CONDITION OF HUNTERS RESUMED 315 



months. It may appear strange, but in my younger 

 days, I cared little what sort of a building my horses 

 were put into, provided I had it in my power to stop 

 up every hole and crevice about it, and as nearly 

 as possible approximate it to a hot-house. As for 

 ventilation, I never dreamed about it ; neither did 

 I consider it at all essential to the health of my stud. 

 All I can say is, that with such fearful odds against 

 me, I had no inflammatory complaint in my stable 

 until I had been an owner of hunters for more than ten 

 years, during more than eight of which my daUy 

 morning salutation to my groom in the winter was — 

 " Well, Ned, is the stable warm and comfortable ? " 

 " Pretty well, Sir." " That's right, Ned : put lots 

 of dung outside the door ; stop up every crevice over 

 their heads ; stuff the foot of your old stocking in the 

 key-hole ; and mind there is no cracked pane in the 

 window." Now it is quite evident that Ned ^ and 

 his master were two ignorant boobies ; notwith- 

 standing which their horses looked, and were, well. 

 I must also add, that this practice was not confined 

 to my own stable, but was in pretty general use with 

 some of my neighbours, who liked to see their horses 

 look bright and well ; and furthermore, I am quite 

 satisfied inflammatory attacks were not more frequent 

 or fatal among hunters at the period I am speaking 

 of, than they are at present. 



* This Ned. it must be observed, was a most excellent groom, 

 and, having served me faithfully for nine years, obtained ;£ioo per 

 annum wages as hunting groom, and now keeps a very respectable 

 inn. 



