sialkote  r      

1 

3 

0 

Mho  w  r  

1 

4 

5 

Silligoree       

1 

0 

13 

Midnapore     

I 

1 

116 

Simla  (about) 

0 

7 

0 

Mooltan  

0 

6 

134 

Sonepore  r    

1 

4 

158 

Moradabadr  

1 

4 

118 

Morar      

1 

4 

10 

Trichinopoly  

1 

2 

85 

Mowl    Alee    r    (4^ 

miles  from  Secun" 

UmballaZ      

2 

1 

45 

derabad  ;  Hydera- 

bad   races    held 

Vizianagram  r 

1 

3 

107 

there)  

1 

4 

60 

Mozufferpore  r 

1 

3 

202 

Wellington  r 

0 

5 

o 

The  letters  r  and  I  distinguish  right  and  left  handed 
courses. 

All  large  Stands  ought  to  be  inclined  to  the  race- 
course at  an  angle  of  about  30°,  so  as  to  enable 
everyone  to  have  a  good  view.  They  ought  to  face 
the  East,  if  for  evening  racing;  and  the  West,  if  for 
meetings  which  are  held  in  the  morning,  in  order  that 
the  occupants  may  not  suffer  from  the  glare  of  the  sun. 
The  inclination  I  have  mentioned,  is  that  which  has 
been  given  to  the  Cesarewitch  Stand  at  Newmarket, 
and  is  the  one  recommended  by  my  friend  Mr,  William 
Manning. 


CHAPTEE  VIII. 

STEEPLECHASE    COURSES. 

IN  order  to  fairly  test  the  jumping  as  well  as  the 
galloping  capabilities  of  horses,  the  fences  ought  not, 
on  an  average,  to  be  further  apart  from  each  other  than 
400  yards.  As  remarked  by  that  brilliant  horseman, 
Mr.  Bertie  Short,  the  first  third  of  the  course  should 
consist  of  broad,  low,  and  somewhat  easy  obstacles, 
which  would  not  be  liable  to  bring  disaster  on  the 
competitors  before  they  had  settled  down  to  their  work. 
The  fences  in  the  middle  third  should  be  such  as  to 
thoroughly  test  the  jumping  powers  of  the  animals,  so 
that  the  gallopers  may  not  have  it  all  their  own  way  ; 
and  those  in  the  final  third  should  become  gradually 
more  and  more  easy  towards  the  finish,  so  that  they 
may  not  be  likely  to  bring  down  a  tired  horse  which 
may  happen  to  chance  them  a  little.  I  may  remark 
that  such  an  arrangement  can  seldom  be  carried  out  in 
its  entirety ;  although  we  may  preserve  its  general 
character  on  a  more  or  less  circular  line  of  country. 
Thus,  supposing  the  course  is  two  miles  round,  we 
may,  to  get  three  miles,  make  one  half  easy  ;  the  other, 
stiff;  the  first  and  final  miles  being  over  the  same 
ground.  The  fences  should  be  as  long  as  possible, especi- 
ally the  first  and  second ;  as  very  dangerous  accidents 
are  liable  to  occur,  if  the  horses  have  not  plenty  of 
room  when  they  are  excited.  After  they  have  once 


218  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

settled  down,  they  are  not  so  likely  to  run  out  or  go 
crooked  as  they  were  at  first.  Besides  this,  some  are 
almost  certain  to  "  tail  off." 

On  the  majority  of  Indian  steeplechase  courses  the 
ground  for,  say,  twenty-five  yards  in  front  of  each 
obstacle  will  require  to  be  watered  in  order  to  effect- 
ually lay  the  dust ;  so  that  the  horses  behind  the 
leaders  may  see  what  they  are  required  to  leap.  The 
landing  side  should  be  made  soft,  for  about  the  same 
distance,  so  as  to  save  the  horses'  forelegs,  and,  also, 
to  take  the  "  bone"  out  of  the  ground  in  case  any  of 
the  animals  fall.  The  opposite  extreme,  of  making  the 
ground  deep  and  "  holding "  on  landing,  should  be 
carefully  avoided.  Stiff  and  solid  fences,  such  as  walls, 
should  never  be  placed  in  a  position  which  will  cause 
their  shadow  to  fall  on  the  taking-off  side.  In  other 
words,  the  horse  which  has  to  run  in  the  afternoon, 
should  meet  no  obstacle  of  this  kind,  when  going  in  a 
westerly  direction ;  for  if  he  does  so,  he  will  be  apt 
to  jump  as  if  the  shadow  represented  a  yawning  drain, 
which,  in  such  cases,  he  probably  thinks  it  is  ;  and  will, 
then,  be  liable  to  strike  the  fence  and  come  down. 
The  terrible  accident  which  occurred  at  Dehra  Doon  to 
poor  Jack  Irving,  who  was  one  of  the  best  jockeys  I 
have  ever  seen,  and  which  was  ultimately  the  cause  of 
his  death,  was  caused  in  this  manner.  The  same  rale 
should  be  observed  with  regard  to  water-jumps  ;  for,  as 
remarked  by  Mr.  Short,  "  the  sun  shining  from  the 
front  on  water  is  very  dazzling  to  horses  coming  up 
fast." 

The  following  are  the  usual  kinds  of  fences  met  with 
on  Indian  steeplechase  courses  :— 


STEEPLECHASE   COUESES.  219 

1.  Hurdles,  3  ft.  6  in.  high,  and  bushed  with  brush- 
wood. 

2.  Bush  fences,  3  ft.  to  4  ft.,  and  8  ft.  or  10  ft.  broad 
at  the  base.     Care  should  be  taken  that  the  material 
used   does  not  contain  long,    sharp-pointed    thorns, 
which  often  inflict  severe  injuries  on  the  legs  of  horses 
that  may  happen  to  chance  such  obstacles. 

3.  Hedges,  from  3  ft.  to  4ft.  high.    Quick-set  hedges, 
which  form  the  majority  of  the  jumps  on  the  Aintree 
course,  over  which  the  race  for  the  Grand  National  is 
run,  are  seldom  met  with  in  India  except  at  DehraDoon, 
where  they  consist  of  rose  bushes.    I  may  remark  that 
a  weak  hedge  should  never  be  stiffened  by  a  rail,  unless 
the  wooden  bar  is  placed  in  such  a  manner  that  the 
horse  cannot  help  seeing  it.     Neglect  of  this  precau- 
tion was  the  cause  of  the  death  at  Liverpool  of  the 
famous  gentleman  rider  "  Mr.  Edwards  "  (poor  George 
Ede). 

4.  "Walls.     They  are  usually  made  of  mud  ;  and,  if 
I  may  form  an  opinion,  should  not  exceed  3  ft.  9  in.  in 
height,  if  upright.     The  great  fault  made  about  mud 
walls  in   India  is   that   they  are   often  left   in  their 
ordinary  brown  condition,  in  which  case  they  do  not 
always  stand  out  sufficiently  sharply  from  their  dingy 
surroundings  to  enable  a   horse   coming  at  them  to 
accurately   measure   his    distance.      At  least,  on  the 
taking-off  side,  they  should,  if  possible,  be  turfed  over 
(with  roots  of  doob  or  hurry  alee),  and  kept  watered  for 
several  days  previously.     We  must  remember  that  the 
afternoon  glare  on  an  Indian  race-course;  is  often  very 
deceiving  to  a  horse's  eyes.     The  wall,  on  the  taking- 
off  side,  should  have  a  slight  slope,  say  i  ;   in  which 


220  TRAINING  IN   INDIA. 

case  the  wall  may  be  made  4  ft.  high  as  a  maximum. 
Such  a  wall  is  quite  formidable  enough  without  having 
any  drain  in  front  of  it.  An  obstacle  like  this  should  on 
110  account  be  topped  with  brushwood  or  other  cover- 
ing ;  for  if  this  be  done  the  horse  will  be  very  liable  to 
chance  the  fence  on  account  of  the  false  impression  its 
appearance  is  likely  to  give  him.  I  have  seen  most 
regrettable  accidents  occur  from  horses  being  thus 
culpably  misled  by  constructors  of  steeplechase 
courses.  The  stiffer  a  jump  looks,  the  more  likely  is 
the  animal  to  be  careful  when  negotiating  it. 

5.  Posts  and  rails,  which  may  be  made  3  ft.  6  in.  high. 
I  have  always  insisted  that  the  top  bar  should  be  made 
very  thick,  so  as  to  plainly  show  the  horses  that  they 
cannot  chance  it  successfully.  I  think  it  is  best  to 
leave  the  post  and  rails  uiibushed. 

The  water-jump  may  be  about  13  ft.  broad,  and  may 
have  a  small  hedge  or  bushed  fence  about  2  ft.  high  in 
front  of  it.  It  need  not  be  more  than  2  ft.  deep.  Its 
far  side  should  slope  up  at  an  angle  of  about  thirty 
degrees.  Long  ago,  water-jumps  with  straight  cut 
sides  used  to  be  a  prolific  cause  of  broken  backs  among 
steeplechase  horses. 

It  frequently  happens  that,  on  filling  an  artificial 
water-jump,  the  water  soaks  through  the  soil,  and 
renders  the  landing  so  soft,  that  a  horse  jumping  on  to 
it,  at  speed,  would,  probably,  come  down.  Such  a  con- 
tingency may  be  obviated  by  putting  down  a  few  rows 
of  kurbee  or  reeds,  and  covering  them  over  with  earth, 
so  as  to  form  a  firm  place  for  the  horse  to  alight  on. 

7.  An  Irish  bank,  which  may  be  3  ft.  6  in.  high,  6  ft. 
broad  on  the  top,  and  may  have  sides  sloping  down  at 


STEEPLECHASE    COURSES.  '221 

an  angle  of  about  forty-five  degrees,  with  ditches  of 
about  3  ft.  broad  on  each  side.  If  possible,  this  bank 
should  be  turfed  over,  as  before  described. 

8.  An  in-and-out,  or  lane,  which  consists  of  two 
fences  (hedges  or  walls)  placed  about  30  ft.  apart. 

The  character  of  hedges,  bush  fences,  or  walls,  may  be 
varied  by  placing  ditches  on  either  side  of  them.  Such  a 
ditch  should  not  be  more  than  4  ft.  broad  and  about 
2  ft.  deep.  When  it  is  placed  on  the  near  side  of  the 
fence,  it  is  advisable  to  make  the  ground,  for,  say,  the 
last  couple  of  feet,  slope  slightly  up  to  the  edge  of  the 
drain  ;  so  as  to  show  the  horse  what  he  has  to  expect. 
In  England,  ditches  have  usually  their  sides  more  or 
less  raised,  on  account  of  a  portion  of  the  mud,  etc., 
when  they  are  cleaned  out  from  time  to  time,  being 
thrown  up  on  the  edge  of  the  drain. 

The  following  might  be  taken  as  a  fair  average  line 
of  country  for  a  3i  miles  steeplechase. 

1.  Flight  of  hurdles. 

2.  A  broad  bush  fence,  which  may  be  safely  chanced. 

3.  A  hedge. 

4.  Water-jump. 

5.  Posts  and  rails. 

6.  Sloping  wall,  4  ft.  high. 

7.  Wall  3  ft.  6  in.  high,  with  a  ditch  in  front  of  it. 

8.  An  Irish  bank. 

9.  An  in-and-out,  consisting  of  a  wall  3  ft.  high,  with 
some  brushwood  on  the  top,  and  a  4  ft.  drain  in  front 
of  it.     The  second  fence  may  be  a  hedge. 

10.  A  wall  3  ft.  high,  with  brushwood  on  the  top. 

11.  Hedge  with  ditch  on  far  side. 
12  and  13.  Hedges. 


222  TEATNING   IN   INDIA. 

14.  Flight  of  hurdles. 

The  "  run-in  "  may  be  about  500  yards  long. 

I  may  remark,  that  it  is  very  inadvisable  to  start 
horses  at  a  considerable  distance  from  the  first  jump ; 
for,  by  the  time  they  will  then  arrive  at  it,  they  will, 
probably,  be  racing  against  each  other,  and  will  con- 
sequently take  far  longer  to  settle  down  to  their  work, 
than  they  would  do  were  they  started,  say,  150  yards 
from  the  obstacle. 

Stewards  of  a  meeting  at  which  steeplechases  are 
run  should  be  most  particular  to  have  the  jumping 
events  decided  while  there  is  plenty  of  daylight. 


CHAPTEK  TX. 

BETTING. 

PRINCIPLES  OF    BETTING  AND    BOOKMAKING— LOTTERIES — PAR!   MTJTFEL9 
AND   TOTALISATORS — RACE   POOLS. 

Principles  of  betting  and  bookmaking — The 

"  odds  "  against  an  event  occurring  is  the  ratio  which 
the  number  of  the  unfavourable  ways  the  event  may 
happen,  bear  to  the  favourable  ones.  Thus,  it  is  5  to  1 
against  any  particular  number  (from  1  to  6  inclusive) 
being  thrown  with  a  single  die,  which,  I  need  hardly 
say,  has  six  faces.  Eegarding  certainty  as  unity,  we 
may  represent  the  chance  of  an  event  occurring  as  a 
vulgar  fraction,  of  which  the  numerator  is  the 
favourable  way  or  ways,  and  the  denominator,  the  sum 
of  all  the  ways,  both  favourable  and  unfavourable. 
Hence,  in  the  case  just  cited,  the  chance  of  any 
particular  number  being  thrown,  is  £. 

Although  the  sum  of  the  chances  of  any  undecided 
event  is,  when  correctly  calculated,  equal  to  unity, 
that  of  "price  list  "  chances  are  larger;  the  difference 
between  it  and  unity  being  the  theoretical  profit  to  the 
bookmaker.  Thus,  to  take  the  following  two  lists  : — 

(1)  3  to  2  on  A.  (2)  evens  X. 

3  to  1  against  B.  2  to  1  against  Y. 

3  to  1  against  C.  3  to  1  against  Z. 


224  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

The  sum  of  the  list  chances  would  be  *  J  for  (1)  and 
|f  for  (2) ;  and  consequently  it  would  be  possible  to 
make  a  profit  on  a  "book  "  with  either  of  these  lists. 
As  I  am  not  at  present  concerned  with  the  actual 
practice  of  betting,  I  need  not  discuss  such  questions  as 
to  the  probability  of  the  "  fielder"  "  getting  round." 

For  (1)  list  of  prices  just  quoted,  the  following  would 
be  a  "  round"  book  - 

50  to  75  against  A.  (2  to  3  against). 
100  to  33  ,,  B  (3  to  1  „  ). 
100  to  33  „  C(3tol  „  ). 

If  A  won,  the  "  bookie  "  would  win  66-50=16 ;  if  B, 
108-100=8;  and  if  0,108-100  =  8. 
And  for  "list"  (2)  :— 

75  to  75  against  X  (evens). 

100  to  50      „      Y  (2  to  1  against). 

100  to  33      „      Z  (3  to  1        „       ). 

