Water, 211 



A little reflection will enable us to explain satisfactorily this appa- 

 rent paradox. ••'•!•-: 



For^ by this method of treatment, as he will never be subjected to 

 extreme thirst, so, he will never be inclined to drink such a quantity 

 of water as will violently distend his stomach. And it can require, 

 I should think, but little argument, to shew that water taken into 

 the stomach in small quantities, from time to time, must be much 

 more favourable to the process of digestion, at all seasons, and 

 under all circumstances, but especially in the case of Horses 

 that are kept upon dry food, in th-c summer-time, than when the 

 quantity of five or six gallons, is thrown into that organ, at one 

 time. 



And though the practice of letting Horees have access to water at 

 pleasure, might not be found to be advisable, in the instance of such 

 as are voracious drinkers, there can be no doubt, nevertheless, ih-dt 

 it would be better to give them the quantity that is thought necessary 

 for them, at four or five times, rather than at once or twice, in the 

 day. And, if this method of managing water, were brought into 

 general use, much less solicitude about its temperature, at any season 

 of the year, would be necessary. 



For, a state of extreme thirst, being by this means prevented. 

 Horses would scarcely ever be induced to drink such a quantity of 

 water at once, as would be detrimental to them, merely on the score 

 of its coldness, a thing that very commonly happens to such as are 

 thirsty and overheated, especially in wintertime. The stomach of 

 the Horse, it must be admitted, is not possessed of such exquisite 

 sensibility as the human stomach, which the great John Hunter, in 

 Jiis own emphatic language, used to call a sort of second brain, on 

 O 3P 



