OF FARRIERY. 



17 



by any means proper for light working Horses, 

 nor fur Horses that are required to go at speed, 

 as they require roore water to digest them, 

 consequently, they swell in the stomach ; and I 

 have known cases where the stomach has 

 been ruptured by feeding too heartily of beans, 

 and then the Horse put into immediate work : 

 they also exceedingly, in some constitutions, 

 distress the Horse's wind, especially if the 

 Horse be required to go fast ; they may be 

 allowed to Horses that travel at a moderate 

 rate, such as draught Horses, without that 

 extreme caution required with others. They 

 are good feed for coach or omnibus Horses, if 

 given in small quantities and with caution, and 

 due attention to the constitution of the Horse. 



Water is usually given twice a day ; some, 

 however, give it three times ; but this plan of 

 watering will not do for travelling Horses, but 

 may do very well for draught Horses. 



Soft water is esteemed preferable to hard 

 spring water ; hence rivets and running 

 streams are better than water pumped from a 

 fine spring : where such are not handy, 

 springs that supply ponds, where the water 

 gets impregnated and softened by a loomy 

 or chalky soil, will be better than hard spring 

 water. The quantity in this must be directed 

 by circumstances, size of the Horse, constitu- 

 tion, &c. Some Horses will not drink immo- 

 derately, and may be left to their discretion ; 

 while others, if you let them, will swill, and 

 render themselves incapable of work, causing 

 immoderate perspiration, and distress of wind. 

 Such must be restrained to a moderate 

 quantity, that they may be fit for work if they 

 are instantly wanted. When the work is done 

 for the day, water may be allowed in reason ; 

 but some Horses will always be required to 

 be allowanced, or they would drink greedily, 



and make their bellies what is called wash 

 bellied : it is not a bad sign, nor should a Horse 

 be rejected on account of a large belly ; it is 

 a sign of a good constitution, and a good 

 feeder, and nothing is more easy, with proper 

 feeding and exercise, to bring it into proper 

 shape. 



Half a stable-pail of water is generally suf- 

 ficient for the morning ; in the evening the 

 Horse may drink more plentifully, if his belly 

 does not appear to increase or get too large, 

 which must be particularly attended to ; for 

 by that you are to regulate his allowance of 

 hay and water. 



GROOM'S DUTY. 



Tlie foregoing remarks, relative to feeding 

 may suffice for the present ; I shall make some 

 further observations, as it may occur in the 

 daily employment in the stable, and shall pro- 

 ceed to notice things in that routine, which is 

 daily to be pursued. Stable hours should be 

 kept with strict regularity ; all animals appear 

 to have a knowledge of time ; and it may be 

 observed, in many instances, they observe the 

 periods as correctly as we, who have recourse 

 to time-pieces ; witness the dog, who, if he is 

 accustomed to receive any thing from your 

 plate at meals, never fails to attend at the 

 dinner-hour, though in the intervening time 

 he will be roving a great distance ; the poul- 

 try that scratch and seek for insects and worms 

 round adjacent places, will, at the accustomed 

 hour assemble at the door they are fed at, 

 and appear to know the time with great ex- 

 actness : pigs and cows in like manner : no 

 wonder that the Horse, which, I may aver it 

 not less sensible than any of these, should know 

 his stated hours ; and if he is not attended lo 

 particularly to feed and water at the accus- 



