316 STABLE ECONOMY. 



grain, and by stinting the allowance of hay. If the horse 

 can take exercise, one day is sufficient to prepare him. A 

 the usual feeding hour, he has a bran mash, warm or cold, 

 whichever he likes best. He gets water often, and in full 

 measure, as much as he will take, and, if possible, he should 

 have walking or trotting exercise, perhaps morning and after- 

 noon. At night, he receives less than the ordinary allow- 

 ance of hay ; and, if a great eater, a muzzle is put upon him, 

 that he may not eat the litter after his hay is finished. Few, 

 however, need to be stinted in their fodder. Most of them 

 may have the ordinary allowance. Those that will not eat 

 mashes, nor drink freely, and those that can not take exer- 

 cise, are the only horses that need to be kept short of fodder. 

 Farly next morning the physic is given on an empty stomach. 

 Treatment under Physic. Half an hour, or directly after 

 physic is given, the horse gets a bran mash ; that eaten, he 

 goes to walking exercise, for perhaps an hour ; he is watered 

 when he returns. The water should be tepid, warm as the 

 horse will take it. He is to get it often, and as much as he 

 pleases. It should all be warm, that is, it should not be very 

 cold. Some horses, particularly when under physic, refuse 

 tepid water. It is often offered too warm. It is better that 

 he have it cold, than that he have none. But from the time 

 physic is given till it ceases to operate, all the water should 

 be warm as the horse will take it, yet not so warm as to make 

 him refuse it. During the remainder of this day, the horse 

 has a bran mash as often as he is accustomed to get grain. 

 Warm are better than cold mashes ; if refused they may be 

 given cold ; if both be refused, dry bran may be tried. 

 Whether bran be eaten or refused, the horse is to have no 

 grain. The hay may be sprinkled with plain, or with salt 

 water. Sometimes a little more exercise is given in the af- 

 ternoon ; and when the horse is difficult to purge, he is all 

 the better of more oxercise, weather and the legs permitting 

 it. In wet weather, the horse is not to go out. In cold 

 weather, he is to be clothed, both in the stable and at exer- 

 cise. The exercise is given at a walking pace, but in cold 

 weather part of it may be faster. It should be fast enough to 

 keep the horse warm, but not so fast as to heat him. Next 

 morning, about twenty-four hours after the physic has been 

 given, purging commences. Sometimes it begins sooner. I 

 have seen physic operate in ten hours, and I have known 

 thirty hours elapse ere the horse was fairly purged. The 

 more exercise he takes, and the more water he drinks, the 



