36 THE HORSK. 



of a sufficient quai tity of this vital article, we are 

 impeding the necessary operations of nature ; and 

 this is the secret cause of much of the unsoundness 

 in horses. For, as we have already said in a former 

 part, nature will not permit her laws to be seriously 

 violated, without exhibiting some resentment. A 

 slow fever is one consequence of this painful depri- 

 vation, and which settles in the feet or eyes, but most 

 commonly the feet, for reasons before assigned. 

 May not glanders also be traced to the same cause 1 

 For slow fever not being allowed to subside for want 

 of water, leads to inflammation of the mucous lining 

 of the nose. At all events, no more satisfactory 

 reason has yet been given for the origin of this 

 disease. But without these after consequences, is 

 it not singular that men should persist in inflicting 

 so barbarous a punishment upon animals incapable 

 of expressing their wants ? To be ever thirsty, yel 

 never permitted to quench that thirst, is the height 

 of cruelty. Nabobs of the East have asserted that 

 one of the greatest luxuries in that climate consists 

 in being ever drinking, ever dry. Let them turn 

 ostlers. In this country, stablemen seem to enjoy 

 that luxury in a superlative degree. To quit, how- 

 ever, this little digression, how comparatively happy 

 is the poor horse, not employed upon the road, but in 

 some other, perhaps severer daily toil, y-et, when let 

 loose, may unrestrained slake his thirst by a refi-esh- 

 ing draught at the first pond or trough he may reach. 

 Horses feeding upon grass, and without perform- 

 ing any work, always slake their thirst at a pond 

 three times a day; and on each occasion drink not 

 less than one pail each. This, too, be it remembered, 

 is when they are living upon succulent food. By a 

 parity of reasoning, it must be obvious, that they 

 would require more water upon dry food. Why then 

 give them less ? Stablemen water their horses three 

 times a day, morning, noon and night, or according 



