14 HORSES 



they come up. This means at least five days in 

 the stable without exercise, which must be bad for 

 an animal which has been accustomed to walking 

 at least eighteen hours out of the twenty-four. 

 If you are going to physic them, give it out at 

 grass ; but I think myself it is quite unnecessary. 

 A horse that has been at grass, and has had no 

 corn, would certainly require some medicine to 

 prepare his stomach for the change of food ; but 

 one that has had beans regularly does not require 

 it. If there is a shed in the field, it is a good plan 

 to put some hay in the rack for the last month ; 

 the horse will eat a little, and it will be preparing 

 him gradually for the coming change. 



When you get your hunters up from grass, they 

 should be shod the same day and taken out, being 

 exercised the next. I am afraid you w^ill not get 

 your groom to do it ; but horses would be all the 

 better if they were exercised twice a day, and 

 then two hours at a time would be quite sufficient. 

 The danger with riding horses fresh from grass 

 is that their backs are liable to get sore ; but by 

 riding and leading them alternately the risk is 

 minimised. A good plan for hardening the back 

 is to wash under the saddle with strong salt and 

 water, directly they come in, w^hilst the skin is hot. 



The mistake that is generally made is treating 

 a horse that has been corn fed at grass as if he 

 had done no work at all, whereas he has probably 

 done more trotting and galloping than one that 

 has been regularly exercised. The consequence 



