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| TRAINING METHODS OF OLD I Horses Were Once Submitted to Remarkable Treatment. i Quaint Description of Practices That Prevailed in Time of Louis XIV. of France. ♦ Perhaps the oldest detailed directions extant for training a rare kHM m fltunl in "The P:irf;tif HmmW," a MM old I took by Si.-iir de Solleysell. equerry to Louis XIV. of France, wlio said that lie obtained them from" a brave eavnlleer. who assured me be bad it In England from a person whose only employment was to prepare and dyet running liorses." Sir William Hope, who translated Solley-EellN work into English in 1 !G, expressed the opinion that this method of training was then very ancient, saying: "It dilfireth vastly from the manner of preparing race horses used now a dayes." That the P.ritish race horse was then, as now, incomparable for swiftness, though neither the "royal males" nor stallions that are the generally accredited fountain heads of the present-day breed of runner* bad yet been imported into England, appears from the advice given as to the choice of a Imtaa for running. "In Kngland." says the author, "they have liorses which are only designed and kept for performing the great courses, and they delight so uiuili in this rtivertiseraent that they dyet horses expressly for it. r-o that their horses, which are naturally well winded and extremely swift, are put Into such a condition by this manner of preparation that they perform courses which are incredible, and that not at a slow or round gallop, as our liorses, but at full speed, M that people who have never seen it can scarcely !,e persuaded that any horse could endure and hold out with the violence of such courses for five or six miles, and yet many horses in that kingdom are known to furnish carriers of that length." HAY AND OATS NOT ON BILL OF FARE. In the time of the old English jockey whose training methods have been handed down by Solleysell hay ami oats, which now constitute the diet of the high-mettled racer, were no! on his bill of tare. The tianvr of that day. like taptain Jinks of the Horse Marines, fed his horse on corn and Leans, made up into loaves like bread, the term coin, in Kngland. comprehending all small grain. "Cause make bread for him of half barley and half Leans, biking them ia the form of pretty thin cakes." the old English Jockey says, •ami lot giving them to the horse until they are a lew-days old. Three pounds at twelve a clock and thiee pounds at night is sufficient for him in twenty lour hours and thai in place of his oats or piovender. Instead of hay let him have wheal sheaves unthreashed and with the oats upon them." It is worthy of role that many trainers of run ners and trotters today feed little or no hay. but substitute oats cut "in the milk" and cured, straw, grain Mi all. like hay. The practice oiiginated in California, hence the term "California hay." After thus "dieting" the racer four days, while he was kept in darkened stall, it was in order. on the morning of the fifth day. 1o give him a ball. This was made by mixing one pound of fresh batter with twenty-five or thirty "cloves" of garlic, and was to he washed down with a |Uiut of white wine. In the second day after administering the ball the trainer was directed to "air him abroad just after sun rising for the space of an hour, and as much at night before suns-l. sometimes racking or stepping and sometimes galloping him. but, if he continued too fat. then you must take him abroad in the morning an hour after sun rising and in the evening keep him also abroad an hour after the sun is set: then, bringing him back to the stable, rub and cover him well and give him his ordinary portion of food. And thus continue to air and exercise him every day. giving him always every fifth day his pound of butter made tip with garlic into balls, and also observing not to air or take him abroad, neither the day he taketh his balls nor the day following." HIS HOURS OF WORK. Fifteen days after going into training the horse wan to be exercised two hours in the morning and two hours at night, "sometimes at full speed, then at a good gallop, and afterwards at a step, that so he may recover his wind." One month of this work was deemed sufficient to fit some horses for a match, but the tiaiuer was cautioned to continue the balls and the bread and exercise as directed, unless the animal appeared to be ready at the end of four weeks. Two days before the match the horse was muzzled at night, and at two oclock in the morning was given three pints of sack, into which the yolks of twenty or twenty-five new-laid eggs had been beaten. At four oclock he was galloped, gently at first and then at full speed, "as long as his wind will allow it: afterwards to a gentle gallop, again to give him wind." This for three hours, followed by a rub down and then by a hot drink and the usual feed. On the day of the match the racer got his former quantity of eggs and sack, but only ono-half the usual allowance of bied and wheal sheaves. The final injunction of the old English jockey is particularly interesting, as showing thai Tod Sloan was perhaus not. after all. the originator of the style of riding now known in England as "the American seat," and that the principle of avoiding the resistance of the atmosphere was better understood by the horsemen of three or four hundred years ago than by some of those who pass as such today. Here it is: "Tli* rider is to lean a little forewards to prevent the wind taking too much upon his body, and also • to have clothes very light and fit for him. but no flying or loose