EXPENSES. 23 



than the carriages. Good blankets should last, with proper 

 care, two or three years before requiring rebinding or mend- 

 ing. The harness, if kept in good condition, will last eight or 

 ten years, and the repairs will not, or should not, amount to a 

 large sum. The carriages, unless subjected to very hard 

 use or injured by accident, will not require a thorough over- 

 hauling for from three to five years, but after that time the 

 bill for repairs will appear at frequent intervals. Carriages 

 should be examined and repaired at the end of each season. 

 The existence of the livery is comparatively transitory, es- 

 pecially if the turn-out is of such a character that any shab- 

 biness in the coachman's apparel is noticeable. 



If economy has to be practised, the amount expended in 

 the purchase of a horse may be lessened by taking advantage 

 of the off season in the horse market ; an animal, especially 

 a stylish one, will command at auction almost twice the price 

 in May or October that he would in July or February. A 

 like saving may be made in the purchase of a carriage by 

 buying a good and little used secondhand one from some 

 responsible builder. The objection to this latter piece of 

 economy is the possibility or likelihood of buying a wagon 

 out of which all the service has been had. Providing the 

 owner has a careful man in charge, a saving may be made 

 by getting pastes, powders, brushes, etc., by the dozen from 

 some wholesale firm. By purchasing in this way a saving 

 of a few cents on each article is effected, and a similar saving 

 may be made in the purchase of other stable requisites. If, 

 however, the stable servants are prodigal with articles bought 

 in quantities, the waste will more than offset the difference 

 in the cost. 



The running expenses may be kept down to a minimum 



