232 MODErtN FARRIER. 



state of bodv a liorse mav be in, that is, whether he 

 be of a fat and full, or lean and dry habit of body; 

 still he is said to be full of humours, and which " 

 must be purged off before he is fit for running or 

 hunting.' 



When a horse has undergone the regular purging 

 and the ceremony of taking cordial balls, he is gal- 

 loped and sweated in his clothes at certain intervals. 

 By this unhealthy system he is relaxed ; and when 

 suddenly exposed to cold, he stands all in a heap, 

 with his back up, his legs drawn together, and his 

 tail close to his buttocks, shivering and shaking like 

 an aspen-leaf. Such a hoi-se may be said to be half 

 blown before he begins to start. 



Indeed, no horse can be taken up fat from grass, 

 and sweated both suddenly and violently, without 

 producing weakness and exhaustion. A horse thus 

 misused will be all in a lather of sweat before he has 

 run the third part of his race ; to the great astonish- 

 ment of the trainer, who never dreams that it is 

 possible for such an event to take place from too 

 much, as well as from too little previous sweating. 



Mr. Richard Lawrence recommends that the ex- 

 ercise should be regular, moderate, and of sufficient 

 duration. 'Thus, for instance,' says he, 'the horse 

 might be ridden gently for a few minutes with his 

 clothes on ; by which time the circulation of the 

 blood would be so much increased as to resist any 

 ill effects of the sudden application of cold to the 

 body. He might then be stripped, and set off at a 

 canter, or a hand-gallop, for about a mile; then 

 walked for a few minutes, and the cantering repeat- 

 ed and continued in this way alternately for about 

 an hour, taking care that the animal should not 

 sweat beyond a general and moderate moisture of 

 the skin. This portion of exercise should be given 

 him twice a day for the first fortnight or three weeks 

 after he has gone through his physic : and it might 

 afterwards be increased by giving him some strong 



'A 



