Book VII. MANAGEMENT OF RIDING HORSES. 947 



his exercise should be rather long continued than violent. Oats, with beans, are the proper hard food for 

 hunters, taking care that the beans do not constipate the bowels ; which must be obviated by bran 

 mixed with the other food, if such should be the case. Bread is not necessary, but for tender delicate 

 horses ; but every thing should be of the best. 



6061. The day before a horse is to hunt it is common to treat him somewhat differently, but which is 

 seldom necessary. It is evident he should be well fed, and that not late at night, that he may lie down 

 early. Some feed in the morning, which others avoid; but when it is considered, as has been fully 

 explained (5731.), how ill a horse bears fasting, it will be at once seen, that if very early in the morning, 

 as by five o'clock, he could be fed with a moderate quantity of com wetted, it would tend to support him 

 through the day. 



6062. On the return of a horse from hunting, the care bestowed on him should be extreme j as on it 

 depends the immediate recovery of his strength. If he have fasted very long, and particularly if he be 

 disinclined to eat of himself ; horn down a pint of ale, with two pints of thick gruel. No prudent sports- 

 man will bring in a horse hot ; but if unavoidable accidents prevent this caution, let the horse be again 

 led out for a few minutes, hooded and clothed ; but he must have fresh clothes when afterwards dressed. 

 Encourage him to stale as quickly as possible, after which proceed to hand-rub him all over carefully, 

 placing before him a little of the best hay well sprinkled with water. If he refuse this, offer him three 

 quarts of very clean chilled water. When perfectly cleaned, let his feet be carefully examined, that 

 stubs have not pierced them, or that his shoes have not been forced awry, by over-reaching, or by the 

 suction of clayey ground ; or that thorns be not lodged in his knees, hocks, and sinews. After ail these 

 matters have been well attended to, remove him from his stall to a loose box, well bedded up. A loose 

 box is invaluable to a hunter ; it gives room for stirring to prevent the swelling of the legs ; and is better 

 than bandaging when it can be avoided, which gives a disinclination to lie down. If the horse be off his 

 food the next day, give him a cordial ball ( Vet. Pharm. 5899.) and a malt mash, and afterwards a few cut 

 carrots, which will assist to bring him round more speedily. 



SuBSECT. 3. Of the Working and Management of Riding Horses. 



6063. The tvorking and managing of hackney or riding horses, includes what is re- 

 quired for them as pleasure horses for ordinary airings ; and what they require when 

 used for purposes of travelling or long journeyings. It embraces also their stable ma- 

 nagement in general, with the proper care of horse and stable appointments : all which 

 are usually entrusted to a servant, popularly called a groom, whose qualifications 

 should be, moderate size, light weight, activity and courage, joined with extreme mild- 

 ness and good temper ; and above all, a natural love of horses, by which every thing 

 required is done as a pleasure for the animal he loves, and not as a task for those he is 

 indifferent to. 



6064. The hackfiey for gentlemen's airings should be in high condition, because a fine coat is usually 

 thought requisite, and hero the groom ought to be diligent that he may keep up this condition by regu- 

 larity and dressing, more than by heat, clothing, and cordials. Whenever his master does not use his 

 horse, he must not fail to exercise him (but principally by walking) to keep up his condition, and to keep 

 down useless flesh and swellings of the heels. The horse appointments are to be peculiarly bright and clean. 

 The bridle should be billetted and buckled, that the bits may be removed to clean them without soiling the 

 leather, and which cleaning ought not to be done with rough materials, but fine powder and polishing. 

 On the return from exercise, they should be wiped dry and then oiled. Two pair of girths should be used, 

 that a clean pair may always be ready, and the same if saddle cloths are used. 



6065. The preparation for, and the care of a horse on a journey involve many particulars which should 

 not escape the eye of the master. The first is, Is the horse in hard travelhng condition? Next, Do his 

 appointments all fit, and are they in proper order ? The bridle for journeying should always be a double 

 curbed one. The snafliie can be ridden with, certainly ; but the snaffle cannot do the work of the curb, in 

 staying a horse, in saving him from the ground under stumbling or fatigue; or throwing him on his 

 haunches ; or in lightening his mouth. The bridle should not be new, but one to which the horse is 

 accustomed. It is of still more consequence that the saddle be one that the horse has worn before, and that 

 fits him thoroughly. The girths should also be of the best material to prevent accidents ; and if the saddle 

 be liable to come forward, however objectionable the appearance, a crupper had better be used. Some 

 days before a long journey is attempted, if the shoes are not in order, shoe the horse ; but by no means 

 let it be done as you set off, otherwise having proceeded on the journey a few miles, you find that one foot 

 is pricked, and lameness ensues; or, if this be not the case, one or more shoes pinch, or do not settle to 

 the feet ; all which cannot be so well altered as by your own smith. 



6066. It is always best to begin a long journey l^ short stages, which accustoms the horse to continued ex- 

 ertion. This is the more particularly necessary if he have not been accustomed to travel thus, or if he be 

 not in the best condition. The distance a horse can perform with ease depends greatly on circumstances. 

 Light carcased horses, very young ones, and such as are low in flesh, require often baiting, particularly in 

 hot weather : horses in full condition, above their work, and well carcased, and such as are from seven, or 

 ten, or twelve years old, are better when ridden a stage of fifteen or twenty miles, with a proportionate 

 length of baiting time afterwards, than when baited often, with short stoppages : the state of the weather 

 should also be considered ; when it is very hot the stages should be necessarily shorter. 



6067. To a proper consideration of the baiting times on a journey, the physiology of digestion should be 

 studied. {SlTl.) Fatigue weakens the stomach ; when we ourselves are tired, we seldom have much in- 

 clination to eat, and fatigue also prevents activity in the digestive powers. To allay these consequences, 

 ride the horse gently the last two or three miles. If a handful of grass can be got at the road side, it will 

 wonderfully refresh your horse, and not delay you three minutes. In hot weather, let the horse have 

 two or three go downs (gulps), but not more, of water occasionally as you pass a pond ; this tends to prevent 

 excessive fatigue. Occasionally walk yourself up hill, which greatly relieves him, and at which time, 

 remove the saddle, by shifting which, only half an inch, you greatly relieve him; and during this time, 

 perhaps he may stale, which also is very refreshing to him. It may be as well, hi a flinty country, to 

 take this opportunity of examining that no stones are got into the feet likewise. 



6068. When a horse is brought into an inn from his journey ; if he be very hot, first let him be allowed 

 time to stale ; let his saddle be taken off, and with a sweat knife draw the perspiration away ; then, with 

 a rug thrown over him, let him be led out and walked in some sheltered place till cool, by which means he 

 will not afterwards break out into a .secondary and hurtful sweat : but by no means let an idle ostler 

 hang him to dry without the stable. Being now dried, remove him to the stable, where, let some good 

 hay, sprinkled with water, be placed before him : if very thirsty, give three or four quarts of water now, 



and the remainder in half an hour, and then let him be thoroughly dressed, hand-rubbed, foot-picked, and 

 foot- washed ; but by no means let him be ridden into water ; or, if this practice is customary, and cannot 

 be avoided, let it be not higher than the knees, and afterwards insist on the legs being rubbed perfectly 

 dry ; but good hand-rubbing and light Sponging is better than washing. Havingthus made him comfort- 

 able, proceed to feed him with corn and beans according as he is used. 



6069. To feed a horse when very hard ridden, or if weakly and tender, it is often found useful to give 

 bread, or bread with ale : if this be also refused, horn down oatmeal and ale, or gruel and ale. Jt is of 



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