coat, only a cap in place of a hat." Much more elaborate, intricate and artificial is the course of treatment laid down by Sir William Hope in his directions for training a horse for a match. This he recommends in preference to the old English jockeys method as more modern." which i I have had experience of myself, and is. I believe, indeed one of the best which hath been as yet published." TWO MONTHS TO PREPARE A MATCH. Two months was the time allowed by him for pre-paiing a horse for a match. He says that some horse keepots demand six months, lint these lie , chatges with the not yet obsolete practice known as i "traiuin gowners." and embraces the opportunity • to lead them a lecture on the mistake "by which I they rob their masters of four months pleasure, engage them in an expensive charge, which will make the sport iMtkaaaM and only give them a few . false got crowns, which vanish so soon as gained. "As herellcks cite Scripture." he says, "so these people find reasons to defend their want of skill and I experience as the danger of too violent exercise, the « offence of grease too suddenly melted, the moving of humors li.o hastily, which leads to mortal ttck-ness. and the modeialing and helping of all these by a slow proceeding, or b tinging the horse into i order by degrees and lime, or, as I may rather say. by an ignorant delay and suffer nee. It is like the • curing of a gangrene in an old man. Heller to die than be dismembered, better lose the prize or bets i than bear the charges, fag I appall to any noble judgment whose purse hath experienced such ac-linis, if sis months preparation with the dependants to it doth not eat up and devour the better half of a twenty -live or thirty pound wager: therefore. Car any ordinal-, math or bet I allow as I I said but two mouths to prepare a horse for it, it being most certain iliat a horse which, cannot make • a good heat in that time will very rarely make an i extraordinary one. though you should dyet him triple ■ or quadruple that space." Sir William Hope separated bis course of training I into four pertoda of i fciriuighi em h. prescribing different treatment and different feed for each. Par the tlrst fortnight, assuming the horse to be I fat and soft, the trainer was directed to give him I •neb day four aanayhj of oata together with three I | I • i , i • I . I « i • i I • i ■ I I I I "aaaall bundles" of hay, feeding him cue quart of: oars a l a meal, or a little BMtre if the horse was a I heart feeder. After having been groomed before daylight la the morning the racer waa cleat ly wrapped in a body cloth and exercised to give hom a sw-i at. "Waik or rack him only a foot pace if you must neither amble nor trot, because tbey are both prejudicial to speed at swiftness, at least a mile at two. or more if you think fit, upon smooth and muni ground, and if it have a gentle rising so much the better; there gallop him gently, afterward waik him softly, so that he may cool as much one wny as he warmeth another, and when you have thus exercised him a pretty space and feeling the sun begin to rise, or else newly risen, rack him down to some fresh river or clear pond and there let him drink at his pleasure. After he hath drunk bring him gently out of the water and rack him away very easily. When you have thus walked him a little calmly, put him into a gallop gently and exercise him moderately as you did before, then walk him a little space, after which offer him more water. If he drinks then gallop him again gently; if not. then gallop him a little more to occasion thirst, and in this manner give hirn always exercise before and after water, and when yiu judge he ha Hi drunk sufficiently bring him home." .Arrived at the stable the horse was rubbed down and afler an hours rest he was fed. Again at 11 oclock, then at 1 oclock, and finally at 9 oclock at night he got his quart of "sweet, dry, old and clean drest oats." At evening he was "aited" again by walking and galloping under blankets, and just before his evening meal his legs w.-re to be well rubbed down with wisps of straw. In the second fortnight fast work was l egun, and with it went some changes in feeding. Hay was cut off. excepting ■ few haudfuls. and bread, combining three parts of beans wiih one part of wheat, was added to the bill of fare, except on the days preceding work-out days, which came twice a week. Da the morning that the trainer, or keeper, as he was then called, intended to give him a heat the racers break fa .-f was a quart of oats rubbed between the hands with some beer or ale. then a new-laid egg or two, washed down with a little beer or ale. TWO HEATS A WEEK. "In giving of heats," says the author, "yon are to consider, first, that two in the week are sufficient for any horse of whatsoever condition or state • f bed?. Secondly, that one of the BtnhaeM always be given upon that day of the week in which your horse is to run his match, and that also slill to be he sharpest for im-rea -dig of his heels or swift-ne.