THE HORSE. 71 



of order, and their coats "stare/' (even though they be 

 not crib-biters,) reinstate them in health. In the latter 

 cases an earlier release for the night from work should 

 be granted when circumstances allow. 



Eating Beds. 



Many persons feel alarmed at their horses eating 

 their beds ; and very frequently in such cases grooms 

 physic their horses with a view towards preventing 

 this habit ; certainly, while the nausea resulting from 

 the medicine lasts, the desired effect is produced ; but, 

 when the nausea is gone, the horse returns more 

 ravenously than ever to the practice ; and so, event- 

 ually, by repeated physickings, the healthy tone of the 

 stomach is destroyed, and the refusal to eat sufficiently 

 is met with extra medicine, in a vain attempt to restore 

 the appetite which has been wantonly and foolishly 

 damaged. 



To such alarmists a few observations concerning 

 this craving of the horse may be useful. I myself 

 have been often asked to provide some preventive for 

 this habit, and my invariable answer has been " Keep 

 better food before the horse ; never let him stand too 

 long without exercise or sufficient to eat, and you may 

 depend upon finding that he will never eat his dirty 

 bed." 



If you follow this advice, you may be sure that 



