PASTURING. 277 
stuler than he went out. In moist autumns, on the contrary, the after- 
math soon grows to a height of several inches, and the animals grazing on 
it become as fat as prize bullocks, their increase of bulk often trying their 
legs when the joints or back sinews have previously failed. 
In the autumn, also, the flies are extremely troublesome, and the poor 
horse may be seen constantly stamping with his fore feet or kicking at 
his flanks with his hind, both of which actions do no good to inflamed 
joints, sinews, or feet. On the whole, therefore, it may be said, that 
those animals which are unsound, or even only weak in their understand- 
ings, should not be turned out on uplands before the end of Octuber or 
beginning of November. This kind of grass is, however, the very best for 
renovating a worn-out constitution; and almost any horse in a good 
upland pasture will become fat and fresh in August and September. 
Mzapow LAND IN FLOODS’ way, when the soil is of a gravelly nature, 
or if it is well drained, will produce many excellent grasses, and contain a 
good deal of clover ; in which case it is almost as well suited to the horse 
in dry seasons as the finest upland. But too often it is either constantly 
flooded or so badly drained that it is full of water-grasses, which the 
stomach of the horse does not relish, so that in the latter case it is not at 
all adapted to pasture him. The worst of it is, that there is seldom any 
happy medium in this kind of land, being either baked hard in dry 
seasons, or flooded in wet. ‘The same remarks as to the times at which it 
is available for grazing apply to this kind of land as to the last. 
Marsues, whether salt or fresh water, should only be selected as 
grazing land for those horses whose legs or feet are so damaged by work 
that they either will not bear harder ground or are so bad as to require 
the restorative action of constant moisture and cold applied to them. 
There is no great difference in this power between the salt and fresh 
water marsh ; but the former seems to suit the constitution the better of 
the two, and on that account is to be preferred. Where a summer’s run 
is desired for horses with unsound legs or feet, a salt marsh is the only 
proper situation for carrying out the intention ; for, as I before observed, 
sound upland is seldom to be obtained, and, if it is, its hardness forbidg 
its use at that season for horses so circumstanced. I have often known a 
salt marsh agree extremely well even with a delicate animal, but I have 
also found it in other cases completely upset the health. The same may 
be said of all kinds of grass; as it is a very common occurrence for a 
horse to go out sound, and come home with his wind broken, or ‘‘ making 
a noise,” owing to inflammation contracted during his run. I confess 
that I have no great partiality for marshes, and I should far prefer soiling 
a horse indoors, if expense is not considered ; but, at the same time, I am 
bound to admit that I have known very great benefit result from their 
adoption in some cases. 
WHEN UNSOUNDNESS OF THE FEET OR LEGS is the inducement to turn 
out, and the time at which it is desirable to do this is the summer season, 
as I have before remarked, the choice should fall upon a marsh. Hard 
ground will increase the mischief, and, between July and September, 
although it may be soft just at one particular time, it cannot be expected 
to remain so long. In any case some precaution should be taken against 
the horse galloping about on his first being let loose, which, from the joy 
he experiences at getting his liberty, he almost invariably does. To 
prevent this, the legs should be blistered a few days before, so as to seize 
the opportunity when they are swollen, stiff, and sore, and when, as a 
natural consequence, a gallop would be so extremely painful as to be 