In  this  case,  if  X  won,  he  would  gain  83— 75=8  ;  if 
Y,  108-100=8;  and  if  Z,  125-100=25. 

The  odds  of  one  horse  against  another  in  the 
same  race  is  the  proportion  which  their  respective 
chances  bear  to  each  other.  Thus,  if  A  be  at  even 
money  (|  chance)  and  B  at  2  to  1  (^chance),  the 
correct  betting  on  A  against  B  (one  to  win)  would  be 
3  to  2. 

The  combined  odds  of  two  or  more  horses  in  the  same 
race  is  obtained  by  taking  their  combined  chances. 
For  example,  if  A  was  a  5  to  4  on,  B  8  to  1  against,  and 
C  17  to  1  against,  their  combined  chance  theoretically 
would  be  f  +  £  +  A  =  it  J  and  then  their  combined 
odds,  13  to  5  on. 


DOUBLE  EVENT  BETS.  225 

A   double  event   bet    is,  also,  calculated    by    taking 

the  chances,  which  in  this  case  are  multiplied  together. 

Thus,  if  it  be  3  to  2  in  favour  of  a  certain  occurrence 

taking    place,    and    10    to    1    against    another    event 

occurring,  the  chance  of  their  both  happening  will  be 

£  xTT=/5- ;  and  the  odds  52  to  3,  or  17i  to  1  against  it. 

Lotteries, — In  lotteries  the  number  of  tickets  and 

their  prices  vary  ;  although  at  the  principal  meetings 

they  are  generally  fixed  at  a  100,  and  Ks.  10  respectively. 

The  honorary  secretary,  or  some  other  official,  should, 

first  of  all,   write   down  the  tickets  taken  by  single 

individuals,    and    then    those    taken   conjointly ;    the 

practice  being  to  throw  with  dice  for  tickets,  for  which 

the    loser   pays,  although    both   he    and    the   winner 

equally  share  the  amount  obtained  for  the  chance  of 

any  horse  which  any  of  their  tickets  may  draw.     Not 

until   all    the  tickets  which  can  be   disposed,   either 

individually  or   conjointly,  are  written  down,  should 

sweeps  be  allowed  to  take  place ;  for  they  always  tend 

to  check  the  other  forms  of  ticket-taking. 

A  lottery  may  be  made  out  on  a  large  sheet  of  foolscap, 
on  the  first  and  second  pages  of  which  the  tickets  are 
written  down.  At  the  end  of  the  second  page  there  is 
a  form  for  recording  the  result  of  the  drawing ;  and  on 
the  third  page  one  for  showing  the  debit  and  credit 
of  each  person. 

I  shall  now  give  an  illustrative  lottery  paper  for  a 
race,  in  which  we  may  assume  that  5  horses,  viz.,  Mr. 
Johnson's  Sam,  Mr.  Williams'  Jack,  Mr.  Payne's  Lucy, 
Mr.  Thompson's  Kuby,  and  Mr.  Smith's  Brilliant,  are 
declared  to  start,  that  there  are  50  tickets  at  Ks.  10 
each,  and  that  Lucy  won.  From  the  total  amount  of 

Q 


TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 


the  lottery,  5  per  cent,  is  deducted  for  the  benefit  of  the 
Bace  Fund. 


Bombay  Baces,  189 — . 

LOTTERY    ON    THE    DERBY. 
PRICE  OF  TICKETS,  Rs.  10. 


No. 

Names. 

No. 

Names. 

1 

2 

j-  Jones             ^ 

26 

27 

| 

3 

4 

j.  Williams 

28 
29 

j-Thompson,  Jones 

5 
6 

j.  Simpson           To  williams 

30 
31 

j 

7 
8 

j-  Payne 

32 
33 

Smith,  Thompson 

9 
10 

j-  Johnson 

34 
35 

11 

Thompson     / 

36 

Williams 

12 

Johnson 

37 

} 

13 
14 

j.  Smith            1  TQ  Winiams 

38 
39 

V  Simpson,  Williams 

15 

16 

Thompson     > 
Jones,  Thompson 

40 
41 

Thompson,  Smith 
\ 

17 
18 

Thompson,  Williams 
.  Williams,  Thompson 

42 
43 

[Thompson,  Williams 

19 

44 

\ 

20 

45 

f  Williams,  Thompson 

21 

22 

•  Thompson,  Williams 

46 
47 

j 

23 
24 

49 

Thompson,  Smith 

25 

Johnson 

50 

This  form  usually  occupies  the  first  and  part  of  the 
second  pages  of  the  lottery  paper. 


LOTTERIES. 
EE3ULT  OF  DRAWING. 


227 


No. 

Names  of  Drawers. 

Horses. 

Buyers. 

w 

sa 

S'S 

.§ 

°2 

$1 

ft 

47 

Thompson,  Smith 

Sam 

Smith 

* 

12C 

21 

Thompson.  Williams     . 

Jack 

Thompson 

)> 

9C 

12 

Johnson  ... 

Lucy 

Williams... 

» 

7C 

46 

Williams,  Thompson 

Euby       ... 

Thompson 

)> 

14C 

5 

Simpson,  Williams 

Brilliant... 

Williams... 

» 

4C 

Price  of  horses      .  , 
Ditto  tickets     ... 

Total  ... 
Less  5  per  cenb.  ... 

Actual  value  of  lottery 


460 
500 

960 
48 

912 


The  above  form  should  be  at  the  end  of  the  list  of 
tickets.  It  is  generally  at  the  bottom  of  the  second 
page. 

DEBITS  AND  CREDITS. 


Names. 

Price  of 
Tickets. 

Bought. 

Drew. 

Lottery. 

-f 

— 

Jones 

30 

30 

Williams   . 

70 

220 

135 

912 

757 

Simpson     . 

50 

10 

20 

40 

Payne 

20 

20 

Johnson 

40 

120 

70 

90 

Thompson 

220 

450 

175 

495 

Smith 

70 

120 

60 

130 

Per 

centage 

...48 

500 

920 

460 

912 

805 

805 

The  above  form  is  usually  drawn  out  on  the  third 
page  of  the  lottery  paper. 


228  TEAINING  IN   INDIA. 

On  the  lottery  paper  which  I  have  given  as  an  illus- 
tration, we  see  that  the  Nos.  12,  25,  and  36  were  taken 
by  single  individuals,  and  that  there  was  a  sweep  of 
two  tickets  per  man  for  Nos.  1  to  11  and  for  13,  14,  and 
15,  the  break  having  occurred  by  Johnson  having  taken 
No.  12  on  first  going  off;  the  remaining  tickets  being 
taken  conjointly. 

By  the  C.  T.  C.  Kules,  an  owner  is  entitled  to  claim 
one-half  of  his  horse's  chance  (taking  that  proportion 
of  risk  as  well  as  gain)  immediately  on  its  being  sold. 
The  owner's  share  is  the  only  one  allowed  to  be  recorded 
on  a  lottery  paper,  whatever  part  be  taken. 

In  the  "  Debits  and  Credits  "  we  see  that  half  of  Sam 
is  debited  to  Johnson,  the  owner  of  that  horse. 

By  using  the  form  of  "  Debits  and  Credits  "  we 
ensure  correctness,  which  is  proved,  firstly,  by  the 
addition  of  the  column  under  "Price  of  tickets  "  amount- 
ing to  their  gross  value,  and  secondly,  by  the  total  sum 
under  column  ''Bought"  being  exactly  double  that 
under  "  Drew  "  ;  for  the  purchaser  of  a  horse's  chance 
pays  double  the  amount  he  is  sold  for,  first  to  the 
drawer,  and  then  into  the  lottery.  The  final  step  in 
proving  the  accounts,  is  to  see  that  the  total  winnings, 
plus  the  percentage,  is  equal  to  the  total  losings.  When 
this  system  is  employed,  a  form  like  the  following 
should  be  used  to  show  the  total  debits  and  credits  on 
each  day's  racing.  I  here  assume  that  there  were  four 
lotteries  held,  and  that  twelve  persons  took  part  in 
them. 


LOTTERIES. 


229 


Account  of  Lotteries  held  on  1st  Days  Eacing. 


Names. 

1st 
Lottery 

2nd 
Lottery 

3rd 
Lottery 

4th 
Lottery. 

|        • 

Williams      

1  —    90 

+  1,610 

—  850 

+  3CO       980 

... 

Brown  10 

-     40 

—    50 

-  800 

900 

Stone    

—  500 

—  320 

—  100 

+  1,400 

480 

... 

Thompson    

+  1,450 

—  400 

—    80 

—  200 

770 

... 

Lake     ..,     

—    50 

—  180 

—    20 

+  400 

150 

... 

Green   —    30 

—    60 

+  400 

-  400 

... 

90 

Baker    
Grey     ...     

—  100 
—  200 

—     10 
—  300 

-  100 
—    40 

—  150 
-  400 

360 
940 

Boyd     

—    50 

—  200 

+  750 

—  150 

350 

Smith   

—  320 

+   100 

—    30 

+  100 

... 

150 

Payne  -    50 

—    50 

—    50 

—  100 

... 

250 

Reid     50 

—  230 

—    10 

—  100 

... 

390 

Total  per- 
centage. ! 

350 

Percentage 

90 

| 
80 

80 

100 

3,080 

3,080 

230  TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 

Nothing  can  be  less  liable  to  error  than  the  system 
which  I  have  described.  Correctness  is  a  most  valuable 
quality  when  a  mass  of  accounts  has  to  be  got  through 
in  a  short  time,  which  is  always  the  case  at  a  race 
meeting.  This  system's  only  fault  is  that,  at  a  settling, 
if  persons  are  not  acquainted  with  its  working,  reference 
to  the  different  debits  and  credits  of  individuals  cannot 
be  so  readily  made,  and  explanation  given,  as  by  another 
system  which  I  shall  now  describe,  and  which  is  so  self- 
evident  in  its  working  that  I  need  only  give  the  form  for 
the  accounts  of  each  day's  racing.  Its  only  fault  is  that 
error  cannot  be  readily  checked.  To  save  room,  I  shall 
give  the  form  for  only  four  lotteries  ;  though  of  course 
it  can  be  made  out  for  any  number. 

In  lottery  accounts,  the  debits  consist  of  price  of 
tickets  and  purchase  of  horses ;  the  credits,  that  of 
horses  drawn,  and  lotteries  or  parts  of  lotteries  won. 
By  the  following  system  (see  next  page)  these  items  are 
arranged  in  the  most  simple  manner  for  reference  and 
computation : — 


LOTTERY   ACCOUNTS. 


1231 


ft  \ 


•MOJQ 


£> ' 
& 


"JO 


JO  OOUJ 


"jqSnog 


}0  80IJJ 


JO  90TIJ 


jo 


232 


TRAINING   IN   INDIA. 


An  owner  who  attends  many  lotteries  will  find  it- 
convenient  to  have  a  lottery  book,  made  in  the  follow- 
ing form,  in  which  to  record  his  transactions.  The 
book  may  contain  a  couple  of  hundred  pages,  each  one 
being  about  the  size  of  a  quarter  of  a  sheet  of  foolscap. 


PQ 

f 


I* 


oS2 
§£ 


- 


96 


ii 


'  -    -    ~ 


LOTTERY    ODDS.  233 

Formerly,  the  ledger  system  was  in  general  use  for 
keeping  lottery  accounts.  It  consisted  of  entering  each 
person's  name,  who  took  part  in  the  lotteries,  in  a 
ledger,  giving  one  page  to  his  debits,  and  the  other  to 
his  credits.  It  is  far  too  tedious ;  and  by  it  accounts 
cannot  be  made  up  in  sufficient  time  to  allow  of  a 
settling  immediately  after  a  meeting  is  over.  Every 
Honorary  Secretary  knows,  if  this  be  not  done,  how 
extremely  difficult  it  is  to  subsequently  square  accounts 
satisfactorily.  Among  the  residents  of  a  station  this 
remark  does  not  apply ;  but  at  a  large  meeting,  where 
the  bulk  of  the  plungers  are  here  to-day  and  gone  to- 
morrow, it  is  essential  that  everything  should  be 
settled  as  quickly  as  possible;  for  absentees  find  it  hard 
to  believe  that  they  have  won  so  little,  or  lost  so 
much. 

The  lottery  odds  against  a  horse  will  be  :  Price  of 
tickets  +  price  of  all  the  horses  -  discount  —  double 
price  of  the  one  particular  horse,  to  that  double 
price. 

Thus,  in  the  case  we  have  already  given,  the  odds 
against  Jack  are  500  +  460  -  48  -  180  to  180,  viz., 
732  to  180,  or  about  4  to  1. 

Suppose,  by  a  private  arrangement  the  buyer  of  Lucy, 
who  won  the  race,  had  given  away  one -fourth  of  her, 
then  the  quarter  winnings  would  be  thus  calculated : — 
Actual  value  of  lottery        ...         ...         912 

Lucy's  double  price  ...         ...         ...         140 


4)772 
One-fourth  share  of  winnings  193 


'234  TRAINING    IN   INDIA. 

Double  lotteries  are  generally  resorted  to,  when,  from 
a  paucity  of  horses  in  two  races,  speculation  on  either, 
separately,  is  checked.  The  chances  of  all  the  horses 
are  then  combined  together,  and  the  buyer  of  the 
chance  which  contained  the  names  of  the  winners  of 
both  events  takes  the  lottery.  Let  us  suppose  that  two 
races — the  Planter's  Cup  and  Selling  Stakes — had  each 
three  entries  as  follows : — 

Planter  s  Cup.  Selling  Stakes. 


Kingcraft. 

Exeter. 

Chorister. 


Lurline. 

Butterfly. 

Brandy. 


The  combined  chances  would  then  be  : — 


1.  Kingcraft  and  Lurline. 

2.  Kingcraft  and  Butterfly. 

3.  Kingcraft  and  Brandy. 

4.  Exeter  and  Lurline. 


6.  Exeter  and  Brandy. 

7.  Chorister  and  Lurline. 

8.  Chorister  and  Butterfly 

9.  Chorister  and  Brandy. 


5.  Exeter  and  Butterfly. 

These  nine  chances  will  be  drawn  for,  and  auctioned 
off,  in  the  same  manner  as  if  they  represented  nine 
different  horses  entered  for  one  particular  race. 

Pari  Mutuels  and  totalisators.— The  primitive 
way  for  arranging  pari  mutuels  is  as  follows : — Near 
the  Kace  Stand  is  fixed  a  long  box  divided  into 
partitions,  each  of  which  has  a  slit  like  those 
in  letter-boxes.  On  each  partition  is  written  the 
name  of  a  race,  in  the  order  they  are  to  be  run. 
The  person  managing  the  Pari  Mutuel  is  provided  with 
cards  printed  in  the  following  form  : — 


PAEI   MUTUELS.  235 


MEEBUT   AUTUMN   MEETING,   189—. 

Tickets,  Rs.  5. 


