THE HORSE. 131 



chooses, and of taking his exercise when and how 

 he likes on soft and cool ground, to be put upon dry, 

 hard, stimulating food, regulated in amount ; to be in, 

 unfortunately, most cases, stinted in his water ; to be 

 forced to work on hard dry roads, shod as he is, 

 with iron shoes that become heated by the continuous 

 friction they undergo ; and, as a climax, to be placed, at 

 the end of his involuntary labour, on a warm, dry, 

 brick floor, made still warmer by an overspread layer 

 of straw. Need we, then, wonder that this extreme 

 change of diet does produce such heat of body as, 

 apart from the forced labour, is sufficient to produce 

 decided disease. 



Disease thus produced must necessarily settle in the 

 weakest part ; and whether such part be the battered 

 feet, kept warm or dry, or any other part, such as 

 the lungs, the liver, the eyes, &c., thither flies the 

 malady. 



For further information on the important subject 

 of water supply, see my work on " The Horse/' 



Work. 



The straining produced by long-continued work 

 causes horses to step in a low and ungraceful manner ; 

 but if they are not thereby prevented from doing their 

 proper work conveniently, they are, nevertheless, 



SOUND. 

 i: 2 



