288 THE HORSE 



DAILY EXERCISE 



Without regular exercise no horse can long be kept in health, and 

 I believe that as far as this point is concerned, even those which are hard- 

 worked would be the better for half-an-hour's airing every morning as soon 

 as they have been fed and before they are dressed. But those masters who 

 are particular about the mouths of the animals they ride or drive, find that 

 the hands of their grooms ai'e generally so heavy that they spoil the delicate 

 " feel " on which the comfort and pleasure of riding and driving so much 

 depends. Hence in such cases the poor horse is condemned to confinement 

 in his stable, not only on the day when he is to be ridden or driven, bnt on 

 those also when he is to be idle. The health of the body is sacrificed to the 

 maintenance of that delicate condition of the mouth which is so highly 

 prized by good horsemen and accomplished whips, and I confess that I 

 plead guilty to having for a long series of years acted on this principle. A 

 fair share of health may be maintained without exercise if the work is 

 never interrupted for more than a single day, and at the same time there 

 being only one pair of hands to interfere with the mouth, its delicacy is not 

 impaired, that is to say if they are not as bad as those of the groom. 

 Sometimes a large and smooth snaffle is allowed as an exercise biidle, in 

 the hope that it cannot injure the mouth, but even this will do mischief if 

 the weight of the rider is thrown upon it, as is too often the case. Leaving 

 out of the question this objection to the adoption of exercise, there can be 

 no doubt that a daily walk out-of-doors for half-an-hour or an hour, 

 especially if it can be managed on turf will bo of the greatest service to 

 the horse's health. 



