SHOEING AND STABLES. 133 



People who only keep one or two horses often make the 

 same mistake, as if they engaged Lord Gourmet's cook 

 for a servant of all work. They see a fiery caprioling 

 animal, sleek as a mole, gentle, but full of fire, come out 

 of a nobleman's stud, where he was nursed like a child, 

 and only ridden or driven in his turn, with half-a-dozen 

 others. Seduced by his lively appearance, they pur- 

 chase him, and place him under the care of a gardener- 

 groom, or at livery, work him every day, early and late, 

 and are surprised to find his flesh melt, his coat lose 

 its bloom, and his lively pace exchanged for a dull 

 shamble. This is a common case. The wise course is 

 to select for a horse of all work an animal that has been 

 always accustomed to work hard ; he will then improve 

 with care and regular exercise. 



Horses under six years' old are seldom equal to very 

 hard work : they are not, full-grown, of much use, where 

 only one or two are kept. 



Make a point of caressing your horse, and giving him 

 a carrot or apple whenever he is brought to you, at 

 the same time carefully examine him all over, see to his 

 legs, his shoes, and feet ; notice if he is well groomed ; 

 see to the condition of his furniture, and see always 

 that he is properly bitted. Grooms are often careless 

 and ignorant. 



As to Shoeing. In large towns there are always veteri- 

 nary surgeons' forges, where the art is well understood- 

 and so, too, in hunting districts ; but where you have to 

 rely on ignorant blacksmiths you cannot do better than 

 rely on the rather exaggerated instructions contained in 

 " Miles on the Horse's Foot," issued at a low price by 

 the Royal Agricultural Society. Good shoeing prolongs 

 the use of a horse for years. 



Stables. Most elaborate directions are given for the 



