TURNING HUNTERS OUT TO GRASS 45 



the former rests in winter, and the latter rests in 

 summer. Neither of them can be always on his 

 legs, or they will be equally stale in their way. But 

 when the race-horse rests, his condition is going on. 

 He may have some green meat given to him, if there 

 is any to be had at the time ; but at all seasons of the 

 year he is never to be deprived of his com. 



Lest it should be supposed that I am averse to 

 turning hunters out at all in the summer months, it 

 will be better, perhaps, not to proceed farther without 

 explaining myself on that head. So far from being 

 averse to it, I would strongly recommend it, under 

 favourable circumstances. In case of having recourse 

 to bhstering, it is most serviceable ; and, after firing, 

 almost necessary — but then they should be turned 

 out only at night, and into a place where there is but 

 little grass, and have two if not three feeds of corn a 

 day, but nothing else to eat till they go out, unless it 

 be a few vetches, for four or five days at a time, when 

 they are young and tender, in the months of May or 

 June ; but this should not be repeated more than 

 three or four times, as they tend to make horses very 

 foul, and when in pod are most injurious to them. It 

 is not every one who keeps hunters that has paddocks 

 to turn them into ; nor, indeed, do they fall to the lot 

 of many ; but when they are to be had the advantage 

 is great, as a horse is safer in them, and the smaller 

 they are, within reason, the better ; for it is not the 

 grass that we want, but the exercise and the moisture 

 of the ground for their feet, and the bracing effects of 

 the pure air. If only one or two hunters are turned 



