ON THE (ECONOMY OF THE STABLE. 95 



A certain famous flallion was, as I have been 

 informed, fo fhamefully neglefted, as to be 

 fuffered to lie in his own dung until it was 

 fairly baked upon him ; and at laft died of an 

 inflammation in his (heath, which ended in a 

 gangrene. Ofmer complained of the general 

 negleft of the feet of ftallions and brood 

 mares in his time ; it was fo with Eclipfe, 

 which horfe had fcarcely a foot to ftand upon, 

 for fome years before his death. Another 

 horfe of prime note was fo exhaufted in his 

 nature by the unthrifty avarice of his proprie- 

 tor, that he made a premature exit from the 

 fervice, dying in great agonies. The folly of 

 both parties, in this cafe, is fuflBciently obvious, 

 but I think that of the owner of the mare molt 

 admirable ; who can expe6l any fuccefs from fuf- 

 fering her to be prefented to a horfe, exhaufted 

 by having perhaps already obliged half a dozen, 

 or even half a fcore females the fame day ! 



This branch of the fubjeft being of confe- 

 quence, and frequently involving the preferva- 

 tion of confiderable property, I fhall therefore 

 prefent the reader with my ideas on the proper 

 method of treating the covering ftallion the year 

 round. I think, in the winter, his body ought to 

 be expofed to the bracing properties of the air, 

 in a paddock, where he may (helter at his plea- 

 fure ; this will alfo preferve his legs and feet. It 

 is erroneous pra61ice never to phyfic ftallions, 



and 



