46 HORSE-KEEPING FOR AMATEURS. 



forgotten all about his mishap, and jump as freely as ever. 

 A friend of mine, who used to ride an extraordinary jumper 

 ■with a pack of draghounds kept by his regiment, came heavily 

 to grief one day ; his Lorse was stunned, and evidently severely 

 shaken. The next week he was pronounced "fit to go," and 

 he did go — as far as the first fence ; but anything farther 

 he most distinctly declined. My gallant friend (a reall}'- good 

 man to hounds) bullied, whipped, and spurred, all in vain, 

 and he had to go home without jumping a straw. Two further 

 efforts the following week were attended with precisely similar 

 results, and, coming home on the last of these occasions, the 

 disgusted rider offered him to me for ten pounds. However, 

 he was persuaded to keep him, and give him a rest. Later 

 on in the same season he came out without a trace of fear 

 about him, and fenced as well as ever. 



In a long day with hounds, always get your horse a little 

 something — a pail of oatmeal gruel with the chill taken off, 

 a bit of hay, or even a piece of bread — to stay the stomach, 

 which, in proportion to his size, is very small, and requires 

 constant replenishing. This will save many an attack of 

 indigestion, and often prevent a horse from getting off his 

 feed when he comes home. When his day's work is done, 

 warm gruel, and hot bran, or bran and linseed mashes, will 

 be found very comforting, given before his ordinary corn. 

 Don'-t suffer him to be washed, but merely well dry-brushed 

 over, and the flannel bandages put on all round ; then shut 

 him up, and leave him to take his rest. 



One word, in conclusion, about the girths. They should 

 not be too tight. If a breastplate is worn, that will be found 

 sufficient to keep the saddle in its place with girths moderately 

 tiijhtly buckled ; and when you have had a sharp gallop, it 

 will be time enough to take up that *' one hole tighter '* 

 which would seriously inconvenience your horse at the start. 



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