The Press., 1894-02-22

she was. The mare had shown some speed at the beginning of the preceding season and had won an unimportant race ar two. but after that she had trained off. and he, Purkiss, did not think she would ever run straight again.
 s.What did you say she was ly, and what name did she run under?" Natin- quired carelessly when he had dis mounted.
 By Gamester, out of Anonyma, sir, and master called her Skittles.
 "Not bad blood that. Ganester was a good horse, and the dam Was a very we'll bred one.'
 ssYes, sir, but the mare don [ ceem to sort after one nor t'other of 'em. She's a bad doer and bad temper, and don't believe as she'll ever do any thing, sir. -
 "Perhaps not. You like the colt let ter, then, Purkiss?''
 q do, sir-a deal better. He's quite another stamp, is Brilliant. They aint to be named in the same day"
 II fancy you are right there.
 After this Natty said nothing more about the horses until we were on our way home. Then, as we lighted our cigars while waiting for his train at Templeton, I said: ''I see you don't think much of my legacy, Nat I sup pose you advise me to sell both the horses, together with tho brood mares, for what th:1' will foteh?''
 II don't advise anything of the sort. If you get a good offer for the colt, you might sell him, but the mare I should certainly keep"
 ''What for? Because no one would give anything for her?''
 'No, because you might make a good thing out of her. She's 8 hler. ''
 "Nonsense!''
 "Fact.' ....
 "You are surely chafing me. Bril- liant is worth 20 of her. '
 ''To look well on parade, yes. For racing I should say the mare was worth 20 of him.
 I never was more astozlished in my life. demanded what in the world he meant.
 II will try to explain, . said Nat, cool1y pufing his cigar, but you must
  not to see it for yourself. I grant you the colt is good looking one, well top l ped, and so on, but he's too wide in the chest ever to be a real fast one and | don't move with any freedom-can t stride over straw, in fact. Didn t | you see how the marc overhauled him 1 when I got on her back? Now, she's | all over raco horse, made like a grey | hound, high behind, we'll ribbed up, | but not too close for her big hind quar- ters to have free play, light muscular forehand, good shoulders and deep | girth, with wear and tear looking joints and large bone for thoroughbred. I'll | bet you that mare can both gallop and | stay when in condition. "But she won't gallop yard and is evidently a regular jade. You heard | what Purkiss said?"
 1T did and perceived how little he | knew. The fact is, Pu1kiss has done | his best to ruin the mare. He has over done her both with corn and work. | What she wants is a couple O. months l rest, with some nice green food. The | natural juices of fresh grasses or clover | | and restore her health, SO that when she is put in training again her temper | will be much improved and you will | find her go in quite different style. She 1 looks cut in two now, but you won t know her again in the autumn if you follow my advice. ''
 "TTpon my word, think I will-at l least it IS certain should get nothing l for her now"
 | There wero more horses spoiled, Nat assured me, by overtraining than own- CTS had any idea of. In his opinion, the l natural powers of more than half the horses running were lessened in this way. Trainers had not sufficient edu- cation, and ill consequence there was a | want of elasticity in their system. To l overtrain was the tendency of the age. The competition for the more valuable l prizes was so keen that.the trainer was overfearful of sending a nag to the | post on what he would call the big side. forgetting, or moro probably not knowing, that a largo proportion of the highly bred horses of the day run bet, ter in that condition than when drawn l IOO uIlO My LudI0, I0 SdIl, was OI d constitution which required compara- lively little work to make her fit. Horses varied in their temperament as much as human beings, and the work which a greedy, hearty horse like Brilliant re- quired and the corn ho could assimilate with ease would be enough to upset the freer and moro nervous temperament of the mare.
 Much more Natty said to the same purpose, and perceiving that he had studied the veterinary science of the subject to some effect I thought I could not do better than place the manage ment of my little stud in his hands, which I did then and there. It was de cided to give both the horses couple of months holiday at Stockwood before it's new owner took possession, and then send them to smaller trainer on the Dorset downs, where they would be un- der Natty's occasional supervision. Purkiss took situation as coachman to an old lady, where Nat thought he would be more in his element. The brood mares were to be sent up for sale as soon as opportunity offered.
 CHAPTER III.
 It took mo all my time to persuade my mother that was not going to ruin | ynvco1f on tho t71rf had 1o m a ln 0111