MOUTHING, ETC. 455 



ginger with sufficient treacle to form a soft mass. The ball must then be 

 wrapped in soft paper." — Sir F. Fitzivygrain, " Horses and Stables,'' p. 14^. 



When the physic has acted the animal may be allowed, 

 at the noon and evening feedings, bran mashes, and grad- 

 ually returned to a moderate amount of oats, six or eisht 

 quarts per day. If from the effects of the " ball " the horse 

 continues soft on the third day, he should be induced to 

 drink half a pailful of tepid water into which a handful of 

 fiour has been mixed. From this time on the treatment of 

 the horse is the same as one which has been in idleness. 

 They should, at first, both be given very light work on a 

 lounging-rein (see Fig. 215), and the exercise gradually in- 

 creased. The quantity and nature of the fodder should be 

 relative to the amount of work. At first five or six quarts 

 of oats with occasional bran mashes and the usual amount 

 of hay will be sufficient, but as the horse " hardens up," the 

 quantity of oats should be daily increased to eight or ten 

 quarts. From one to four weeks is required to get a carriage 

 or saddle horse in good condition. If he is fat and becomes 

 easily " blown," is thin and scours, or sweats readily, his 

 training may be considered incomplete. The sweat of a 

 horse, in good hard condition, is like water, while thick, 

 lathery sweat indicates the reverse. 



" Horses that come fresh from a dealer's have usually been fed on soft 

 food. When first brought into a stable they will require a dose of physic, 

 gentle exercise, beginning with walking and gradually increasing in amount 

 and pace, and a diet of hard corn for a week or a fortnight before they will 

 be fit to do hard work." — Eail of Onslow, Badtnititon, " Driving,'" p. yj. 



MOUTHING, ETC. 



The two defects common to most carriage and saddle 

 horses are, first, "bad manners".; and, second, the wasteful 



