172 THE HORSE OWNER's 



ural warmth, and become fine, the animal is evidently 

 and rapidly reviving; he attacks his food with appetite, 

 and then quietly lies down to rest. 

 EXERCISE. 

 Our observations on this important branch of stable 

 management must have only a slight reference to the ag- 

 ricultural horse. His work is usually regular and not 

 exhausting. He is neither predisposed to disease by idle- 

 ness, nor worn out by excessive exertion. He, like his 

 master, has enough to do to keep him in health and not 

 enough to distress nor injure him; on the contrary, the reg- 

 ularity of his work prolongs life to an extent rarely wit- 

 nessed in the stable of the gentleman. Our remarks on 

 exercise, then, must have a general bearing or have prin- 

 cipal reference to those persons who are in middle sta- 

 tions of life, and who contrive to keep a horse for busi- 

 ness or pleasure, but cannot afford to maintain a servant 

 far the express purpose of looking after it. The first 

 rule that I would lay down is tliat every horse should 

 have daily exercise. The animal that, with the usual 

 stable feeding, stands idle for three or four days, as is the 

 case in many establishments, must suffer. He is predis- 

 posed to fever, or to grease, or, worst of all, diseases of 

 the feet ; and if, after three or four days of inactivity, he 

 is ridden far and fast, he is almost sure to have inflamma- 

 tion of the lungs, or of the feet. A gentleman's or trades- 

 man's horse suffers a great deal more from idleness thau 

 he does from work. A stable-fed horse should have two 

 hours exercise every day, if he is to be kept free from 

 disease. Nothing of extraordinary, or even of ordinary 

 labor, can be effected on the road or in the field without 

 sufficient and regular exercise. It is this alone which 



