OF FARRIERY. 



445 



auJ lay stretched out, convulsed, and appa- 

 rently dying. His master procured a bottle 

 of good sherry from the house of a neighbour- 

 ing friend, and poured it down the animal's 

 throat. The Horse immediately began to 

 revive; soon after got up, and walked home, 

 and gradually recovered. The sportsman may 

 not always be able to get this, but he may 

 obtain a cordial-ball from the nearest farrier, 

 or he may beg a little ginger from some good 

 l>oiise-wife, and mix it with warm ale, or he 

 may give the ale alone, or strengthened with 

 a little rum or gin. When he gets home, or 

 if he stops at the first stable he finds, let the 

 Horse be put into the coolesc place, and then 

 well clothed and diligently rubbed about the 

 legs and belly. The practice of putting the 

 animal, thus distressed, into " a comfortable 

 warm stable," and excluding every breath of 

 air, has destroyed many valuable Horses. 



We are now describing the very earliest 

 treatment to be adop(,ed, and before it may 

 be possible to call in an experienced practi- 

 tioner. This stimulating plan would be fatal 

 twelve hours afterwards. It will, however, 

 be the wisest course, to commit the animal, 

 the first moment it is practicable, to the care 

 of the veterinary surgeon, if such there be in 

 the neighbourhood, in whom confidence can 

 be placed. 



The labours and the pleasures of the hunt- 

 ing season being passed, the farmer makes 

 little, or no difference in the management of 

 his untrained Horse ; but the wealthier sports- 

 man is somewhat at a loss what to do with 

 his. It used to be thought, that when the 

 animal had so long contributed, sometimes 

 voluntarily, and sometimes with a little com- 

 pulsion, to the enjoyment of his owner, he 



ought, for a few months, to be permitted to 

 seek his own amusement, in his own way . 

 and he was turned out for a summer's run at 

 grass. 



Some few years ago a long controversy took 

 place in the Sporting Magazine on the merits 

 of summering the Hunter. Two celebrated 

 writers were engaged in it; one under the 

 signature of Nimrod, who recommended sum- 

 mering the Hunter in the stable ; the oppo- 

 nent to this measure was the veteran John 

 Lawrence, who advocated the summering of 

 the Hunter in the field as the best means of 

 renovating him, and restoring him to his 

 pristine vigour. 



The experience of Nimrod in horseflesh, 

 and the influence which his writings generally 

 possess, may have influenced some to have 

 adopted his opinions on this subject, we do 

 not doubt, and we refer our readers to the 

 " Sporting Magazine" for 1822, &c., who may 

 there see and judge for themselves. This con- 

 troversy was carried on in no very measured 

 or complimentary terms. 



The practice, however, of turning out the 

 Hunter seems to us so y natural as well as 

 beneficial to the animal, that vve.feel surprised 

 that a dispute upon such a nature could have 

 arisen. The following remarks upon this 

 subject seem so judicious, that we cannot with- 

 hold them from our readers. They proceed 

 from the same writer in the " Horse," to 

 whom we have before alluded : — 



Fashion, which now govern.? everythino-, 

 and now and then cruelly and absurdly, has 

 exercised her tyranny over this poor quadru- 

 ped. His field, where he could wander and 

 gambol as he liked, is changed to a loose box; 

 and the hberty in which he so evidently ex- 

 ulted, to an hour's walking exercise daily. 

 5 u 



