370 ROAD HORSES. 



in inn j^ards from the pump) in the morning, 

 sometimes before, (which is ridiculous in the 

 exti-eme) but generally immediately after they 

 have swallowed their corn ; upon an errone- 

 ous supposition, that upon such accumu- 

 lated STUFFING, they will be enabled to 

 surmount all the difficulties of a lons^ and 

 fatiguing journey. 



Upon the inconsistency of this practice, I 

 beg to appeal only to the unprejudiced re- 

 membrance of those who have unthinkingly 

 adopted it^ whether horses thus loaded, do 

 not travel for some m.iles w^ith the greatest 

 seeming labour and inconvenience. Admitting 

 this position without a single exception, there 

 cannot be a remainingdoubt;, but those horses, 

 commencing their journey, almost immedi- 

 ately after the stomach becomes expanded 

 with the accustomed portion of hay and corn, 

 had with much more propriety proceed a few 

 lililcs gently on the road, and take their water 

 at a soft STANDING poND^or POOL, when 

 the frame (by preceding evacuations) is more 

 adapted to receive it. But even in this al- 

 ternative, proper discrimination is absolutely 

 necessary ; for Jiorse^^ eitlier on a journey or 



