122 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



first interruption from frost, when a third dose may be 

 most beneficially administered. 



One of the principal auxiliaries to the condition of 

 hunters is long-continued exercise, or what grooms 

 caU " keeping them out." A helper — the lighter 

 the better — should ride one horse and lead two, one 

 on each side of him. I have never been fond of too 

 much walking ; for in this pace, as may be seen by the 

 track of his footsteps, there is a great exertion of the 

 hind leg of a horse, by which curbs and spavins are 

 often occasioned. In the " jog trot," as it is termed, 

 the hind leg falls short, and is comparatively in a state 

 of ease. I have, therefore, always directed my groom, 

 when travelling horses on the road, to trot them gently 

 the greater part of the journey ; and I recommend 

 that pace to hunters at exercise, where the ground is 

 not too hard or uneven. In the months of September 

 and October they should go out early in the morning, 

 on account of the bracing effects of the air, but always 

 in clothes and hooded, and be kept out for three hours 

 at a time. During these months the brush should be 

 very sparingly used, it being the moulting season 

 with them ; and a damp hay-wisp is better, for obvious 

 reasons. A few years since I saw a stud of hunters 

 at Christmas, whose owner had not suffered a brush 

 to be used to them up to that period, and their skins 

 were particularly glossy and fine. It is difficult, 

 however, to restrain grooms from the use of them, 

 unless they are under lock and key, which was the case 

 in this instance. When speaking of exercise, I should 

 have observed that high ground should be chosen for 



