GROOMS 121 



sot is invariably cruel, and cruelty should never be 

 allowed for one moment in a stable. 



For the novice whose stable is on a limited scale — 

 say two hunters and a dogcart horse or pony — one 

 groom and a stable lad should be sufficient. In 

 calculating the number of men required in a large 

 stable, regard must be had to the amount of carriage 

 work. But as we have already stated, it is our duty 

 to speak only of the hunting department of the stable. 

 Carefulness, cleanliness, and tidiness are the first three 

 qualities essential to a good groom. Cleverness and 

 horsemanship are secondary considerations, and very 

 often of doubtful advantage to the master. A very 

 clever groom is fond of physicking horses on his own 

 responsibility, while a careful groom by his care avoids 

 the constant need of physic. Many masters will not 

 allow a groom to physic a horse without first obtaining 

 their consent, which, in our opinion, is a good plan, as 

 a little veterinary knowledge is a dangerous thing to 

 horses. Unless a man keeps young, high-blooded horses, 

 which the novice is hardly likely to do, a first-rate 

 horseman is of no advantage, while at exercise, riding 

 to covert, or acting as second horseman, he will rarely 

 be able to resist the temptation to lark. It is difficult 

 to blame him, for, to a good rider on a good horse, the 

 temptation to jump is wellnigh irresistible. Still, it 

 is not the duty of the groom to jump. We have often 

 heard a man complain that his second horse is not 

 fresh ; nor is he likely to be, if the second horseman 

 has been larking him over fences all the morning. 



Assuming that our previous hints on grooming have 

 been of use, we advise the novice, before definitely 



