Horses that are fed on bulky food, and those that are very fat, have a large belly. In one, its size is produced entirely by the contents of the intestines; they may be laden with grass, hay, straw, or other food, of which much must be eaten to furnish the required amount of nutriment, and there is always a good deal of water along with this coarse food. One dose of physic, or at the most two doses, will empty the bowels. In another case the size of the belly arises from an accumulation of fat inside. This is removable only by slow degrees. Purgation, sweating, and other evacuants, take it away. In a third case, the size of the carcass depends partly upon the intestinal contents, and partly upon the accumulation of fat.

* There are some others, particularly the temper and the state of the legs.

When the belly is very large, from either or both of these causes,the horse cannot breathe freely. He can not expand the chest, the contents of the belly offer a mechanical obstacle to the elongation of this cavity; and, as a necessary consequence, sufficient air can not be taken in to purify sufficient blood. But the weight of the fat, or of the food, is of itself a great burden, and would tell seriously against the horse in protracted exertion, even though it were placed on his back.

The trainer should know when the carcass is sufficiently lightened. He judges by the horse's wind. When that is equal to the work, further reduction in the size of the belly may not be necessary. Hence, for some kinds of work, it need not be so much lightened as for some others. Without inconvenience the hunter may have a larger belly than the racer, and the stage-coach horse larger than either. Hunters and racers should have a straight carcass, not at all protuberant, and seldom much tucked up; but it is often very difficult or impossible to put a straight carcass upon flat-sided horses.

After the carcass is sufficiently lightened, it is to be kept within the prescribed limits by avoiding idleness and bulky food. The work or exercise must be such as to prevent the re-formation of fat, and the food such as to furnish the required quantity of nourishment without occupying too much room. Fast-working horses are kept on a limited allowance of fodder, and the usual allowance is further reduced on the day preceding extraordinary exertion. This precaution, however is requisite only with great eaters, or gluttons, as they have been termed, employed at hunting or racing.

In former times the grooms had a strange mode of reducing the belly. They bound a strong and very broad roller round it, drew it as tight as a woman's corsets, and compelled the horse to stand in it night and day. This absurd practice is now out of fashion. Those who know their business know that it will not produce the desired effect. But it is not uncommon, even yet, to find a broad surcingle applied as tightly as it can be drawn, for the purpose, as they say, of drawing up the belly. I have seen a good groom do this. It is a mark of ignorance. The roller which was formerly used might possibly have some effect, for it went over the belly: but the surcingle now used acts altogether upon the ches. which training ought to expand rather than contract.