ON HUNTING. 173 



Very much may be done by the judicious use of hot and 

 cold water in fact, more than by half the prescriptions 

 in general use ; but the proper time must be attended to 

 as well, for its application. When a horse has had a 

 long and severe day's work, he should not be harassed 

 more than is absolutely necessary, by grooming and 

 dressing ; the chief business should be to get him dry 

 and comfortable as quickly as possible, and when that 

 has been effected, a slight wisping over with a dry cloth 

 will be sufficient for that night." 



The expenses of horse-keep vary according to the 

 knowledge of the master and the honesty of his groom ; 

 but what the expense ought to be may be calculated 

 from the fact that horses in first-rate condition cannot 

 consume more than thirteen quarters of oats and two 

 and a half tons of hay in a year ; that is, as to oats, from 

 three to six quarterns a day, according to the work they 

 are doing. But in some stables, horses are supposed to 

 eat a bushel a day every day in the year : there is no 

 doubt that the surplus is converted into beer or gin. 



" Upon our return from hunting, every horse had his 

 bucket of thick gruel directly he came into the stable, 

 and a little hay to eat whilst he was being cleaned. We 

 never gave any com until just before littering down, the 

 last thing at night. The horse's legs were plunged into 

 a high bucket of warm water, and if dirty, soft soap was 

 used. The first leg being washed, was sponged as dry 

 as possible, and then bandaged with thick woollen band- 

 ages until the others were washed; the bandages were 

 then removed entirely, and the legs rubbed by hand until 

 quite dry. We used the best old white potatoe oats, 

 weighing usually 45lbs. per bushel, but so few beans that 

 a quarter lasted us a season. The oats were bruised, 

 and a little sweet hay chaff mixed with them. We also 



