256 THE IMPROVED ART OF TARRIERY. 



well into the skin every other day for a week. I shall 

 now proceed to give an outline of the principles of what 

 is termed getting a healthy horse into condition, or, in 

 other words, into that state which fits him for useful 

 purposes on his removal from grass. 



Getting a Horse into Condition. 



When a horse returns from grass or straw-yard, both 

 his external appearance, and the internal state of his 

 body, in general require considerable alteration before 

 he can be said to be fit for the uses to which he is ap- 

 plied by man. 



These alterations are popularly called " getting a 

 horse into condition," and as the exertions required 

 of him are ordinary or extraordinary, so the condition 

 into which he is to be brought is more or less artificial. 

 It is evident, therefore, that no precise rules for the 

 purpose can be expected here, where principles alone 

 are professed to be taught ; and indeed were it other- 

 wise, from the simple treatment of the ordinary hack- 

 ney to the discipline of the training-stable the grades 

 are so numerous and diversified, that no common 

 limits would sufiice for their detail. The alterations 

 in the frame required by condition have already been 

 stated to be the removal of all unnecessary interstitial 

 matter, by which the animal fibre becomes more con- 

 densed ; and all interruptions to progression being 

 now removed, the motions are accelerated, the lungs 

 are allowed to expand, which enlarges the measure 

 of the wind, and the stimulating nature of the food 

 gives courage and durability. To promote condition 

 in a horse from grass, his dieting and watering, the 

 temperature to which he is removed, his clothing 



