MANAGEMENT OF HORSES IN THE OPEN. 1 35 



improves, the amount of work required to make the skin damp increases, 

 and the sweat itself is less greasy and more watery in consistence ; 

 while it dries with rapidity, and does not recur. There are, however, 

 some free-sweating horses which lather freely even when in good fettle. 

 Weather has a great influence on the amount animals perspire, for 

 whereas on a cold, clear day it takes a lot of exertion to turn a hair, a 

 damp muggy morning will make them sweat freely. 



On THE March. 



It is taken for granted that the horses are in " condition," without 

 which it is impossible for them to undergo the fatigue and exertion 

 incident to any prolonged effort. This has already been dealt with under 

 the heading of " Condition," but the importance of the point riiust be Length ot 

 again insisted upon. Looked at solely from the animal's point of view, the march, 

 length of a march is to be estimated not only in miles, but also with 

 regard to the number of hours that the load has to be carried, and this 

 latter consideration is frequently the more important of the two. The 

 advance of a column on service is occasionally at the rate of one 

 mile in four or five hours, and under such circumstances, a five mile 

 march on paper may call for the exhibition of extreme endurance in 

 reality. If under the pressure of circumstances the marching of un- 

 conditioned animals is necessary, unless the military necessities of the 

 case are such as to override all thought of loss, the distances to be 

 covered and the time occupied must be comparatively short, or 

 exhaustion and sore backs will shortly account for the majority. 



Previous to starting, a special inspection of the saddlery and shoeing Inspectior 

 should be undertaken, to make sure that all is in order, but alterations to before 

 saddlery should only be made if they are absolutely unavoidable : starting, 

 eleventh hour alterations are not always judicious, and unless actual 

 injury is apparent, saddlery is better let alone at this moment. Shoes 

 should as far as possible be new. Wear varies considerably in different Wear ot 

 horses : on a macadamized road, especially if the weather is wet, hard shoes. 

 wearers will get through good hind shoes in between loo and 150 miles, 

 and the average for road work will vary from 200 to 300 miles according 

 to the pattern and weight of the shoes. 



Hour of Starti7ig.—\i is seldom advisable, unless for purely military Hour ot 

 reasons, to start before daylight, even with the object of avoiding heat, starting. 

 In the dark, feeding arrangements are not satisfactory, saddlery and har- 

 ness may not be accurately adjusted and articles may be unseen and 



