6o THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



the day, he should have six or eight swaUows, or go- 

 downs, as the grooms call them, between five and six 

 in the morning. This quantity of water, or more, is 

 always given to the race-horse on the day he runs his 

 race, as it makes him enjoy his food, and digest it 

 afterwards, and it is all absorbed by the time he is 

 called upon to run. Nothing is so apt to make horses 

 scour as change of food and water ; for which reason 

 it is advisable that a hunter should go from his own 

 stable to meet hounds, if the distance does not exceed 

 fifteen or sixteen miles, rather than sleep out, and be 

 subject to the effects alluded to. If, however, he does 

 sleep out, and is affected by the change, he should be 

 watered before he leaves home, and have very little 

 where he sleeps, which will in some measure counter- 

 act the evil. One would suppose that this apparent 

 derangement of the bowels would be most injurious 

 to a horse which has to follow hounds ; but I remember 

 being in the company of a very heavy and desperate 

 rider, when this subject was discussed, and he assured 

 us, that were he called upon to say on what day he 

 considered himself to have been carried across a country 

 in the best style, and with the least distress, he should 

 say that it was by a horse that scoured most violently 

 on his road to covert, and looked like a shotten-herring 

 when he got on his back. All, therefore, that can be 

 said on this subject, is that there are exceptions to all 

 rules, and that the case in point is in favour of an 

 empty stomach and a short allowance of hay. One 

 thing is certain, that it is scarcely possible to tire a 

 sound man, when in strong exercise, with an empty 