Name  of  race 


Horse  backed 
No.  of  tickets 


Signature  of  backer 


Having  received  a  card,  the  intending  backer  fills 
in  according  to  his  fancy,  and  places  it,  through  the  slit, 
into  the  partition  set  apart  for  the  race  on  which  he 
wishes  to  invest.  This  partition  is  closed  on  the  horses 
arriving  at  the  starting-post,  after  which  no  more  cards 
can  be  put  in.  When  the  day's  racing  is  finished,  the 
amount  invested  on  the  losers  in  each  event  is  divided 
among  those  who  backed  the  winners  of  those  respec- 
tive races,  after  deducting  a  percentage,  usually  10  per 
cent.,  for  the  benefit  of  the  Eace  Fund.  Let  us  assume 
that  in  one  of  the  races  the  winner  was  backed  by  A  for 
Es.  10,  by  B  for  Es.  5,  and  by  C  for  Es.  15,  and  that 
the  other  horses  in  the  same  race  had  been  backed  for 
Es.  170.  The  total  here  would  be  Es.  200,  from  which 
to  calculate  a  percentage  of  Es.  20  at  10  per  cent. 
Deducting  this  Es.  20  from  Es.  150  (amount  lost), 
would  leave  Es.  150  to  be  divided  between  A,  B,and  C, 
and  they  would  get  respectively  Es.  50,  Es,  25,  and 
Es.  75. 


236  TEAINING   IN    INDIA. 

The  totalizator  is  an  instrument  by  which  the  operator 
can  record,  for  public  view,  the  number  of  tickets  taken 
on  each  horse ;  the  total  number  being  automatically 
shown.     The  tickets  bear  the  number  of  the  horse  and 
the  name  of  the  race,  so  that  all  the  backer  has  to  do  is 
to  pay  his  money  and  take  his  ticket.     Every  machine 
should  be  in  electrical  communication  with  the  judge 
or  other  official,  who  should  be  able  to  effectively  lock 
it  the  moment  the  starter's  flag  falls.  Having  frequently 
seen  the  ordinary  form  of  machine  "  manipulated,"  I 
must  say  that  I  prefer  to  it  the  kind  used  in  South 
Africa.     In  it  a  book  of  tickets  (somewhat  like  a  cheque 
book),  numbered  in  succession,  is  placed  before  each 
number.    The  tickets  on  being  purchased,  are  torn  out 
of  these  books  in  the  sight  of  all  men,  and  given  to  the 
buyers.     The  public  can  thus  see  whether  or  not  anyone 
attempts  to  take  tickets  after  the  race,  and  the  numbers 
taken  remain  on   record  until    all   the  winners   are 
paid. 

Race  Pools  may  be  got  up  by  any  number  of  persons 
who  bid  for  choice  of  horses  entered  for  a  race,  the 
buyer  of  the  winner  of  which  takes  the  several  amounts 
bid  for  the  other  horses.  Say,  for  instance,  that  the 
horses  Lancer,  Gaylad,  Breeze,  and  Phantom  were 
entered  for  a  certain  race ;  the  auctioneer  would  then 
ask,  "How  much  for  first  choice?"  Suppose  A  bid 
Ks.  50,  B  bid  Ks.  70,  and  D  finally  got  it  for  Es.  500  : 
D  would  then  have  the  choice  of  any  one  of  the  four 
horses.  Let  us  say  that  he  took  Gaylad.  The  second 
choice  for  Lancer,  Breeze,  and  Phantom  would,  in  the 
same  manner,  be  put  up  to  auction :  and  suppose  A  got 
it  for  "Rs.  400  and  took  Lancer;  also  that  B  got 


RACE    POOLS.  237 

Breeze  for  Es.  80,  and  that   C  bought  Phantom  for 
Ks.  120,  the  pool  would  thus  stand : — 

D  pays  for  Gaylad Rs.     500 

A        ,,       Lancer     ,,      400 

B        „        Breeze     „        80 

C         „        Phantom  „      120 

If  Gayland  wins,  D  will  win         ,,      600 

,,  Lancer         ,,     A     ,,    ,,  ...         ..  .,      700 

„  Breeze         ,,     B     „     „  „  1,020 

,,  Phantom       ,     C     ,,     „  ,,      980 


HINDUSTANEE  STABLE  AND  VETEEI- 
NAEY  VOCABULAEY. 


THE  following,  with  the  exception  of  names  of  diseases, 
colours,  and  some  technical  expressions,  are  words 
which  any  syce  will  understand  and  which  are 
in  common  use  in  the  stable.  In  order  to  render 
the  pronunciation  easy  to  those  unacquainted  with 
the  language,  I  have  written  the  vowels  as  they  are 
pronounced  in  the  following  words  : — 


a  as  in  "star" 
e      „     "ecarte" 
i  "kin" 


o  as  in  "tore" 
M  ,,  "fun" 
ft  „  "pull" 


oo  as  111  ' '  poor 
oiv     ,,     "town1 

?/         "by" 


n  should  be  pronounced  like  the  French  nasal  n,  as 
in  "-//lew."  The  Hindee  letters  t,  d,  and  r  are  pronounced 
hard  as  in  English,  and  the  th,  dh,  and  rh  like  what 
these  letters  would  sound  if  aspirated ;  kh  and  gh  stand 
for  these  two  guttural  letters  in  Arabic. 

PARTS,  ETC.,  OF  THE  HORSE. 


Abdomen,  Pet. 

Acid,  n.,  Tezab. 

Aconite  (A.  ferox),  Mahoor. 

Aged  (horses  ten  years  old  and 

upwards),  Mule  pun j. 
Aloes,  Musubbur  ;  eliva. 
Alum,  Phitkurree. 
Amble,  to,  Ruhwar  cJiulna. 
Anasarca,  Tubuk. 
Anise- seed,  Sownf. 
Antimony,  black,  Surma. 
Anvil,  blacksmith's,  Niliai. 
,,      shoeing   smith's    (small) 

Snndan, 


Aphthae,  Unchhur. 

Arab    horse,    Tazee,    or    urnbee 

ghvra. 

Areca-nut,  Suparee. 
Arsenic,  red,  Mynsil. 

,,        white,  Sunkheea. 

,,        yellow,  HurtuL 
Artery,  Shiryan. 
Asafcetida,  Heeng. 
Asthma,  Duma. 
Axletree,  DMree. 

Back,  Peeth. 
Backhand,  Barkush. 


HINDUSTANEE   VOCABULARY. 


239 


ee. 


Backbone,  Tfcerh. 
Back  tendon,  Ghui'-miss. 
Bag  (for  grain,  etc.),  Bora. 
Ball  (phasic),  Duwa  kee  golee. 
Balling  iron,  Daroo-kush. 
Bandage,  Puttee. 

,,  (wet),  Pochara. 
Barbs,  or  paps,  Uncliln'r. 
Barley,  Jow. 

Bars  (of  the  1a.ooi),Dohree-putl 
Bar-shoe,  Gol-nal. 
Bay,  Kumyt. 

,,  with  legs  which  are  black 
up  to  the  knees,  Seeah 
zanoo  kumyt. 

,,     with  belly  and  inside  of 
legs  light  coloured,  Kehur. 
Beans,  Sem. 
Bearing  rein,  Gol  bay. 
Bedding  (straw),  Bichalec. 
Belly,  Pet. 
Belly  band,  Peiee. 
Bile,  Pitta. 
Bit  (curb),  Duhana. 
Bite,  to,  Katna. 
Biter  (a  horse),  Kuttur. 
Black,  Muslikee;  kala. 
Bladder,  Phuknee. 
Blanket,  Kiunmid. 
Bleed,  to,  Fusd  kliolna. 
Blind,  Andha. 

,,      of  one  eye,  Kana. 
Blinkers,  Putia. 
Blister,  Chhala. 
Blood,  Khoott. 
Blue  stone,  Neela  tooteea. 
Bobtailed  horse,  Sunda,  or  luti- 

doora  ghoxa. 

Body  (of  a  carriage),  Howda. 
Body  piece  (clothing),  Cfurdimnee 
Boil,  n.,  Phoia. 

Bolt,  to  (off  the  course),  Ph  utjana. 
Bone,  Hu&dee. 
Borax,  Soliaga. 
Bots  (eggs),  Leek. 

,,    (larvae),  Bur. 
Brain,  Mugbz;  bheja. 


:  Bran,  Chdkur. 
'   Breast-piece,  Chhatee  bund. 
|  Breast-plate,  Pesh-bund. 
\  Breechen,  P&shtung. 

Breeding  district,  KMt. 
|   Bridle,  Luyam. 
\  Brittle  feet,  Sumkhara. 
Bronchitis,  Kuf. 
Brook  (steeplechase),  Nala. 
Broom,  Jliaioo. 
Brow-band,  Kim-sir ra. 
Brown,  or    dark    bay,    Teleeya 
kumyt;  lukhowreekumyt.  Na- 
tives call  light  brown,  kumyt 
(bay),  and  dark  brown,  mus/t- 
kee  (black). 
Bruise,  n.,  Chot. 
Brush,  n.,  Koochec. 

,,      to,  Newur  luyita. 
Buck,  to,  Kandhee  mania. 
Bucket,  Baltee. 
Buckle,  Buksooa. 
Butteris  (shoeing),  Sam  ttirash. 

Calkin,  Khoonta. 
Camphor,  Kafoor. 
Canker  of  the  foot,  Kufgeera. 
Cannon  bone,  Nulhe. 
Canter,  to,  Poya  cliuliM. 
Capped  elbow,  Kheesa. 

,,      hock,  Kuhneea. 

,,      knee,  Zanooa. 
Caraway  seeds,  Ajwyn. 
Carbonate  of  soda,  Kharsujcc. 
Carrots,  Gajar. 
Cartilage,  Kurrec  huddcc 
Caster  (horse),  Nuzuree  ghoia. 
Castor  oil,  Itindee  ka  tel. 
Cataract,  Moteea-Mnd. 
Catarrh,  Ztikam;  surdhee. 
Catechu,  Kuth. 
Caustic,  Tooteea. 
Chaff,  Bhoosa. 
Chalk,  Khuree  mittee. 
Chamois  leather,  Sabur. 
Cheek,  Gal. 
Chest,  Chhatee;  aeeua. 


240 


TRAINING    IN   INDIA. 


Chestnut  (all  over),  Stiruny. 
,,      with  dark  inane   and 

tail,  Kumyt. 

,,       dark,  Mow  ha  surung. 
,,       with  light  mane  and 
tail,  Ckowdur  Stiruny. 
Chisel,  cold,  Chhenee. 
Clean,  Saf. 
Cleft    of    the    frog,    Putlee    kee 

yhaee. 
Clench  of  a  nail,  Piichee. 

,,      to     (a    nail),    Mekh    ko 
pfochee  kiiriM. 

Clip  (of  a  shoe),  Thokur;  killif. 
Clothing,  light,  ThMttda  kupm. 

,,       warm,  Our  in  kupi'a. 
Clyster  pipe,  Pichkaree. 
Cold  (adj. ),  Thw>id«. 
Cold  in  the  head,  Zukam;  surdhee. 
Cold  chisel,  Chhenee. 
Colic,  Kurkhree. 
Collar  (harness),  Hulka. 
Colours,     racing,      Ghfadowree 

Kupia. 

Colt,  BuchhSra. 
Comb,  Kunghee. 
Condiment,  Musala. 
Constipation,  Kubz. 
Consumption,  ~Khu8/ikbel. 
Copper,  acetate  of,  Junyal. 
Corn  (injury  to  foot),  Chhala. 
Corn  (grain),  Dana. 
Corners  of  the  mouth,  Bachlt. 
Coronet,    Bhown,    or    sum    kee 

mughzte. 

Corrosive  sublimate,  Ruskapoor. 
Cough,  Khansee. 
Country-bred  horse,  Desee  yhoia 
Cowdung,  Gobur. 
Cowkick,  to,  Kainchee  mama 
(Jracked  heels,  Chheetvur. 
Cream-coloured     (horse),    Doo- 

dheeya  shirgha. 
Crib-biter,  Howapeene-wala. 
Croton  bean,  Jumalyota. 

,,      oil,  Jumalgote  ka  teL 
Crupper,  Dumchee. 


Crust  of  the  hoof,  tihakh. 

Cui'b  fa  bit),  Dahana. 

Curb  (an  injury),  Btijr  huddec. 

Curb-chain,  Dtihane  kee  znttjetr. 

Cui-rycomb,  Khurara. 

Cyst,  Jowa. 

Dandriff,  Roosee. 

Defect  (in  a  horse),  Ayb. 

Diarrhoea,  Dust. 

Digest,  to  (food),  Huzm  k 

Dirty,  My  la. 

Dismount,  to,  Uturna. 

Ditch,  Khaee. 

Dock  (under  the  tail),  >Sc 

Door,  Durwaza. 

Double     bank      (steeplechase), 

Dum  duimi. 

Drench,  to,  Duwapilana., 
Drink,  to,  Peena. 
Drive,  to,  Hankna. 
Dropped  hip,  Kum  koola. 
Dropsy,  Tubiik. 
Dull,  to  be,  Sust  hona. 
Dun,  light,  all  over,  Shirgha. 

,,  with  dark  mane  and  tail, 
summund. 

, ,  with  black  stripe  down  the 
back,  Selee  summund. 

, ,  with  dark  points  and  black 
horizontal  stripes  on  fore- 
arms, Kula. 

, ,  with  zebra  marks,  Keliuw 
Kula. 

,,     with  legs  black  up  to  the 
knees,  Seeahzanoo  summund. 
Dung,  Leed. 
Dysentery,    Pechisli ;     'Khounec 

dust. 

Ear,  Kan. 
Eat,  to,  KliGDia. 
Elbow,  Aglee  Kolmee. 
Elephantiasis,  Feel^pa. 
English  horse,  Bilayutee  gharo . 
Enteritis,  Bosnia. 
Entire  (as  a  horse),  Andoo. 


HINDUSTANEE   VOCABULARY. 


241 


Epilepsy,  Mirgee. 
Eye,  Ankh. 
Eyelash,  Buronee. 
Eyelid,  Puluk. 

Farcy,  Bel. 
Farrier,  Saloturee. 
Fast  (swift),  'Tez. 
Fat,  n.,  Churbee. 

,,    adj.,  Moia;furba. 
Feather  in  the  hair,  Bhownree 
Feeder,  a  bad,  Kum  khor. 
FeUoe,  Puiee. 
Fetlock,  Mutihx. 
Fever,  Tap;  bukhar. 
Fibre  (of  muscle,  etc.),  Resha, 
Fill,  to  (as  a  leg),  Py  ajana. 
Filly,  Buchheree. 
Fire,  n.,  Ag. 

,,     to,  Daghna. 
Fistula,  Nasoor. 
Fit  (in  training),  Taiyar. 
Five  year  old,  Punjsala. 
Flank,  Kolik. 
Flat  (race),  Su/art. 
Flat-feet,  CMpatee  sum. 
Flatulency,  Badee. 
Fleam,  Nushtur. 
Flour  (coarse),  Aia. 
(fine),  My  da. 
(very  fine),  Soojee. 
Foal  of  one  month,  KuTia. 

of  four  months,  Si  nay  a. 

of  eight  months,  Wastat. 

to  be  in,  Gabhin. 
Foam,  from  the  mouth,  Kuf. 
Foment,  SenJcna. 
Foot,  Pijr. 
Foot  and  mouth  disease,  Kur- 

puka;  klmrlia. 
Foot-board,  Paondan. 
Forage,  Cham. 

