J 04 ADJUNCTS TO CONDITION. 



prevent many serious injuries through horses getting 

 cast, and slipping when endeavouring to get up. 



Flannel bandages should always be in use. An 

 extra set or two for warm or cold applications will 

 prevent many troublesome disorders such as cracked 

 heels, swelled legs, &c. During the autumn and 

 winter — from September to March — every horse in- 

 tended to hunt should stand in dry flannel bandages, 

 bound moderately tight, when in the stable. But with 

 the aid of all these appurtenances, little can reasonably 

 be expected without good grooming and exercise. 

 The horse must be well brushed and rubbed from head 

 to foot every morning and afternoon — both before and 

 after exercise — until every particle of dust and dirt be 

 removed. 



It is seldom now that one sees a horse properly 

 strapped. Grooms now-a-days are mere fine gentle- 

 men, and the good old strappers who used to open 

 their shoulders and strap a horse with a will until they 

 had brought a beautiful hue on the coat, have well- 

 nigh passed away. Patent braces, a well-starched collar, 

 and a fashionable waistcoat are now deemed proper 

 attire for the stableman, in which he may make as 

 much use of his limbs as he can. Consequently, 

 physic, alteratives, hot stables, and the singeing lamp 

 are called into play vice elbow-grease, and with very 

 manifest results. Not that I condemn either physic, 

 alteratives, or the singeing lamp as auxiliaries to con- 

 dition; but hot stables I do condemn most emphati- 

 cally. The former are all very well in their way, and 



