110 THE ORANGE COUNTY 



The watering of the horse is a very important but disre- 

 garded portion of his general management. The kind of 

 water has not been sufficiently considered. The difference 

 between what is termed hard and soft water is a circumstance 

 of general observation. The former contains certain saline 

 principles which decompose some bodies, as appears in the 

 curdling of soap, and prevent the decomposition of others, 

 as in the making of tea, the boiling of vegetables, and the 

 process of brewing. It is natural to suppose that these 

 different kinds of water would produce somewhat different 

 effects on the animal frame; and such is the fact. Hard 

 water, freshly drawn from the well, will frequently roughen 

 the coat of the horse unaccustomed to it, or cause griping 

 pains, or materially lessen the animal's power of exertion. 

 The racing and the hunting groom are perfectly aware of 

 this, and so is the horse, for he will refuse the purest water 

 from the well, if he can obtain access to the running stream, 

 or even the turbid pool. Where there is the power of choice, 

 the softer water should undoubtedly be preferred. 



The temperature of the water is of far more consequence 

 than its hardness. It will rarely harm, if taken from the 

 pond or the running stream, but its coldness, when recently 

 drawn from the weh 1 has often been injurious; it has pro- 

 duced colic, spasm, and even death. 



There is often considerable prejudice against the horse 

 being fairly supplied with water. It is supposed to chill 

 him, to injure his wind, or to incapacitate him for hard 

 work. It certainly would do so, if, immediately after drink- 

 ing his fill, he were galloped hard, but not if he were suffered 

 to quench his thirst more frequently when at rest in the 

 stable. The horse that has free access to water will not 

 drink so much in the course of the day as another, who, in 

 order to cool his parched mouth, swallows as fast as he 

 can, and knows not when to stop. 



A horse may with perfect safety be far more liberally sup- 

 plied with water than he generally is. An hour before his 

 work commences he should be permitted to drink a couple 

 of quarts. A greater quantity might probably be objected 

 to. He will perform his task far more pleasantly and effec- 

 tively than with a parched )nouth and tormenting thirst. 

 The prejudice both of the hunting and the training groom 

 on this point is cruel, as weU as injurious. The task of the 

 journey being accomplished, and the horse having had his 

 head and neck dressed, his legs and feet washed, before his 

 body is cleaned he should hav$ his water. When dressed, 