,,     daily  allowance  of,  Eutil. 
Forearm,  Bazoo;  dund. 
Forehead,  Matlia;  peshanee. 
Fore-leg,  Hath. 
Fore-lock,  Choice. 


Forge,  Mistree-khana. 
Four  year  old,  Charsala. 
Frog,  Putlee. 
Fullering  (of  a  shoe),  Punalee. 

Gallop,     to,    DOWDM;     sitrput 

phenkna. 
Garron,  Dugga. 
Geld,  to,  Akhta  kurna. 
Gelding,  A^hta. 
Ginger  (dry),  Sonth. 

„      (green),  Udruk. 
Girth,  Tung. 

Girth-gall,  Zer  tuny  zukhm. 
Girth-tug,  Chheep. 
Glanders,  JQiunak;  seembha. 
Gloves    of    hair  for  grooming, 

Huthee. 

Go-down  (of  water,  etc.),  Gliooni. 
Goose-rumped,  Tubur  goon. 
Gram,  Chuna. 

„     (Madras),  Kulthee. 
Granulate,  to,  Angoor  bhurna. 
Granulations,  Angoor. 
Grass,  Ghas. 
Grass-cutter,  Ghuseeara. 
Grass  lands  (preserved),  Rukli. 
Graze,  to,  Churna. 

,,     to  send  to,  Churana. 
Grey  or  white,  with  dark  mane 
and  tail,  Subza. 

„      flea-bitten,  Mugsee. 

„      dappled,  Guldar  subza. 

„      iron,  Neela  subza. 

„      nutmeg,  Lai  subza. 
Grey,  with  skin  black  and,white 

in  patches,  Sunjdf. 
Grind  coarsely,  to,  Dulna. 

,,      finely,  to,  Peesna. 
Groom,  Saees. 

,,       to,  Malish  kurna. 
Gullet,  Hulk.  This  word  is,  also, 

applied  to  the  windpipe. 
Gums,  Mmoore. 

Hair  fof  the  inane  and  tail),  Bal. 
,,    (of  the  body),  jRoan;  rom. 


242 


TEAINING  IN   INDIA. 


Half-bred  (horse),  Doghla. 

Halter,  Nukta. 

Hames,  Huslee. 

Hammer,  shoeing  smith's,  IIu- 

thoivree. 
Handful  (double),  Unjul. 

„        (single),  Mutihee. 
Hand-rub,  to,  Hath  se  mulncc. 
Hard-mouthed  (horse),  Moohzor. 
Harness,  Saz. 

„      (di  uble),  JOYCC  ka  saz. 

„      (single),  Ekla  saz. 

„      (tandem),     Ayul    picliul 

saz. 

Haw  (of  the  eye),  Butana. 
Head,  Sir. 
Head- collar,  Nukta. 
Head-groom,  Jumudar  saees. 
Head-rope,  Agaree. 
Head-stall  (of  a  bridle),  Sirdu- 

ivalee. 
Heart,  Dil. 
Hedge,  Bai. 

Heel  (of  the  hoof),  Khooniee. 
Heel-rope,  Pichharee. 
Hidebound,  Chirm  khiishk. 
High-couraged,  Jan  baz. 
Hill  pony,  Tanghun.  • 
Hind  leg,  Paon. 
Hind  quarters,  Putlma. 
Hip,  Koola. 
Hobbles,  casting,  @h&r  puchhar; 

luuyur. 
„       (for    the     hind    legs), 

Mit j 'a  i  mi. 
Hock,  Koonch. 
Hoe,  Phurv-a. 

Hole  (of  stirrup  leather),  Ghur. 
Hollow-backed  horse,  Kuchhee, 

or  zccn  pi'tsht  ghora. 
Holsters,  Kiiboor. 
Honey,  Shuhud. 
Hood  (clothing),  Kunsilla. 

„      (of  a  carriage),  Uttrsatec. 
Hoof,  Sfim. 

Hoof  ointment,  Si'm  roghiut. 
Horse,  (jrhoia. 


Horse  with  four  white  stockings 
and  blaze,  Puchkuleeyan. 

Horse,  to  ("to  come  in  season"), 
Gurin  hojana;  beglana;  aluny 
hona. 

Horse-fly,  Dans. 

Hot,  Gurm. 

Hoven,  Badee. 

Hurdle,  Phoos  kee  iitiiee. 


Indian    hemp    (dried    flowers), 

Ganja. 
„         „        (leaves),  BUurnj ; 

subzee. 

„         „        (resin),  Churns. 
Indigestion,  Bud-huzmce. 
Inflau-matioii,  Jidun;  sozish. 

„  of  the  feet,  Sum 

ka  tup. 
„  of  the  liver,  Kideje 

kee  beemaree. 

„  of  the  lungs,  Phe- 

phre  kee  beemaree. 
Intestines,  Ant,  untwree. 
Iron,  sulphate  of,  Huree  knsees. 

Jade  (horse),  Khidhir. 

Jaundice,  lurkan;  kuiuuulbad 

Jaw,  Jtibru. 

Jib,  to,  Urh-jana, 

Jockey,  Cocn'/tn-an. 

Joint,  e/br,  ganth,  gira. 

Jump,  to,  koodna;  phandna. 

Keeper  (on  reins),  Miichhlee. 
Kerosine  oil,  Miiiee  ka  tel. 
Kick,  to,    Pushtnk    mama;    hit 

chulana. 
Kick,  to  (with  both  feet  at  once), 

Diduttte  mania. 
Kicker,  Luttur. 
Kidney,  Giirda. 
Knee,  Ghuiita;  zauoo. 
Knife,  Chhunr. 

Lame,  Lunyia. 


HINDUSTANEE   VOCABULAKY. 


243 


Lame  chronically,  Kiilnta  hunj. 
Laminitis,  Sum  ka  tup. 
Lampas,  Talooa. 
Lard,  Soour  kee  cJtnrbee. 
Lead  a  horse,  to.  Tilda  im. 
Leading  rein,  Bay&jn'i1. 
Leather,  Chianra. 
Leech,  Jouk. 
Lirne,  Choona. 
Linseed,  Utsee;  teesee. 

,,        oil,  Ulsee  ka  teL,  or  teesee 

ka  teL 
Lip,  Ho  nth 
Lip-strap,  JJuJiadi'tree. 
Litter  (manure),  Khad. 
Liver,  Kideja. 
Livery  stables,  Vryurra. 
Loins,  Kiintr. 

,,      Paralysis  of  the,  Kuinree. 
Loodianah      fever,       6r«theea; 

bltixjona  ;  zuhurbail. 
Lotion,  Done  kee  du  /.'•</. 
Lukewarm,  Sheer  (/arm. 
Lunge  a  horse,  to,  Kawa  dcna. 
Lungs, 


Madness,  Deewanyee. 

Maggots,  Kecre. 

Maixe,  Mukaee. 

Mane,  Y«l. 

Mange,  Klrujlve;  kharish. 

^[are,  Oltoi'ee;  mad  wan. 

Mark  in  the  teeth,  Dant  kee  see 


Martingale, 
Matter  (pus),  Peeb. 
Megrims,  Mir  gee. 
Melanosis,  Uamum.-/'. 
Membrane,  JhiUee. 
Mercury,  Para. 
Mill,  hand,  Chukkee. 
Millet,  liajra,  jii'iuar. 
Moon-blindness,     lluttut 

n/tiib-kurct'. 

Mount,  to,  Sti/car  /num. 
Mouse-coloured  (horse), 
Mouth,  Moonh. 


Mucus  (from  the  eyes),  keechur. 
,,      (  ,,      „    ^nose),    Nefa; 

rent. 

,,       (  ,,       ,,     throat),    klta- 
khar. 

Muscle,  Gosltt. 
Mustard,  PtaL 

,,        oil,  /SVrson  ka  teL 
Muzzle  (of  face),  Tootlum. 

„      (  ,,  wire,  etc.),   Chheeka. 

Nail,  Prey;  mekla.. 

Nave  (of  a  wheel),  Nabh. 

Navicular  disease,  Sitrim  bad  (?). 

Neatsfoot  oil,  Pae  ka  teL 

Neck,  Gurdun. 

Neigh,  Hinhinana. 

Nerve,  Usttb. 

Nitre,  Shora. 

Nose,  Nak. 

Nose  bag,  Tobxa. 

Nose  band,  Nasbund. 

Nostrils,  Nut/ma. 

Nut  (of  a  screw),  Dibree. 

Nux  vomica,  Kmlila. 

Oakgalls,  Majoo. 

Oats,  Jy. 

Oil,  Tel. 

Ointment,  M urJi  u  m . 

Once  round  (race-course),  Poora 

chukkur. 

One-eyed,  Kai\a. 
Ophthalmia,  Ankh  tifhna. 
Opium,  A  fee  in. 

Pad  (harness),  Chal. 

Pain,  Durd. 

Palate,  Taloo. 

Pancreas,  Libba. 

Panel  (of  a  saddle),  Gaddee. 

Pant,  to,  Hatnpna. 

Paraffine  oil,  M  litre  ka  teL 

Parrot-mouthed,  Tote  duliun. 

Pastern,  Gamchce. 

Paw,to^fi-om  impatience),  TUJJHU  . 


244 


TRAINING  IN   INDIA. 


Paw,  to  (strike  out  with  the  fore- 
leg), Tap  mama. 
Pepper,  black,  Gol  mirch. 

,,        red,  Lai  mirch. 
Periosteum,  Hu&dee  kee  jhillee. 
Pestle  and  mortar,  Hawun  dista. 
Physic,  Dmva. 

,,       to,  Duwa  dena. 

,,       to  (purge),  Julab  dena. 
Pickaxe,  Gyntee. 
Picker  (hoof),  Smn-Khudme. 
Piebald,  \Kala  abluk. 
Pincers,  Zumboor;  simrsee. 
Pinch  (of  salt,  etc.),  Chuikee. 
Pleuro-pneurnonia  (cattle),  Phee- 

pree. 

Plunge,  to,  Lumbeean  kurna. 
Pneumonia,  Phephre  kee  beemarce 
Pole  (of  a  carriage),  Bum. 
Pony,  yaboo  ;  tattoo. 
Poppy  heads,  Posta. 
Pores  of  the  skin,  Musam. 
Port  of  a  bit,  Jeebhee. 
Posts  and  rails,  Jimgla. 
Pot  (cooking),  Deychee. 
Poultice,  Lubdee. 
Powder  (dry  medicine),  Sufoof. 

,,       (medicine  wrapped  up 
in  paper),  Pui-eea. 
Prance,  to,  Naclina. 
Proud  flesh,  Bud  yosht. 
Pulse  (artery),  Nubz. 
Pumiced  feet,  Chupatee  sum. 
Punch,  Suriiba  ;  pogur. 
Pupil  of  the  eye,  Ankh  keepidlee. 
Pus  (matter),  Peeb. 

Quarter-ill    (cattle),     Gufheca; 

yolee. 
Quiet  (as  a  horse),  Gihiireeb. 

Race,  Bazee ;  shurt. 

Eace- course,  C/tnkkur;  ghtirdowi 

Race-horse,  Glua-dowree  ghuTit  ; 

shurtee  yhora. 
Rasp,  Ret. 
Rear,  to,  Alif  liona. 


Reins,  Ras. 

Removing  (shoes),  Khol-bundee. 

Resin,  Ral. 

Retention  of  urine,  Pesliab-bund. 

Rheumatism,  Baee. 

Ribs,  Paslee. 

Rice  (cooked),  Bliat. 

,,    (in  husk),  Dhan. 

,,    (uncooked),  Chawul. 
Rice-water,  Kanjee. 
Ride,  Smvaree  kiirtta. 
Rig,  a,  Ek  andeea. 
Rinderpest, Mata;  cliecliuk;  devee 
Ring  (of  martingale, etc.),  Chlnda 

,,    (of  metal),  Kaii. 
Ringbone  (on  fore-feet),  Chuk- 

rawid. 

,,       (on  hind-feet),  Ptistuk. 
Ringworm,  Dad. 
Roan,  Gurra. 
Roar,   to    (disease),    Sherd umee 

kurna. 

Roaring,  Sherdumee. 
Rock  salt,  Numuk  sung. 
Roller  (band),  Furakhee. 
Rope,  Russte. 
Rosette,  Kiirn-plwol. 
Rough  rider,  Chabuk  suwar. 
Rowel,  Phirkee. 
Rubber  (towel),  Jharun. 
Rump,  Puiha. 
Run  away,  to,  Bhag-jana. 

Saddle,  Zeen. 

,,       to,  Zeen  bandhna. 
Saddle-cloth,    Tuh-roo ;    urhk- 

yeer  ;  numda  ;  myl  khora. 
Saddle  -  covering,       Zeen  -posh  ; 

bogh-bund. 

Saddle-dressing,  Moomroghun . 
Saddle-flaps,  Dawun. 
Saddler,  Zeensaz;  zeenka  mochee. 
Saddle-stand,  Ghorce. 
Sal  ammoniac,  Noiv&i<lnr. 
Saliva,  Ral. 
Palt,  Numuk. 
Saltpetre,  Shora. 


HINDUSTANEE  VOCABULARY. 


245 


Salts  (Epsoin),  Julabee  numuk. 

Sandcrack,  Shikak  sum. 

Scales,  Turazoo. 

Scissors,  Kainchee. 

Scrotum,  Fota. 

Selling  race,  LeeJamee  bazee. 

Sesamum  oil,  Til  ka  tel,  or  jin- 

jilee  kfi  ttl. 

Shaft  (of  a  carriage),  Dunda. 
Shaft-tugs,  Choongee. 
Sheaf  (of  straw,  etc.),  Poola. 
Sheath,  Ghilaf. 
Shoe,  Nal. 

Shoeing,  Nal-lmndee. 
Shoeing  smith,  Nal-bund. 
Shoe  with  calkins,  Khoonteedar 
rtftL 

,,       ,,     clips,  Thokurdar  nal. 
Shoulder,  Phur  ;  Kandhee. 
Shy,  to,  BhuTitkna. 
Sickle,  Durantee. 
Sieve,  Chhulnee. 
Sinew,  Pi/;  nuss;  putfha. 
Skeleton,  Thuthuree. 
Skewbald,  Lai  allnk. 
Skin,  Chvmra. 
Skittish,  Chimchnl. 
Slight-built,  Chhurera  l)udun. 
SHng,  Jlinla. 
Slow    (as    a    horse),   Dheema; 

muiha. 

Snaffle,  Kuzaee. 
Snort,  to,  Furfur  kurna. 
Soap,  Sabitn. 
Soap-nut,  Reeta. 
Sole  of  the  foot,  Dilla;  tulwa. 
Sore  back,  Peet\i  luyna. 

