6 HEALTH. 



state ; the other iu its natural^ green, and juicy condition. 

 Little more can be said against the oats, or even the beans, 

 that are but occasionally given. Altogether, they possess 

 more binding and more heating, or stimulating, properties 

 than the growing herb ; there is nothing, however, positively 

 hurtful in their artificial or prepared condition : it is to the 

 quantity of them that is consumed, and the circumstances 

 under which that consumption takes place, that we are to look 

 for any injurious effects they may produce. The only drink 

 the horse will take, either in or out of the stable, is water. 

 All that we have to guard against is, its being given at 

 improper times, and in improper quantities. In a general 

 way, drink is given too sparingly : after work is done, and 

 while the body is cool, there can be no good reason for 

 stinting the animal of this wholesome beverage. In a 

 state of nature he helps himself to water; and from that 

 circumstance, as well as the one of his food being green and 

 succulent, drinks much less than when in the stable. I once 

 made an experiment with two horses who had (leaden) 

 mangers for containing their water, by the side of those 

 that held their corn ; and I found that, when these mangers 

 were filled, and the animals were allowed to drink ad libitum, 

 they invariably consumed less fluid than when watered in 

 the ordinary way. 



Exercise, in regard to a stabled horse, may be considered 

 in two points of view : either as necessary or conducive to 

 the animaFs health, or as going beyond that, and coming 

 under the denomination of work. That this latter, carried 

 to excess, is destructively injurious, nobody need be told ; 

 and yet, had we to choose between this and a state of 

 absolute rest, it would, perhaps, be difficult to say which of 

 the two evils is the least. Exercise is no less necessary to 

 the health of the body than food ; and though we are in 

 the habit of ofteuer witnessing evil than good from what we 

 call work, yet are there many horses that are absolutely 

 ruined for the want of exercise. The nutrient diet of the 

 stable demands a certain expenditure, the natural producer 

 of which is exercise : and unless one keeps pace with the 



