448 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



He is allowed vetches, or grass occasionally, 

 but from his box he stirs not, except for his 

 dull morning's round, until he is taken into 

 training for the next winter's business. 



In this, however, as in most other things, 

 there is a medium. There are few Horses 

 who have not materially suflfered in their legs 

 and feet, before the close of the hunting 

 season. There is nothing so refreshing to 

 their feet as the damp coolness of the grass 

 into which they are turned in May ; and 

 nothing so calculated to remove every enlarge- 

 ment and sprain, as the gentle exercise which 

 the animal voluntarily takes while his legs are 

 exposed to the cooling process of evaporation, 

 which is taking place from the herbage he 

 treads. The experience of ages has shewn, 

 that it is superior to all the embrocations and 

 bandages of the most skilful veterinarian. It 

 is the renovating process of nature, where the 

 art of man fails. 



The spring grass is the best physic that can 

 possibly be administered to the Horse. To a 

 degree, which no artificial aperient or diuretic 

 can attain, it carries off every humour which 

 may be lurking about the animal ; it lines 

 down the roundness of the legs ; and, except 

 there be some bony enlargement, restores them 

 almost to their original form and strength. 

 When, however, the summer has thoroughly 

 set in, the grass ceases to be succulent, ape- 

 rient, or medicinal ; the ground is no longer 

 cool and moist, at least during the day ; and a 

 host of tormentors, in the shape of flies, are, 

 from sun-rise to sun-set, persecuting the poor 

 animal. Running and stamping to rid him- 

 self of his plagues, his feet are battered by the 

 hard ground, and he newly, and perhaps more 

 severely, injures his legs. Kept in a constant 

 Btate of irritation and fever, he rapidly loses 



his condition, and sometimes comes up in 

 August little better than a skeleton. 



Let the Horse be turned out as soon as pos- 

 sible after the hunting season is over. Let 

 him have the whole of May, and the greater 

 part, or possibly the whole of June ; but when 

 the grass fails, and the ground gets hard, and 

 the flies torment, let him be taken up. All 

 the benefits of turning out, and that which a 

 loose box and artificial physic can never give, 

 will have been obtained, without the incon- 

 venience and injury which attend an injudi- 

 ciously protracted run at grass, and which 

 arguing against the use of a thing from the 

 abuse of it, have been improperly urged 

 against turning out at all. 



RIDING IN THE FIELD. 



Riding in the field requires very few pecu- 

 liar instructions. After having acquired a 

 good seat on horseback, and enabled himself 

 to sit firmly and with presence of mind and 

 circumspection upon his Horse in a jump, the 

 rider would do well to select the steadiest 

 and best reputed horseman in the field, and to 

 follow his course, in all respects, as nearly as 

 a fresh man shall be able so to do. The 

 hunting-seat on horseback partakes of both 

 those of the road and the turf, having little or 

 nothing peculiar ; a long gallop or a canter in 

 the field, requiring the same form as on the 

 road. Perhaps the late Sam Chifney's seat, 

 who rested more on his haunches than was 

 the general custom with jockics, may be the 

 most easy and convenient for the field. Some 

 sportsmen ride a hole longer in the field than 

 on the road. 



As to leaping, initiatory practice may be 

 had at the bar, at school, or at any fences 

 which may present. The rules for sitting a 