,,  mouth,  Buchka. 

,,  throat,  Gulsooa. 
Sound  (as  a  horse),  Be  ayb. 
Spavin,  bog,  Motra. 

,,       bone,  ^/dda. 
Speck  (in  the  eye),  Chluent. 
Spinal  cord,  Huram  mushz. 
Spleen,  Tillee. 
Splint  (bone),    Bel  hu&dee,  ler 

hu&dee. 


Splinter  (of  bone,  etc.),  Kiricli. 
Spoke  of  a  wheel,  Duree. 
Sprain,  Modi. 
Sprain  a  tendon  or  ligament,  to, 

Pi/  ajana. 
Spud    (for    rooting  up  grass), 

Kurpa. 

Spur,  Kania ;  mumrez. 
Stable,  Istubbul;  than;  tiibela. 
Stack  (of  hay,  etc.),  Gurree. 
Star  on  forehead, Sitarapeslianee. 
Steeplechase,  Tuttee  bazee. 
Stifle,  Kulala. 
Stirrup,  Hiked). 
StiiTup-leather,  Rikab  duwal. 
Stirrup-lock,  Champ. 
Stomach,  ^Totha. 
Stomachic,  Pachtik. 
Strangles,  Hubuk. 
Strap,  Tusma. 
Straw,  Puiual. 

,,       (a  single),  Tinka. 

,,       (for  bedding),  Bichalee. 
Strawberiy  roan,  with  white  legs 

and  muzzle,  and  coat  ticked 

out  with  white,  Cheena. 
Stringhalt,  Jhiri/nk-lad. 
Stripe  down  back,  like  that  of  a 

donkey,  Selee. 

Stud-bred,  a,  Lumburee  gJwra. 
Stumble,  to,  Thokur  khana. 
Sugar-cane,  Ounna;  ookh;  eekh. 
Sugar  of  lead,  Sufeda. 
Sulphate  of  copper,  Neela  tooteea. 
Sulphur,  Gunduk. 
Suppression  of  urine,  Peshal)  bund 
Surcingle,  Bala  tung. 
Surfeit   (skin  disease),   Gurmee 

dane. 

Sweat,  Puseena. 
Sweat- scrapers,  Puseena-kush. 
Sweet  oil,  Meeiha  tel. 
Swelling,  Wurum;  soojun. 
Synovia,  Jbr  ka  tel. 

Tack  (small  nail),  Birinjee. 
Tail,  Dum. 


246 


TRAINING  IN   INDIA. 


Tan,  Bultla. 

Tape,  Feeta. 

Temple  (of  head),  Kun-pnttee. 

Tendon,  Py ;  nuss;  puiiha. 

Tetanus,  Chandnee  kee  beemaree; 

pista  duhun. 

Thick  (as  gruel,  etc.),  Garlta. 
Thigh,  Ran. 
Thorough-bred,  Useel. 
Thorough-pin,  Bh  ubJinotura. 
Three  year  old,  Do-ek. 
Throat,  Gula. 
Throat-lash,  Gultunnee. 
Thrush  (disease),  finss. 

,,       to  have,  Euss  idurna. 
Tire  of  a  wheel,  Hal. 
Tired  (fatigued),  ThuJe  gya. 
Toe  of   the    foot,  Thokur  ;   pes 

(more  correctly,  ^5<?s7/). 
Tongue,  Jeebh. 
Tongue  of  a  buckle,  Buksooa  kee 

sooee. 
Tooth,  dant. 

,,       milk,  Doodh  ha  dant. 

,,       molar,  Darh. 

,,       (nippers),  Dant. 

,,       permanent,  Pukka  dant  ; 
pukka  darn. 

,,       wolf's,  Chor  dant. 
Tow,  Sun. 

Trace  (harness),  Jot. 
Trace-bearer,  Manik  jot. 
Trot,  to,  Dulkec  chulna. 
Trough  (feeding),  Kutla.ra. 
Trowel  (for  rooting  up  grass), 

Kurpa. 

Tumour,  Rusaowlee. 
Turpentine      (crude),       Gunda 

biroza. 

,,  (oil  of),  Gunda  liroze 

ka  tel ;  tarpeen  ka  tel. 
Tush,  Nesh;  &oontee. 
Twitch,  Kiichmal;  Poozmal. 
Two  year  old,  Nakund. 
Tympanitis,  Badee. 

Underbred,  Kumzat. 


Unsound,  Aybee. 
Unsoundness,  Ayb. 
Upright  pasterns,  Murgh-pa. 
Urethra,  Neze  ka  soorr/kh. 

Vagina,  Chord. 

Vein,  Riiff ;  IM treed. 

Venice  turpentine,  Gunda  liroza. 

Arerdigris,  Jimnal. 

Vertebra,  Munka. 

Veterinary  manual,  Furm  nnma 

Veterinary  Surgeon,    Saloturee 

tahib. 

Vicious  (as  a  horse),  Tiudzat. 
ATinegar,  Sirka. 

Walk,  to  (as  a  horse),  Kudnm 

L' ml ii in  cTmlna. 

Walk  a  horse,  to,  Roivl  kitrna. 
Wall,  Deewal. 
Wall  of  the  hoof,  SJutlnk. 
Wall-eyed  (one  eye),  Takee. 

,,          (both    eyes),     Sulij- 
manee. 

Wart,  Mussa. 
Water,  Panee. 

,,      boiling,  Khoirlta  panee.  ; 

josh  panev. 
Wax,  Moom. 
Weave,     to    (a    stable    trick), 

Jhoomna. 

Weaver ,  Jh  oomne  wa  la . 
Weighing-room,  Tol  ghur. 
Weight  cloth,  Seeaa-guddee. 
AVheat,  Gel  won. 

Wheel  (of  a  carriage),  Pnlili/a. 
Whip,  Cftabuk. 

White,  with  white  mane  and  tail, 
and  black  skin,  8£rkha. 
,,       ,,  pink  skin,  Nukra. 
,,       ,,  dark  mane  and  tail, 

Subza. 
N.B.    Sufed  is  the  common 

word  for  w^.iite. 
Windgall,  Byza. 
Window,  Kirkee. 
Windpipe,  Hulk. 


IDIOMS   AND   PHRASES, 


247 


Wind-sucker,  Howa  pcene  wala. 
Winkers,  Putta. 
Winning-post,  Jeet  bee  litkYee. 
Wisp,  Koocha. 
Witters,  Mudmv. 
Womb,  Kokh. 
Worm  in  the  eye,  Moonja. 
Worms  (round),  Kenchooa. 


Worms  (thread),  Cliunclnina. 
Wound,  Zukkm. 

Yard,  N<?za. 
Yearling,  SurJoo. 

Zinc,  sulphate  of,  Sufed  tooteea. 


IDIOMS  AND  PHBASES. 


The  abscess  has  come  to  a  head 
The  horse  has  a  sore  lack 
My  horse  is  Mo  wn 
The  horse  bolted  off  the  course  . . . 
My  horse  bores  to  the  right 
Where  was  that  horse  bred  ?     ... 
The  horse  is  not  properly  broken  in 
The  horse  has  cut  himself  brushing 
The  horse  has  a  cataract  in  his 

off  eye 

The  horse  is  in  hard  condition  ... 
The  horse  is  a  crib-biter  (or  wind- 

sucker)    ... 

Wash  the  horse's  dock  and  sheath 
The  horse  looks  dull 

He  felt  oft  the  horse       

The  horse's  leg  is  filled 

Put  the  shoe  /irmly  on   ... 

The  mare  is  in  foal         

Foment  the  horse's  leg  with  hot 

water  for  half  an  hour 
Slacken  the  girths 

Tighten  the  girth s  

Give   your   horse   two  or  three 

go -downs  of  water 
The  horse  chucks  his  head  (when 

being  ridden)    ... 
The  horse  has  cracked  heels 


PboYa  piil-  gya. 
GhoYe  kee  peefh  lugee  by. 
Hamare ghoYe  ka  dumphoolgya  hai. 
OhoYa  chukkur  se  phut  gya. 
Humara  ghoYa  da  bine  ko  bag  kurta 
Wuli  kis  khet  ka  ghoYa  by  ? 
GhoYe  ka  mooh  kuchcha  hy. 
GliOYe  ko  newur  luga  hy. 
GhoYe    kee    dahinee    ankh    men 

moteea-bind  hy. 
GhoYa  ka  budun  gutheela  hy. 

GhoYa  howa  peeta. 

Gboie  kee  saghiree  aur  fota  dho. 

GhoYa  sust  maloom  deta  by. 

With  ghoYe  pur  se  gira. 

GhoYe  ko  py  agyee. 

Nal  jikkitY  ke  bandho. 

GhoYee  gabhin  hy. 

GhoYe  ke  pyr  ko  garni  panee  se 

adhe  ghunte  tuk  seYiko. 
Tung  dkeele  kvro. 
Tung  kuso. 
Apne  ghoYe    ko  do  teen  ghoont 

panee  do. 

GhoYa  sir  marta. 
GhoYe  kee  gamchee  men  cbbeewur 
bo  gya. 


248 


TEAINING   IN   INDIA. 


He  hogged  the  mane  of  his  pony 

Hold  my  horse     

The  jockey  was  not  able  to  hold 

the  horse 
Lengthen  the  stirrups  one  hole... 

Shorten  the  stirrups  two  holes  ... 
The  horse's  hoof  slopes  too  much; 

take  more  off  the  toes 
The  horse  has  hurt  his  leg 

Don't  jer k  the  reins         

The  horse  has  clean  legs 

The  horse  has  got  lockjaw 
Make  much  of  your  horse 
He  can't  master  the  horse 
That  horse  is  difficult  to  mount 
The  mare  has  a  light  mouth 

How  old  is  that  horse  ? 

The  horse  has  ophthalmia 

Tell  me  the  good  and  bad  points 

of  that  horse 

The  horse  pulls  a  great  deal 
The  grey  horse  refused  the  water- 
jump      

Your  horse  is  a  roarer 

He  has  a  strong  seat       

He  has  a  weak  seat 

Ride  the  horse  at  a  smart  walk... 

Take  the  horse  once  round  at 
half  speed 

The  horse  has  sprained  his  leg  ... 

I  will  give  the  horse  a  sweat  to- 
morrow morning 

The  horse  goes  tender  on  the 
near  foreleg 

The  horse  has  thrush      

Don't  put  on  the  bandages  too 
tight  

The  horse  trips 

The  horse  turns  out  his  toes 

The  horse  is  a  weaver     

The  horse's  wind  is  good 

The  horse's  wind  is  bad 

Wisp  down  the  horse 

The  horse's  withers  are  galled  ... 


Usne    apne   tattoo    kee    yal    ho 

Zmoree  keeya. 
Humara  ghoi'a  thamo. 
Coachwan  ghoie  ko  nuheen  rok 

sukka. 
Rikal    ko   ek   ghur   aur  lumla 

kuro. 

Rikab  ko  do  ghur  churhao. 
Ghore  ka  sum  zeeada  sulamee  hy, 

punje  ke  neeche  se  aur  cheelo 
GhoYe  he  pyr  ko  chot  lugee. 
Ras  ko  jhutka  mut  do. 
GhoTe  ke  hath  pyr  durust  hyn, 
Ghore  ko  chandne  ne  mara. 
Apne  ghoice  ko  dilasa  do, 
Grhora  is  se  nuheen  dubta. 
Wuh  ghora  lud  rikab  hy. 
Madwan  ka  moonh  nurm  hy. 
Us  ghore  kee  umr  kya  hy  ? 
GhoTe  kee  ankh  ufhee. 
Us  ghore  ke  ayb  aur  hi'tnur  hum 

se  kuho. 
Ghorsi  buhut  moonh  zor  hy. 

Subza  ghora  nale  se  phut  gya. 

Tumhara  ghora  sherdumee  kurta. 

Uska  asun  kura  hy. 

Uska  asun  dhee?a  hy. 

Ghore  ko  chutuk  se  kudum  kudum 

chullao. 
GhorS  ko  ek  chukkur  «th  anne  ka 

do. 

Ghore  ke  pyr  men  moch  aya. 
Hum  kul  fujjur  ghore  se  pusseena 

nikalenge. 
Ghora  apne  bayan  hath  ko  kuchh 

manta  hy. 
Ghoie  ke  sum  men  rus  utura  hy. 

Puttee  zeeada  tung  mut  Imndho. 
Ghora  thokur  khata. 
67* ore  ke  pyr  men  tao  hy. 
Ghoxa  humesha  jhoomta. 
Ghore  ka  dum  khoo&  achcha  hy. 
Ghoie  ka  dum  jiddee  tootjata. 
Ghore  ke  kooncha  maro. 
Ghore  ka  mudow  sooja  hy. 


CALCUTTA    TUKF    CLUB    WEIGHTS 

FOR 

AGE    AND    CLASS. 


WEIGHTS  FOR   AGE   AND   CLASS. 
JANUARY. 


251 


English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

A  A  MILK. 

f  OF  A  MILE. 

3 
yrs. 

4           5       G  and 
yr  '.       yrs.     aged. 

3 

yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

G  and 
aged. 

st    Ibs 
8     6 
9     1 
6    0 

5    0 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     7 
7     2 
6    2 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

7     7 
6    7 

s1-,  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
G  7 

st    Ibs 
8     3 
8  12 
5    4 
4     4 

s*.    Ibs 
9     5 
9     6 
6  12 
5  12 

st    Ibs    st    Ibs 
9797 
9797 
7577 
G    5     G    7 

1  MILE. 

1J  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
7  13 
8    9 
4  11 
3  11 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
9     5 
6     6 
5     6 

St     108 

9    7 
9    7 
7    4 
6    4 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

st    Ib3 
7    9 
8    6 
4     7 
3     7 

st   Ibs 
9     3 
9    4 
6    4 
5     4 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7    3 
6    3 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .  .  . 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-bred; 
Arabs 

1|  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
7     4 
8    3 
4     3 
3     3 

st    Ibs 
9     1 
9    3 
6     1 
5     1 

st    Ibs 
9    6 
9     7 
7     1 
6    1 

St  l'.S 

9  7 

9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

st    Ibs 
7     2 
8     1 
3  13 
2  13 

st    Ibs 

9    0 
9    2 
5  11 
4  11 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
9     7 
6  13 
5  13 

st     Ibs 

9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

2  MILES. 

2i  MILES. 

st     bs 
6  13 
i  7  13 
3    9 

:  2     9 

st    Ibs 
8  13 
9    2 
5    9 
4    9 

st    Ibs 
9     5 
9     7 
6  12 
5  12 

t-t    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
G     7 

st    Ibs 
!  6    7 
i  7     9 
3    5 

;  2   5 

st    Ibs 
8  11 
9     1 
5     3 
4     3 

et    Ibs 
9     4 
9     7 
6  10 
5  10 

st      Its 
9     7 
9    7 

7  7 
6  7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

st    Ibs 

»;:;  :: 

st    Ibs 
8  11 
9     1 
4  11 
3  11 

1  st    Ibs 
9     4 
9     7 
G     7 
5     7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 

st    Ibs 
8     0 
8  10 
4     3 
3     3 

st    Ibs 
9    0 
9     5 
6    0 
5    0 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

252 


CALCUTTA  TUEF   CLUB   RULES. 
FEBRUARY. 