-s. the other being only a slow galloping over the course, no. re to increase wind and cause sweat, than t" iiu;orve his speed, and therefore I would have you to order them thus: Suppose your match day is to be upon Mondays and Fridays, and the sharper heat to he upon Monday, because it is the day of his Match. Thirdly you shall give no heat in rain or Coal weather, and in case of sudden showers you shall have for your horse a hood to keep out the rain. Far nothing is more dangerous tiian cold wet falling into the ears and upon the aap of the neck. Fourthly, observe to give your hcata as early in the morning as you can: that is. by the spring of .he day. Fifthly and lastly, rack your horse gently up to the starting post if there he any. niikin--- him smell at it. that so he may both be acquainted with it anil also konw the beginning and ending of the course, at near a three-. Hitters spe-d. and if it be upon the day of the week his match is t., full in. then according to his strength, goodness of wind and cheerfabMM of spirit, run him the whole -nurse tin row. and by no nu ans da anything iii extremity, or above his wind. hat when you find him a little yeelti. then draw a little and give him ease, that he may do all with pleasure and not with anguish, fir his manner of . raining will make him rake delight in has labor ■ad to the better endure it. "When yon hae finished your heat and gently gallop him ap ami down to rate his wind and clear his spirits yon shall then the groom being readyl ride blta seine warm place or corner, and with your glaaaiag ar scraping kaife, made either of aoaae broken sword blade or a thin piece of old hard oakou wood, scrape off the sweat from your horse in every part hattodta excepted, until you can make no more arise, st-ll moving him now and then a little to keep his limbs in motion, then with dry eloaths rub him all over, and las; ,.f all walk him about the fields to cool him. and when you find him begin to dry apace, then rack him homewards. sometimes stepping and sometimes galloping, but by no means bring him to the stable till yoti find him thoroughly dry. Then set him t.p and tie him to the rack, and having prepared it against your coming, give him the scouring: A LITTLE ON THE SIDE. "Tike an English pint or Scotch mutchkin of the syrup of roses, or, for want of it. the like quantity of strong honeyed water, and dissolve into it of cassia, agarick and myrrhe. of each one ounce, shaking them well together in a glass, then being nittld and made warm upon a gentle fire, and the horse newly come fiom his heat, give it to him lukewaim." This dose was repeated after every "heating" during the second fortnight, in which "there is no doubt tut L iiis body will be drawn inwardly pretty clean." For the third fortnight the racers bread was made of equal proportions of beans and wheat, his hc;its were nol quite so sharp as before and the semirings gave place to Cardial balls made up aflei "the true receipt of Mi. Markhanis. so much esteemed by the generally of our English farriers." The ingredients were "aniseeds, oiliniiiseeds. feone-greek seeds, cart hanitis seeds, elecampain roots am: coltsfoot, of each two ounces, as also two ounces of the floor of brimstone, then an ounce of the juice of liquorish, dissolved on the fire in half an Bagliah pint of white wine, which done, take of the ohymioal oyl of aniseeds one ounce, or sallel oyl, honey and molasses, of each half an English pint, then mix all these wiih the former powders, and with as much fine wheat flower as will knit I hem together into a stiff paste, which make into balls as big as a hens eggs, to give your beta* as you shall find occasion for them. These balls were given almost daily during the third fortnight, sometimes anointed with Feat butter to prevent sickness, gad ngaia dissolved in sack for the cute of colds. Three parts of wheat to one part of beans, kneaded with strong new ale and the white ot twenty-five or thirty eggs with the iugredients of the racers bread for the fourth, and final. Cert-nighl of his truly grand preparation. "Tea shall make your bread much finer than before," says the author, "and with the crust cut first away, and lean oats well dryad and dressed, as also some pari split beans, all mixed together, or severally as you shall think fit. Feed your horse at his ordinary meals, as you did in the second and third fortnights, only in this last fortnight you shall observe these few directions following: THE FINAL PREPARATION. "First, you shall keep your heating days the first week of this fortnight, hut the second or last week you shall forebear one heal and not give your horse any five days before Bit match, but for it give him oiiv Strang and long airinga ami watering! courses. at.d if morning and evening during the fortnight yoi bain Craafclaceace in the stable you will find it rerj wholesome for your hoisc, and he will also mightily delight in It, ■I his foimi-.-ht give him no hay but what he taketh out of your hand after his heats, and also lei that be in little qaaaity and clean dusted. "The last week of his fortnight, if the horse he a foul feeder, you must use the muzzle continually. biii if ■ clean feeder thea three days before the match is sufficient. "The morning of the day for the match come to him very early, and taking off his muz/.le give him a prett oiianiiiy of eat*, washed in the wbltea of eggs, nutsftadme or cheiile, walk him ate tad. bring him home and. pal I lag on his BMaaJe, let hiin rati until you have warning to make ri adv. "When you have warning to mike ready, tiki off his leuzzle and put on his snaffle. Iiein washed In a little mtiskadiue or chetrie, then bridle him no and after pitching the running saddle and girths with shoemakers wax set it on and girt it. Being reedy to diaw out, give him half an English pint "f maakadiaa ot rhcrtle, and so had him away. Walk him softly to the starting post and there. starting fair, perform you your part by raaaiag htm to the greatesl advantage he is Capable of. and leave the rest to providence. Car, al: hough wi are obliged to Use the means mil helps of secoud causes, yet it is that which determine! Ii all. even the most trivial actions any of us poor moiials are concerned lu."
