In the Stable, Field, and on the Road. 33 



have a horse off its feed because its digestive organs are up- 

 set, I take it out in the fresh air for half-an-hour in the 

 morning before feeding. After it has had its walk, I bring 

 it in and let it drink what cold water it likes, and then give 

 it a small quantity of corn and a little sweet hay. I give 

 little at one time, but feed often, and in a few clays, with- 

 out the aid of any drugs, I find my horse always ready for 

 his food." No horse gets less medicine than the horse of 

 a veterinary surgeon, and I believe with Shakespeare, 

 " Throw physic to the dogs ; " yet it is necessary for every 

 groom with horses under his care to have a knowledge of 

 the drugs commonly used for the horse, and the effects it 

 produces. No man uses less drags than the man who 

 thoroughly understands them. It is the abuse of drugs, 

 not the use of them, that has to be deprecated. If a groom 

 has a knowledge of drugs, he is of great use to the 

 veterinary surgeon, for he will watch minutely the effects 

 of medicine left to be given to the patient, and will be 

 able to inform the practical veterinary surgeon the symp- 

 toms that have taken place since his last visit. The 

 veterinary surgeon has great drawbacks to contend with 

 in the treatment of animals, and I am afraid he has too 

 often reason to find fault with the ignorance of the groom. 

 This is not to be wondered at, as a great many gentlemen 

 take lads from the plough, and in a few years, without 

 any training, and without any knowledge of the business 

 beyond cleaning a set of harness, washing a carriage, and 

 dressing a dirty horse, he is put into the position of groom 

 or coachman, and the trust and care of valuable animals 

 thrust upon him. It is this sort of thing that makes the 

 name of a stableman the scoff of a large number of gentle- 

 c 