English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .  .  . 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    ,.     ... 

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    . 

J  A  MILE. 

|  OF  A  MILE. 

3 

yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 
yrs. 

6  and 

aged. 

3 

yrs. 

4 

yrs. 

5 
yrs. 

6  and 

aged. 

st    Ibs 
8    8 
9    3 
6    2 
5     2 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     7 
7     2 
6     2 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8     5 
9    0 
5    6 
4    6 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
9     7 
6  13 
5  13 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     5 
6    5 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

1  MILE. 

1|  MILES. 

st    Its 
8     1 
8  11 
5    0 
4    0 

so    Ibs 
9    4 
9     6 
6    9 
5    9 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
7  11 
8    8 

st    Ibs 
9    3 
9    5 
6    6 
5     6 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7    3 
6    3 

so    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

6    4 

6    7 

3    9 

1£  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
7    6 
8    5 
4    5 
3    5 

st    Ibs 
9    1 
9    4 
6    3 
5    3 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9    7 
7    2 
6    2 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 

7    4 
8    3 
4    2 
3    2 

st    Ibs 
9    0 
9    3 
5  13 
4  13 

st    Ibs 
9     5 
9     7 
7    0 
6    0 

80     Ibs 

9     7 
9     7 

7     7 
6    7 

2  MILES. 

2£  MILES. 

8t     IbS 

7    1 
8     1 
3  12 
2  12 

et    Ibs 
8  13 
9    3 
5  11 
4  11 

st    ibs 
9    5 
9    7 
6  13 
5  13 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
6  10 
7  12 
3    8 
2    8 

st    ibs 
8  12 
9     2 
5    5 
4    5 

et    Ibs 

9    5 
9    7 
6  11 
5  11 

st    Ibs 

9    7 

9    7 
7     7 
6    7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

st     Ihs 

9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

sc    Ibs 

st    Ibs 
8  12 
9     2 
4  13 
3  13 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
9     7 
6    8 
5    8 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st   Ibs 

st    Ibs 
8     2 
8  12 
4    5 
3    5 

st    Ibs 
9    1 
9    5 
6    2 
5    2 

WEIGHTS  FOB  AGE   AND   CLASS.  253 

MARCH. 


English 
Australians... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians.. 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Austalians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs           •  . 

£  A  MILE. 

|  OP  A  MILE. 

3 

yrs. 

4 

yrs. 

5 
yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

3 
yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

Band 
aged. 

st    Ibs 
8    9 
9     4 
6     3 
5     3 

sh   Ibs 
9    6 
9    7 
7    3 
6    3 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8     6 
9     1 
5    8 
4    8 

st    Ibs 
9     5 
9    7 
6  13 
5  13 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    5 
6    5 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

1  MILE. 

1|  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
8     2 
8  12 
5     2 
4    2 

st    Ibs 
9    4 
9    6 
6  11 
5  11 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

St  11.3 

9  7 
9  7 

st    Ibs 
7  12 
8    9 

*t    Ibs 
9    3 
9    5 
6    8 
5    8 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    3 
6    3 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 

7  7 
6  7 

6    4 

6  7 

3  11 

1£  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
7     8 
8    6 
4     7 
3    7 

st    Ibs 
9     1 
9    4 
6    5 
5     5 

st    Ibs 
9    6 
9     7 
7     2 
6     2 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

st    Ibs 
7    6 
8    4 
4     4 
3     4 

st    Ibs 
9    0 
9    3 
6    1 
5    1 

ST.    Ibs 
9    6 
9    7 
7    1 
6    1 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

2  MILES. 

2£  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
7    4 
8    3 
4    1 
3     1 

st    Ibs 
9     0 
9    3 
5  13 
4  13 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     7 
7    0 
6    0 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

st    Ibs 

7    0 
8    0 
3  10 
2  10 

st    Ibs 
8  13 
9    2 
5     7 
4    7 

bt    Ibs 
9    6 
9    7 
6  12 
5  12 

st,  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

• 
3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

at  ibs 

st    ibs  i  st    Ibs 
8  13     9    6 
9297 
5169 
4159 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

st    Ibs 

st    Ibs 
8     4 
9     0 
4     7 
3     7 

st    Ibs 
9     2 
9    6 
6    4 
5     4 

st  Ibs 

9  7 
9  7 

7  7 
6  7 

254 


CALCUTTA   TURF   CLUB   RULES. 
APRIL. 


English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-brede 
Arabs    ...     ... 

J  A  MILE. 

5  OF  A  MILE. 

3 
yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 
yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

3 
yrs. 

4 

yrs. 

5 
yre. 

G  and 
aged. 

st    Ibs 
8  10 

9    4 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
8     7 
9     2 
5  10 
4  10 

st  ibs  ; 

9     6  ' 
9    7  ! 
7    0 
6    0 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7    5 
6    5 

st  Iba 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

5     4 

6    3 

6    7 

6  7 

j 

1  MILE. 

1|  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
8    4 
9    0 
5     4 
4     4 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
9    6 
6  12 
5  12 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    6 
6    6 

Bt  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

st   ibs 
8    1 
8  11 
4  13 
3  13 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
9     5 
6    9 
5     9 

st    Ibs    st    Ibs 
9797 
9797 
7477 
6467 

1£  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st   Ibs 
7  11 
8    8 
4    9 
3    9 

bt    Ibs 
9     2 
9    4 
6    6 
5     6 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    3 
6    3 

st  ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

st    Ibs 
7     9 
8     6 
4     6 
3    6 

st    Ibs 
9     1 
9     3 
6     3 
5     3 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     7 
7    2 
G     2 

bt   l 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

2  MILES. 

2£  MILES. 

st   Ibs 
7    7 
8    5 

st    Ibs 
9    1 
9     3 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
7     3 
8     2 
3  12 
2  12 

st    Ibs 
9     0 
9     2 
5     9 
4     9 

6t      Ib3 

9     6 

9     7 
7  13 
6  11 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

3    4 

5     1 

6    1 

6  7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

st   its 


st    Ibs 
9    0 
9     2 
5     3 
4     3 

st    Ibs 
9    6 
9    7 
6  10 
5  10 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

st   Ibs 

st    Ibs 
8    6 
9     1 
4     9 
3    9 

st    Ibs 
9    3 
9     6 
6    5 
5     5 

st  Ibs 

9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

WEIGHTS  FOE  AGE  AND  CLASS. 
MAY. 


255 


English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs 

£  A  MILE. 

f  OF  A  MILE. 

3 
3  re. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

3 

yrs. 

4 

yr*. 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

st    Ibs 
8  10 
9    4 
6    5 
5     5 

st    Ibs 

9     7 
9     7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 

st    Ibs 
8     9 
9     3 
5  11 
4  11 

6t    Ibs 
9    6 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

sc    tfs 
9    7 
9    7 

6     4 

6    7 

6     7 

6165 

6     7 

Eaglisa 
Australians  .  .  . 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-bredfr 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-breds 
Arabs       .     .. 

1  MILE. 

1£  MILES. 

so    Ibs 
8     7 
9    2 
5     6 
4     6 

st    Ibj 
9     5 
9     7 
6  12 
5  12 

st    Ibs 

9    7 
9    7 
7     4 
6    4 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8    4 
8  13 
5     1 
4     1 

SO      1'S 

9     4 
9    6 
6  10 
5  10 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     4 
6     4 

St      Ibs 

9    7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

1£  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
8    0 
8  10 
4  11 
3  11 

sr.    Ins 

9    3 
9     5 
6    7 
5     7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 
7     3 
6    3 

st    Jbs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    rt 

st    ibs 
7  11 
8    8 
4    8 
3    8 

st    Ibs 
9     2 
9     4 
6    4 
5     4 

st    Ibi 
9     6 
9     7 
7     2 
6    2 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

2  MILES. 

2£  MILES. 

si    Ibs 
7  10 
8    7 
4     6 
3     6 

st    Ibs 
9     1 
9     4 
6     2 
5     1 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     7 
7     1 
6     1 

st    ]bs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
7    6 
8     4 
4     0 
3    0 

st    Ibs 
9    0 
9     3 
5  11 
4  11 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     7 
6  13 
5  13 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

st     Ibs 
>  

st    Ibs 
9    0 
9     3 
5     5 
4     5 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     7 
6  11 
5  11 

st    Ibs 

9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    IDS 

st    Ibs 
8    8 
9    3 
4  11 
3  11 

st    Ibs    st    Ibs 
9    4  !  9    7 
9797 
6677 
5667 

.  •  •          •  •  • 

256 


CALCUTTA   TUEF   CLUB   EULES. 
JUNE. 


English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-lreds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-breds 
Arabs   

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-breds 

|  A  MILE. 

f  OF  A  MILE 

3 

yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 
yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

3 

yrs. 

4 

yrs. 

5 
yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

st   Ibs 
8  12 
9    5 
6    5 
5    5 

st   Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

st  Ibs 
9  7  1 

9  7  j 

st    Ibs 
8  11 
9    4 
5  12 
4  12 

st    Its 
9     6 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 

6    4 

6    7 

6  7 

6    1 

6    5 

6  7 

1  MILE. 

1J  MILES. 

st    Ibs 

8    9 
9    3 

5    8 

4    8 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
9    7 
6  13 
5  13 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7    5 
6    5 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

sb    Ibs 
8    5 
9    0 
5    3 
4    3 

st    Ibs 
9    4 
9     6 
6  11 
5  11 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    4 
6    4 

sr,  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 

7  7 
6  7 

1^  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
8    2 
8  11 
4  13 
3  13 

St     lb: 

9    3 
9     5 
6    8 
5     8 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    3 
6    3 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

st    Ibs 

8    0 
8    9 
4  10 
3  10 

st    Ibs 
9     2 
9    4 
6    5 
5     5 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     2 
6     2 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

2  MILES. 

2£  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
7  12 
8    8 
4    8 
3.    8 

st    Ibs 
9     2 
9    4 
6    3 
5    3 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 

st    Ibs 
7     9 
8    5 

st    Ibs 
9    1 
9    3 
5    2 
4    2 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    0 
6    0 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

6    1 

6  7 

3     2 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

st    Ibs 

st    Ibs 
9     1 
9    3 
5    7 
4    7 

bt    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
6  12 
5  12 

Bt    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

7  7 
6  7 

st   Ibs 


st    Ibs 
8  10 
9     5 
4  13 
3  13 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
9     7 
6    8 
5    8 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

9  7 

7  7 
6  7 

WEIGHTS   FOE  AGE   AND   CLASS. 
JULY. 


257 


\  A  MILE. 

f  OF  A  MILE. 

3 

4 

5 

Band 

3 

4 

5 

6  and 

jrs. 

yrs. 

yrs. 

aged. 

yrs. 

yrs. 

yrs. 

aged. 

English 

St     IbS 

9    0 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

st   Ibs 
9    7 

s«;    Ibs 
8  13 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

St     IbS 

9    7 

Australians... 
Country-breds 

9     6 
6     6 

9     7 
7    5 

9    7 
7    7 

9    7 
7    7 

i  9    5 
I  6    0 

9    7 

7    2 

9    7 
7    6 

9    7 

7    7 

Arabs    

5     6 

6    5 

6    7 

6    7 

i  5    0 

6    2 

6    6 

6    7 

1  MILE. 

1J  MILES. 

English 

st    Ibs 
8  11 

st    Ibs 
9     6 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 

SU     Jbs 

8     8 

st    Ibs 
9    5 

st    Ibs 

9    7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 

Australians.. 

9     4 

9    7 

9    7 

9     7 

9     1 

9    6 

9    7 

9    7 

Country-breds    5  10 

6  13 

7    5 

7     7 

5    5 

6  11 

7    5 

7    7 

Arabs    

4  10 

5  13 

6    5 

6    7 

4     5 

5  11 

6    5 

6    7 

\\  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

English 

st    Ibs 
8     4 

it      IbS 

9     4 

so    ios 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 

st    Ibs 
8     3 

st    Ibs 
9    3 

st    Ibs. 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 

Australians  ... 

8  12 

9     5 

9    7 

9    7 

7  11 

9    4 

9    7 

9    7 

Country-breds 

5     1 

6    8 

7    4 

7    7 

4  12 

6    6 

7    3 

7    7 

Arabs    

4     1 

5    8 

6    4 

6    7 

3  12 

5    6 

6    3 

6    7 

2  MILES. 

2£  MILES. 

English 
Australians  ... 

st    Ibs 
8     1 
8  10 
410 

st    Iba 
9     3 
9    4 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

st   Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
7  12 
8    7 

st    Ibs 
9     2 
9    3 

51  q 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

Country-breds 
Arabs    

3  10 

5    4 

6    2 

6    7 

3    4 

ID 
4  13 

1 

6    1 

7 
6    7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

English 

st    Ibs 

st    Ibs 
9     2 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

st    Ibs 

st    Ibs 
8  12 

st    Ibs 
9     5 

st    Iba 
9     7 

Australians  ... 



9     3 

9    7 

9    7 

9     3 

9    7 

9    7 

Country-breds 



5    9 

6  13 

7    7 



5     1 

6    9 

7    7 

Arabs    '  

4    9 

5  13 

6    7 

4     1 

5    9 

6     7 

I 

258 


CALCUTTA  TURF   CLUB   RULES. 
AUGUST. 


English 
Australians  ... 
Country  -bred  s 
Arabs    

English 
Australians... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-breds 
Arabs  *  

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Gountrj-breds 
Arabs 

^  A  MILE. 

f  OP  A 

MILE. 

3 
yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 

3 
yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

st    Ibs 
9     3 

8     7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    6 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9     1 
8     4 
6    2 
5     2 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     5 
7     2 
6     2 

st   Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7    6 
6    6 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

5     7 

6    5 

6    7 

6    7 

1  MILE. 

1J  MILES. 

sn     Ihs 

8  13 
8     1 
5  11 
4  11 

8*.      ll>8 

9    6 
9     4 
6  13 

5  13 

st     Ibs 

9    7 
9     7 
7     5 
6    5 

st    Jbs 
9     7 
9     7 
7    7 
6     7 

st    Ibs 
8  10 
7  11 
5     7 

4     7 

st    Ibs 
9     5 
9     3 
6  11 
5  11 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     5 
6     5 

St     Ihs 

9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

1J  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
8     6 
7     5 
5     3 
4     3 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
9     1 
6    9 
5    9 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7     4 
6    4 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8    5 
7    2 
5    0 
4    0 

st    Ibs 
9     3 
9    0 

G    7 
5     7 

st,    jbi 
9     7 
9    5 
7     3 
6    3 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

2  MILES. 

2£  MILES. 

