214 THE HORSE 



may also be added, which the writer learned when living in 

 Spain in the early " seventies," and this is never to allow a 

 horse to drink at once when crossing a ford, but, regardless 

 of how thirsty he may be, and his strenuous efforts to drink, 

 to force him onwards until he has nearly arrived at the other 

 side. The reason is that many a horse will lie down and 

 roll in the water, to the peril of the rider, if allowed to put 

 his nose down on first entering the stream, and will make 

 no effort to drink until he has had his roll. If, however, he 

 is made to travel on without halting almost to the other 

 side, he is so afraid he is not going to be allowed an oppor- 

 tunity of quenching his thirst that he will begin to drink 

 the moment he at last has the chance, and will then never 

 attempt to roll at all. 



In hot weather, when the water is almost warm, a horse 

 may be allowed a good drink if he is only going to proceed 

 at a walking pace ; and also when nearing the end of a 

 march or approaching a camping ground it may be 

 convenient to water the horses before reaching the halting- 

 place ; but under such circumstances, if the water is cold, the 

 horses should be kept moving for at least half a mile after- 

 wards, and a short trot at a slow pace will also assist in 

 preventing any sudden stagnation of the circulation, through 

 the chill caused by the cold liquid admitted into the system. 

 It is a common plan when water is drawn from a pump or 

 tap, and is very cold, to fill the staible buckets some hours 

 before the drinking-time, and allow them to stand in some 

 warm place to attain the temperature of the surrounding 

 atmosphere. Very frequently they are placed in the stable 

 itself, and if each bucket has a light close-fitting covering 

 thrown over it, such as a clean stable duster, there is no 

 harm in the custom. Without this precaution many 

 deleterious germs and microbes may be attracted by the 

 water, for there is always dust floating in the air of a 

 stable, which may be germ-laden, and there are often also 

 noxious exhalations. 



When water is suddenly required, and the source is known 

 to be very cold, it is generally possible to arrange for a 

 small supply of hot water from a kettle or hot- water tap, 



