TURNING OUT TO GRASS OR PASTURING 311 



both on account of the greater number of flies and the hard condition of 

 the ground, which may break the unshod foot instead of providing it with 

 that moisture so conducive to healthy growth. The length of grass is not 

 always proof of feeding qualities, as in wet summers it is often so washy as 

 to purge the animals upon it, while, given plenty of good drinking water, 

 they may get fat upon a short bite that has the advantage of plenty of 

 sunshine. 



MEADOW LAND IN FLOODS' WAY, when the soil is of a gravelly nature, or if 

 it is well drained, will produce many excellent grasses, and contain a good 

 deal of clover ; in which case it is almost as well suited to the horse in dry 

 seasons as the finest upland. But too often it is either constantly flooded 

 or so badly drained that it is full of water-grasses, which the stomach of 

 the horse does not relish, so that in the latter case it is not at all adapted to 

 pasture him. The worst of it is, that there is seldom any happy medium in 

 this kind of land, being either baked hard in dry seasons, or flooded in wet. 

 The same remarks as to the times at which it is available for grazing apply 

 to this kind of land as to the last. 



MARSHES, whether salt or fresh water, should only be selected as grazing 

 land for those horses whose legs or feet are so damaged by work that they 

 either will not bear harder ground or are so bad as to require the restora- 

 tive action of constant moisture and cold applied to them. There is no 

 great difference in this power between the salt and fresh water marsh ; but 

 the former seems to suit the constitution the better of the two, and on that 

 account is to be preferred. Where a summer's run is desired for horses 

 with unsound legs or feet, a salt marsh is the best situation for carrying 

 out the intention. 



WHEN UNSOUNDNESS OF THE FEET OR LEGS is the inducement to turn out, 

 and the time at which it is desirable to do this is the summer season, the 

 choice should fall upon a marsh. Hard ground will increase the mischief, 

 and, between July and September, although it may be soft just at one 

 particular time, it cannot be expected to remain so long. In any case some 

 precaution should be taken against the horse galloping about on his first 

 being let loose, which, from the joy he experiences at getting his liberty, he 

 almost invariably does. In the case of horses blistered a few days before, when 

 they are swollen, stiff, and sore, a gallop would be so extremely painful as to 

 be altogether out of the question. A cradle must be kept on to prevent 

 blemishes, but this is no more objectionable out of doors than in, except for 

 their getting lost. Fetters or hobbles may be put on the fore-legs with the 

 same object, if the feet only are the seat of mischief ; but to inflamed joints 

 or back sinews they are not so well suited, from the pressure they produce 

 on the former, and the strains which they cause to the latter. After a few 

 days' liberty, the tendency to gallop will be lost, and as the legs gradually 

 recover their elasticity, the horse is not so prone to overdo himself in his 

 exercise, and will generally remain content with a moderate pace ; or, if the 

 legs are very unsound, the blister may be repeated. 



THE RENOVATION OF THE HEALTH, when this has been broken down by 

 disease or hard work, is best effected on good sound uplands. The herbage 

 on salt marshes will sometimes agree with the horse even better than ordi- 

 nary meadow grass, but this forms the exception to the rule, and is not to 

 be relied on in general. In selecting a run in such a case care should be 