>t    Ihs 

8    4 
6  13 
4  12 
3  12 

St      1^8 

9     3 
8  13 
6    5 
5     5 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    5 
7     2 
6     2 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 

6    7 

I 

st    Ibs 
8    0 
6    7 
4    6 
3    6 

st    Ibs 
9    2 
8  11 

st    Ibs    st    Ibs 
9     79     7 
9497 

5    1 

6     1 

6     7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

st    Ibs 

st    Ins 
9     2 
8  11 
5  11 
4  11 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    4 
7    0 
6    0 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 

st    Ibs 
9     0 
8    0 
5     3 
4     3 

St      lt)S 

9    6 
9    0 
6  11 
5  11 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

WEIGHTS   FOR  AGE   AND  CLASS. 
SEPTEMBER. 


259 


JA] 

tflLE. 

f   OF    A 

L  MILE 

3 
jrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yis. 

6  and 
aged. 

3 

yrs. 

4 

yrs. 

5 
yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

English 
Australians.. 
Country-breds 
Arabs    . 

st    Ibs 
9    4 
8    8 
6    8 
5    8 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     6 
7     5 
6    5 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

st    Ibs! 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

st    Ihg 
9     2 
8    5 
6    3 
5     3 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    5 
7     3 
6     3 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     6 
6     G 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    ...     ... 

English 
Australians  . 
Country-breds 
Ara^s 

1  MILE. 

1£  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
9    0 
8     2 
5  12 
4  12 

st     Ibs 

9     6 
9    4 
7    0 
6    0 

st     Ibs 

9     7 
9     7 
7     5 
6    5 

st    Ibs     st    Ibs 
97      8  11 
97      7  12 
7759 
6749 

st    Iba 
9    5 
9    3 
6  12 
5  12 

sr,  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  5 
6  5 

SI     Ibs 

9    7 
9    7 

7     7 
6     7 

H  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st   Ibs 
8    7 
7    6 
5    5 
4    5 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
9     1 
6  10 
5  10 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7    4 
6    4 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8    6 
7     3 
5    2 
4     2 

st    Ibs 
9    3 
9    0 
6    8 
5     8 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  5 
7  3 
6  3 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

2  MILES. 

2J  MILES. 

st    lrs 
8     5 
7     1 
4  12 
3  12 

st    Ibs 
9     3 
8  13 
6    6 
5     6 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     5 
7     2 
6    2 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

st    Ibs 
8     2 
6  10 
4     8 
3     8 

st    Ibs 
9    2 
8  12 
6    3 
5     3 

St  Jbd 

9  7 
9  5 
7  ii 
6  2 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 

7     7 
6    7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

li   Ibs 

!  '.'.'. 

st    Ibs 
9    2 
8  12 
5  13 
4  13 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    5 
7     1 
G     1 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 

7     7 

6     7 

i 

st    Ibs 

St      It.S 

9     1 

8     2 
5     5 
4     5 

St,  1"S 

9  6 
9  1 
6  13 
5  13 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

260  CALCUTTA  TURF   CLUB   RULES. 

OCTOBER. 


&  A  MILE. 

|  OF  A  MILE. 

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

3 

yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 

aged.  ! 

3 

yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

sfc    Ibs 
9    4 
8    9 
6    8 
5    8 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7    5 
6    5 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

at    Ibs 
9    3 
8    6 
6    5 
5    5 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    5 
7    3 
6    3 

st    Ibs 

9    7 
9    7 
7    6 
6    6 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

English 
Australians  .  .  . 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-breds 
Arabs     , 

1  MILE. 

1J  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
9    1 
8    3 
5  33 
4  13 

st    Ibs 

9    7 
9    4 
7    1 
6    1 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    6 
6    6 

st    Ibs! 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
7    7 

st    Ibs 

8  13 
8    0 
5  11 
4  11 

st    Ibs 
9    6 
9    3 
6  12 
5  12 

st    Ibs 

9    7 
9    7 
7    5 
6    5 

st  Ibs 
9  7 
9  7 
7  7 
6  7 

1£  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st   Ibs 
8    9 
7    8 
5    7 
4    7 

st    lb» 
9    5 
9     1 
6  10 
5  10 

st    Ibs 

9    7 
9    6 

7    4 
6    4 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8    8 
7    6 
5    4 
4     4 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
9    0 
6    9 
5    9 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7    3 
6    3 

st    Jbs 
9     7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

2  MILES. 

2J  MILES. 

Bt     IbS 

8    7 
7    4 
5    2 
4    2 

St      11.3 

9     4 
9    0 
6    7 
5    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7    2 
6    2 

ft    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8     4 
7    0 
4  10 
3  10 

st    Ibs 
9     3 
8  13 
6    5 
5    5 

st    1  s 
9     7 
9    6 
7    2 
6    2 

st    iis 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

st    Ibs 

st    Ins 

9    3 
8  13 
6    1 
5    1 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7    2 
6    2 

st  Ibs 

9  7 
9  7 

7  7 
6  7 

st    Ibs 

st    I  ha 

9    3 

8    4 
5    7 
4    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    2 
7    1 
6    1 

St  Ib3 

9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 



WEIGHTS   FOE  AGE   AND   CLASS. 
NOVEMBER. 


261 


English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-bred* 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  .. 
Country-bred 
Arabs       .     .. 

£  A  MILE. 

f  OP  A  MILE. 

3           4 
yrs.  1  yrd. 

5 
jra. 

6  and 
aged. 

3 
yrs. 

4 

yrs, 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

st    lb* 
9    5  ' 
8  11  1 
6  11 
5  11 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    6 
6    6 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs  l 

9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
8    8 
6    6 
5    6 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    6 

7    4 
6    4 

st   Ibe 
9    7 
9    7 

7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

1  MILE. 

j 

li  MILES. 

st    Ibi 
9     2 
8     5 
6    1 
5    1 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    5 
7    2 
6    2 

st    Ibo 
9     7 
9    7 
7    6 
6    6 

St      it.  3 

9    7 
9    7 

7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
9     0 
8     2 
5  13 
4  13 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     4 
7    0 
6    0 

tt    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    6 
6    6 

SJ     IbS 

9     7 
9     7 

7     7 
6    7 

1£  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
8  11 
7  11 
5    9 
4    9 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
9    2 
6  12 
5  12 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7    5 
6    5 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8  10 
7    9 
5    6 
4    6 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
9     1 
6  10 
5  10 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7    4 
6    4 

st    Jbs 
9     7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

2  MILES. 

2£  MILES. 

st   Ibs 
8    8 
7    7 
5    4 
4    4 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
9     1 
6    9 
5    9 

st    ibs 
9    7 
9    6 

st     Ihs 

9     7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
8    5 
7     3 

st    Ibs 
9    3 
9    0 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 

6    4 

6    7 

3  12 

5     7 

6    4 

6    7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

st   Ibs 

st    Ibs 
9    3 
9    0 
6    3 
5    3 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    6 
7    4 
6    4 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 

st    lb. 
9    5 
8    6 
.    5    9 
.    4    9 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    3 
7     3 
6    3 

St     jbS 

9    7 
9     7 

7     7 
6     7 

262 


CALCUTTA   TURF   CLUB   RULES. 
DECEMBER. 


English 
Australians  ... 
Country-brtds 
Arabs   

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-brejb 
Arabs     

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Australians  ... 
Country-breds 
Arabs    

English 
Austral  ans.. 
Country-breds 
Arabs      . 

£  A  MILE. 

for  A  MILE. 

3 

yrs. 

4 
yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

3 
yrs. 

yrs. 

5 

yrs. 

6  and 
aged. 

st    Ibs  !  st    Ibs 
9697 
8  13  !  9     7 
6  13  i  7     6 
5  13     6    6 

•t    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 

st   Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
8  10 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     6 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 

6    7 

6     7 

5     7 

6    5 

6    7 

6    7 

*  11* 

9    3 

8     7 

1  MILE. 

1|  MILES. 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     5 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    7 

st     Ibs 
9    7 
9     7 

st    Ibs 
9     1 
8     4 
6    2 
5     2 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
9     4 

7     2 
6    2 

st    Ibs 

9    7 
9    7 
7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

5    4 

6     3 

6    7 

6     7 

1J  MILES. 

If  MILES. 

s      Ibs 
8  13 
8    1 
5  11 
4  11 

st    Ibs 
9    5 
9     3 
7    0 
G    0 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 
7    6 
6    6 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

st   ib, 
8  11 
7  12 
5     9 
4    9 

st    Ibj 
9     4 
9     2 
6  12 
5  12 

st    Ib* 
9     7 
9     6 
7     6 
6    6 

st    Ibs 
9    7 

9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

2  MILES. 

2^  MILES. 

st     Ibs 
6  10 
7  10 

5    7 
4     7 

st    Ibs 
9     4 
9     1 
6  11 
5  11 

«t    Ibs 
9     7 
9     6 
7    6 
6    6 

St     1-)S 

9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 
8    7 
7    6 
5     1 

4     1 

st    Ibs 
9    3 
9    0 
6    9 
5    9 

st     Ihs 

9    7 
9     6 

7     6 
6     6 

St      l'-S 

9     7 
9     7 

7     7 
6    7 

3  MILES. 

4  MILES. 

8t      108 

st    lb 
9    3 
9    0 
6    6 
5    6 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9    6 
7     6 
6    6 

st    Ibs 
9    7 
9    7 

7    7 
6    7 

st    Ibs 

st    Ibs 
9     6 
8     8 
5  12 
4  1J 

st    Ibs 
9     7 
9     4 
7     5 
G    5 

st    lb  . 
9     7 
9     7 
7     7 
6     7 

EXTRACT  FROM  C.T.C.  RULES  OF  RACING. 

"19.  .  .  European  and  North- American  horses  shall 
be  classed  with  English  ;  African  and  South  American 
horses  with  Australasian  ;  Persian  horses  with  Arab ; 
other  Asiatic  horses  with  Country-bred  .  .  . 

"  20.  The  age  of  ahorse  of  the  English,  Country-bred 
and  Arab  class,  shall  be  reckoned  from  the  1st  January  ; 
and  of  the  Australian  class,  from  the  1st  of  August. 

"  Appendix  A.  (i.)  As  6  st.  is  the  lowest  weight  which 
a  horse  can  carry,  lower  weights  are  only  inserted  to 
show  the  relative  weights  of  the  different  classes. 

"  (ii.)  Weight  for  age  for  English  and  Australasian 
horses  is  the  scale  reduced  4  Ibs. ;  for  Country-bred 
and  Arab  horses,  the  scale  raised  24  Ibs.  and  38  Ibs. 
respectively. 

"  (iii.)  When  English  and  Australian  horses  run 
together  without  any  other  class  in  a  weight  for  class 
race,  the  weight  in  the  scale  is  reduced  4  Ibs.  ;  and 
when  Country- bred  and  Arab  horses  run  together 
without  any  other  class  it  is  raised  28  Ibs. 

"  (iv.)  When  horses  of  only  one  class  ran  in  a  weight 
for  age  and  class  weight,  the  weight  to  be  carried  is 
weight  for  age,  unless  otherwise  specified. 

"  (v.)  Welter  weight  is  obtained  by  adding  2  st.  to 
the  scale  of  weight  read  in  connection  with  these 
instructions. 

"  (vi.)  A  two  year  old,  if  an  English,  Country-bred, 
or  Arab;  must  carry  the  weight  of  a  three  year  old  in 


264  CALCUTTA   TURF   CLUB   RULES. 

January ;  if  an  Australian,  the  weight  of  a  three  year 
old  in  August. 

"(vii.)  A  three  year  old  English,  Country-bred,  or 
Arab  horse,  running  in  a  race  exceeding  2  J  miles,  must 
carry  the  weight  of  a  four  year  old  in  January;  and  a 
three  year  old  Australian  horse  must  carry  the  weight 
of  a  four  year  old  in  August." 


MT 

/  by  C 


13,  GREAT  MARLBOROUGH  STREET,  W. 

Hurst  &  Blackett  beg  to  announce 
that  they  are  now  publishing  the  following  Works 
by  Captain  M.  Horace  Hayes,  F.R.C.V.S. 


Points  of  the  Horse. 

A    familiar   Treatise   on   Equine   Conformation. 

BY 

Capt.  M.  HORACE  HAYES,  F.R.C.Y.S. 

This  Edition  has  been  thoroughly  revised  and  contains  numerous  additions, 
including  specially  written  Chapters  on  the  Breeds  of  English  and  Foreign 
Horses. 

Illustrated  by  200  reproductions  of  Photographs  of  Typical  "  Points  "  and 
Horses,  and  205  Drawings  by  J.  H.  OSWALD  BROWN. 

SECOND  EDITION.  Revised  and  Enlarged, 

Super-Boyal  8vo.,  Cloth,  Gilt  Top,  34s. 

"  Capt.  Horace  Hayes,  the  best  of  writers  upon  horses,  has  issued  a  second 
edition — considerably  altered  and  enlarged,  and  magnificently  illustrated — of 
his  admirable  work  upon  the  '  Points  of  the  Horse,'  which  is,  in  fact,  a 
complete  work  on  horses,  their  races  and  peculiarities." — Athencsum. 


Illustrated  Horsebreaking. 


BY 


Capt.  M.  HORACE  HAYES,   F.R.C.Y.S. 

This  Edition  has  been  entirely  re-written,  the  amount  of  the  letterpress  more 
than  doubled,  and  75  reproductions  of  Photographs  have  been  added. 

SECOND  EDITION.        Imperial  16mo.,  Buckram,  21s, 

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IO 

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THE  AWAKENING  OF  MARY  FENWICK 

'  We  have  no  hesitation  in  declaring  that  "  The  Awakening  of  Mary  Fen  wick"  is  the 
beat  novel  of  its  kind  that  we  have  seen  for  Borne  years.  The  story  is  extremely  simple. 
Mary  Manser  marries  her  husband  for  external,  and  perhaps  rather  inadequate,  reasons, 
and  then  discovers  that  he  married  her  because  she  was  an  heiress.  She  feels  the  indignity 
acutely,  and  does  not  scruple  to  tell  him  her  opinion — her  very  candid  opinion— of  his 
behaviour.  Marj-  Feuwick  and  her  husband  live  and  move  and  make  us  believe  in  them 
in  a  way  which  few  but  the  great  masters  of  fiction  have  been  able  to  compass.'— Athenaeum. 

ONE  REASON  WHY 

4  The  governess  makes  a  re-entry  into  fiction  under  the  auspices  of  Beatrice  Whitby  in 
"  One  Reason  Why."  Readers  generally,  however,  will  take  a  great  deal  more  interest, 
for  once,  in  the  children  than  in  their  instructress.  "  Bay  "  and  u  Ellie  "  are  charmingly 
natural  additions  to  the  children  of  novel-land;  so  much  so,  that  there  is  a  period  when 
one  dreadi  a  death-bed  scene  for  one  of  them— a  fear  which  is  happily  unfulfilled '— 
Graphic. 

