TURNING HUNTERS OUT TO GRASS 41 



horses may go very well over a country — but it is the 

 destruction of their condition which is so detrimental 

 to them, for it is impossible that it can be restored 

 by the time they are required to go into the field 

 again. ^ 



With respect to the effect of condition on the horse, 

 it is in the stable of a post-master that I take my 

 stand. When I see a pair of under-sized, apparently 

 worn-out, horses put to what, in the language of the 

 road, is called " a bounder," that is, a gentleman's 

 carriage with three in and two out — with " every- 

 thing belonging to the family," as the post-boys say, 

 " but the kitchen grate " ; when I see these animals 

 draw this load a fifteen-mile stage in the morning 

 without difficulty, return home, and take another 

 such a load in the evening ; when I see them, with 

 skins as fine as race-horses, stand out exposed to all 

 weathers, washed all over when they are hot, and all 

 this with impunity ; I ask myself what enables these 

 animals to do this ? Is it their natural physical 

 strength ? Is it the goodness of their nature ? My 

 reasoning faculty tells me it is neither. They would 



^ It so happened that whilst (July 26, 1822) in the act of writing 

 this, the groom (as he is calledl of a neighbouring gentleman called 

 on me with a message from his master, and the following conversa- 

 tion passed between us : " Has your master taken up his hunters ? " 

 — " No, Sir, he never takes them up till the first of August ; but 

 this year he has only one to take up." — " How so ? " — " He has 

 sold one, and the other died last week." — " Of what did he die ? " 

 — " Of the blood." — " What do you mean by the blood ? " — " He 

 was so terribly fat, his blood stagnated : the mare is terribly fat 

 too." — " How shall you get it ofi her ? " — " Oh, we sweats it oflf." 

 — " How are her legs ? " — " Very middling." — Here the conversa- 

 tion ended. 



