82 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



the assistance of a veterinary surgeon, who was at 

 hand, and who took nine quarts of blood from him 

 that night, and three more the next morning, besides 

 physic, clysters, etc. saved his life. On the third day 

 his eyesight returned, but the fever settled in his feet, 

 and he was only fit for harness at the expiration of 

 twelve months. This happened in the month of 

 November ; and previously to my purchasing him he 

 had been turned out on very good land for the summer 

 months, to which I attributed the loss I sustained 

 by him : for had he been in my possession six months 

 sooner, I feel confident it would not have happened, 

 as there was nothing in that day's sport to have in- 

 jured a horse whose condition had been the work of 

 time. 



When I first began to keep hunters, we knew nothing 

 of those great restoratives in the stable — flannel 

 bandages, hot water for legs, and gruel. Except in case 

 of iUness they were never thought of — the benefit of 

 which is, in my opinion, incalculable. By their use 

 circulation is kept up in those parts where it is apt to 

 be most languid ; and the practice of washing legs 

 in very warm water, and swathing them in large folds 

 of flannel, takes off soreness and inflammation from 

 blows and other injuries, which aU hunters are liable 

 to in a run over a strong country. Another advantage 

 attending them is, that they admit of a horse being 

 shut up half the time it formerly required to clean 

 him, which enables him to lie down, or roll, which he 

 wiU always do if in a loose house, before he gets stiff 

 from his work. 