PART  OF  THE  PROPERTY 

4  The  book  is  a  thoroughly  good  one.  The  theme  is  fairly  familiar— the  rebellion  of  a 
spirited  girl  against  a  match  which  has  been  arranged  for  her  without  her  knowledge  or 
consent;  her  resentment  of  being  treated,  not  as  a  woman  with  a  heart  and  will,  but  as 
'•part  of  the  property ;"  and  her  final  discovery,  which  is  led  up  to  with  real  dramatic 
skill,  that  the  thing  against  which  her  whole  nature  had  risen  in  revolt  has  become  the 
one  deaire  of  her  heart.' — Spectator. 

IN  THE  SUNTIME  OF  HER  YOUTH 

The  careless  optimism  of  the  head  of  the  family  would  be  incredible,  if  we  did  not  know 
how  men  exist  full  of  responsibilities  yet  free  from  solicitudes,  and  who  tread  with  a 
jaunty  step  the  very  verge  of  ruin;  his  inconsolable  widow  would  be  equally  improbable, 
if  we  did  not  meet  every  day  with  women  who  devote  themselves  to  such  idols  of  clay. 
There  in  interest  in  it  from  first  to  last,  and  its  pathos  is  relieved  by  touches  of  true 
IT.'— Illustrated  London  News. 


MARY  FENWICK'S  DAUGHTER 

This  is  one  of  the  most  delightful  novels  we  have  read  for  a  long  time.  "  Bab  "  FOH- 
wick  is  an  '-out  of  door"  kind  of  girl,  full  of  spirit,  wit,  go,  and  sin,  both  original  and 
acquired.  Her  lover,  Jack,  is  all  that  a  hero  should  be,  and  great  and  magnanimous  as  he 
is,  finds  some  difficulty  in  forgiving  the  insouciante  mistress  all  her  little  sins  of  omission 
and  commission.  The  whole  is  admirable  '  —  Black  and  White, 


A  MATTER  OF  SKILL 


'Thetitla  story,  showing  how  a  stately  girl  is  captured  after  a  good  deal  of  trouble, 
by  a  short  and  commonplace  young  man,  is  very  amusing  ;  and  there  are  other  sketches 
in  which  it  is  interesting  to  follow  the  wiles  of  Mother  Eve  ere  she  haa  come  to  years  of 
discretion.'—  Academy. 


SUNSET 


4  We  weleome  such  a  story  as  ••  Sunset."  It  is  slightly  sentimental  as  one  would  gues« 
from  its  title,  but  never  mawkish,  and  it  is  illumined  by  flashes  of  humour,  as  well  as  by 
some  occasional  reflections  that  exhibit  a  close  acquaintance  with  human  nature.'—/?* 
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12 

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LIFE  OF  MARIE  ANTOINETTE.     By  CHARLES   DUKE 

YONGE. 

NATHALIE.     By  JULIA  KAVANAGH. 

THE  CRESCENT  AND  THE  CROSS.     By  ELIOT  WAR 

BURTON. 

ST.  OLAVE  'S.     By  the  Author  of  "  Janita's  Cross." 

THE  OLD  COURT  SUBURB.     By  LEIGH  HUNT. 

ON  THE  SCENT.     By  LADY  M.  MAJENDIE, 

ADAM  GRAEME  OF  MOSSQRAY.     By  MRS.  OLIPHANT. 

BARBARA'S  HISTORY.     By  AMELIA  B.  EDWARDS. 

THE  LAIRD  OF  NORLAW.     By  MRS.  OLIPHANT. 

NO  CHURCH.     By  F.  W.  ROBINSON. 

LORD  BRACKENBURY.    By  AMELIA  B.  EDWARDS,  LL.D. 

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PHOEBE,  JUNIOR.     By  MRS.  OLIPHANT. 

THROUGH   THE    LONG   NIGHT.     By  MRS.   E.    LYNN 

LlNTON. 

MARGARET    AND    HER    BRIDESMAIDS.       By    the 

Author  of  "The  Valley  of  a  Hundred  Fires." 

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MRS.  CRAIK'S   NOVELS 

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JOHN  HALIFAX,  GENTLEMAN. 

•'  The  new  and  cheaper  edition  of  this  interesting  work  will  doubtless  meet  with  great 
•access.  John  Halifax,  the  hero  of  this  most  beautiful  story,  is  no  ordinary  hero,  and  this 
his  history  is  no  ordinary  book.  It  is  a  full-length  portrait  of  a  true  gentleman,  one  of 
nature's  own  nobility.  It  is  also  the  history  of  a  home,  and  a  thoroughly  English  one. 
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A  LIFE  FOR  A  LIFE. 

"  We  are  always  glad  to  welcome  this  author.  She  writes  from  her  own  convictions, 
and  she  has  the  power  not  only  to  conceive  clearly  what  it  is  that  she  wishes  to  say,  but 
to  express  it  in  language  effective  and  vigorous.  In  '  A  Life  for  a  Life '  she  is  fortunate 
in  a  good  subject,  and  she  has  produced  a  work  of  strong  effect.  The  reader,  having  read 
the  book  through  for  the  story,  will  be  apt  (if  he  be  of  our  persuasion)  to  return  and  read 
again  many  pages  and  passages  with  greater  pleasure  than  on  a  Srst  perusal  The  whole 
book  is  replete  with  a  graceful,  tender  delicacy ;  and  in  addition  to  its  other  merit*,  it  la 
written  in  good  careful  English."— Athenaeum. 

CHRISTIAN'S  MISTAKE. 

"A  more  charming  story,  to  our  taste,  has  rarely  been  written.  Within  the  oompass 
of  a  single  volume  the  writer  has  hit  off  a  circle  of  varied  characters,  all  true  to  nature — 
some  true  to  the  highest  nature— and  she  has  entangled  them  in  a  story  which  keeps  us 
in  suspense  till  the  knot  is  happily  and  gracefully  resolved;  while,  at  the  same  time,  a 
pathetic  interest  is  sustained  by  an  art  of  which  it  would  be  difficult  to  analyse  the  secret. 
It  is  a  choice  gift  to  be  able  thus  to  render  human  nature  so  truly,  to  penetrate  its  depths 
with  such  a  searching  sagacity,  and  to  illuminate  them  with  a  radiance  BO  eminently  the 
writer's  own."— The  ?imes. 


A  NOBLE  LIFE. 

"  This  is  one  of  those  pleasant  tales  in  whi jh  the  author  of  '  John  Halifax '  speaks  out 
of  a  generous  heart  the  purest  truths  of  life."— Examiner. 

"  Pew  men,  and  no  women,  will  read  '  A  Noble  Life '  without  finding  themselves  the 
better."— Spectator. 

"  A  story  of  powerful  and  pathetic  interest " — Daily  News, 

THE  WOMAN'S  KINGDOM. 

"'The  Woman's  Kingdom'  sustains  the  author's  reputation  as  a  writer  of  the  purest 
and  noblest  kind  of  domestic  stories.  The  novelist's  lesson  is  given  with  admirable  force 
and  sweetness  "—Athenseum. 

"'  The  Woman's  Kingdom  '  is  remarkable  for  its  romantic  interest  The  characters 
are  masterpieces.  Edna  is  worthy  of  the  hand  that  drew  John  Halifax."— Pott. 

A  BRAVE  LADY. 

"A  very  good  novel,  showing  a  tender  sympathy  with  human  nature,  and  permeated 
by  a  pure  and  noble  spirit"— Examiner. 

"A  most  charming  story." — Standard. 

"We  earnestly  recommend  this  novel  It  is  a  special  and  worthy  specimen  of  the 
author's  remarkable  powers.  The  reader's  attention  never  for  a  moment  flags."— Pott. 

MISTKESS  AND  MAID. 

"A  good,  wholesome  book,  as  pleasant  to  read  as  it  is  instructive." — Athenaeum. 
"  This  book  is  written  with  the  same  true-hearted  earnestness  as  '  John  Halifax.'    The 
spirit  of  the  whole  work  is  excellent " — Examiner. 
"A  charming  tale  charmingly  told." — Standard. 


LONDON  :    HURST    AND    BLACKETT,   LIMITED. 


MRS.  CRAIK'S  NOVELS 

Each  in  One  Volume  Crown  Octavo,  3s.  Qd. 
YOUNG  MRS.  JARDINE. 

"'Young'Mrs.  Jardine'  in  a  pretty  story,  written  in  pure  English."—  The  Times. 
»'There  is  much  good  feeling  in  this  book.    It  is  pleasant  and  wholesome."— A thenantm. 
«  A  book  that  all  shou*  dread.    Whilst  it  ia  quite  the  equal  of  any  of  its  predecessor* 
In  elevation  of  thought  and  style,  it  is  perhaps  their  superior  in  interest  of  plot  and 
f.    The  characters  are  admirably  delineated,  and  the  dialogue  is  natural 


dramatic  intensity. 

and  clear. "— Morning  Pott. 


HANNAH. 


"  A  powerful  novel  of  social  and  domestic  life.  One  of  the  moat  successful  efforts  of  a 
successful  novelist'  —Daily  Neva. 

"A  very  pleasant,  healthy  story,  well  and  artistically  told.-  The  book  is  sura  of  a  wid« 
circle  of  readers.  The  character  of  Hannah  is  one  of  rare  beauty."— Standard. 


NOTHING  NEW. 

" '  Nothing  New '  displays  all  those  superior  merits  which  have  made  '  John  Halifax ' 
one  of  the  most  popular  works  of  the  day." — Pott. 

"  The  reader  will  find  these  narratives  calculated  to  remind  him  of  that  truth  and 
ftnergy  of  human  portraiture,  that  spell  over  human  affections  and  emotions,  which  have 
•tamped  this  author  as  one  of  the  first  novelists  of  our  day."— John  Bull. 


THE  UNKIND  WORD. 

"Tho  author  of  'John  Halifax  '  has  written  many  fascinating  stories,  but  we  can  call  to 
mind  nothing  from  her  pen  that  has  a  more  enduring  charm  than  the  graceful  sketches  in 
this  work.  Such  a  character  as  Jessie  stands  out  from  a  crowd  of  heroines  as  the  type  of 
all  that  is  truly  noble,  pure,  and  womanly."—  United  Service  MagcuiM. 


STUDIES  FROM  LIFE. 

"These  studies  are  truthful  and  vivid  pictures  of  life,  often  earnest,  always  foil  of  right 
feeling,  and  occasionally  lightened  by  touches  of  quiet  genial  humour.  The  volume  is  re- 
markable for  thought,  sound  sense,  shrewd  observation,  and  kind  and  sympathetic  feeling 
for  all  things  good  and  beautiful"— /to*. 


A  WOMAN'S  THOUGHTS  ABOUT  WOMEN. 

11 A  book  of  sound  counsel  It  is  one  of  the  most  sensible  works  of  its  kind,  well  written 
truo-hearted,  and  altogether  practical  Whoever  wishes  to  give  advice  to  a  young  lady 
may  thanti  the  author  for  means  of  doing  so." — Examiner. 

"  These  thoughts  are  worthy  of  the  earnest  and  enlightened  mind,  the  all-embracing 
charity,  and  the  well-earned  reputation  of  the  author  of  'John  Halifax.'"— Stawuiari 

"This  excellent  book  is  characterised  by  good  sense,  good  taste,  and  feeling,  and  is 
written  in  an  earnest,  philanthropic,  as  well  as  practical  spirit"— Pott. 

HIS   LITTLE   MOTHER. 

11 '  His  Little  Mother '  is  the  story  of  a  sister's  self-sacrifice  from  her  childhood  until  her 
early  death,  worn  out  in  her  brother's  and  his  children's  service.  It  is  a  pathetic  story 
as  the  author  tells  it  The  beauty  of  the  girl's  devotion  is  described  with  many  tender 
touches,  and  the  question  of  short-sighted  though  loving  foolishness  is  kept  in  the  back- 
ground. The  volume  is  written  in  a  pleasant  informal  manner,  and  contains  many  tender 
generous  thoughts,  and  not  a  few  practical  ones.  It  is  a  book  that  will  be  read  with  'n» 
tereat,  and  that  cannot  be  lightly  forgotten."— ,S<.  Jamet't  Gfatette. 


LONDON  '    HURST    AND    BLAOKETT,    LIMITED. 


tbe  Special  patronage  of  1ber 

Published  annually^  in  December^  in  One  Volume^  royal  8voy  the 
Arms  engraved,  bound  with  gilt  edges^  jis.  6d. 


LODGE'S    PEERAGE 

AND    BARONETAGE, 

CORRECTED     BY     THE     NOBILITY. 

LIST  OF  THE  PRINCIPAL  CONTENTS. 


Historical  View  of  the  Peerage. 

Parliamentary  Roll  of  the  House  of  Lords. 

English,  Scotch,  and  Irish  Peers,  in  their 
orders  of  Precedence. 

Alphabetical  List  of  Peers  of  Great  Britain 
and  the  United  Kingdom,  holding  supe- 
rior rank  in  the  Scotch  or  Irish  Peerage. 

Alphabetical  List  of  Scotch  and  Irish  Peers, 
holding  superior  titles  in  the  Peerage  of 
Great  Britain  and  the  United  Kingdom. 

A  Collective  List  of  Peers  in  their  order  of 
Precedence. 

Table  of  Precedency  among  Men. 

Table  of  Precedency  among  Women. 

The  Queen  and  the  Royal  Family. 

Peers  of  the  Blood  Royal 

The  Peerage,  alphabetically  arranged. 

Families  of  such  Extinct  Peers  as  have  left 
Widows  or  Issue. 

Alphabetical  List  of  the  Surnames  of  all 
the  Peers. 


The  Archbishops  and  Bishops  of  England 
and  Ireland. 

The  Baronetage,  alphabetically  arranged. 

Alphabetical  List  of  Surnames  assumed  by 
members  of  Noble  Families. 

Alphabetical  List  of  the  Second  Title*  of 
Peers,  usually  borne  by  their  Eldest 
Sons. 

Alphabetical  Index  to  the  Daughters  of 
Dukes,  Marquises,  and  Earls,  who,  hav- 
ing married  Commoners,  retain  the  title 
of  Lady  before  their  own  Christian  and 
their  Husbands'  Surnames. 

Alphabetical  Index  to  the  Daughters  of 
Viscounts  and  Barons,  who,  having 
married  Commoners,  are  styled  Honour- 
able Mrs. ;  and,  in  case  of  the  husband 
being  a  Baronet  or  Knight,  Hon.  Lady. 

A  List  of  the  Orders  of  Knighthood. 

Mottoes  alphabetically  arranged  and 
translated. 


"  This  work  is  the  most  perfect  and  elaborate  record  of  the  living  and  recently  deceased 
members  of  the  Peerage  of  the  Three  Kingdoms  as  it  stands  at  this  day.  It  is  a  most  use- 
ful publication.  We  are  happy  to  bear  testimony  to  the  fact  that  scrupulous  accuracy  is  a 
distinguished  feature  of  this  book."— Times. 


LONDON  :  HURST  AND  BLACKETT,  LIMITED. 


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