g6 ON THE CECONOMY OF THE STABLE. 



and I have feen the ill conrequ(^nce of it in 

 divers inftances ; it is the real caufe of blind- 

 nefs in many. A horfe ought to be prepared 

 in the fpring, for the campaign of covering, 

 with two or three mild and cooling dofes. ~ I 

 know of nothing fo generally proper in this 

 cafe as the neutral falts, of which more here- 

 after. Mild purgatives difembarrafs the ani- 

 mal fprings, and promote their utmoft elafti- 

 city ; they attenuate the blood, which a ftate 

 of luxury has the invariable efFe6l to infpiffate, 

 to a degree beyond the criterion of aftive 

 health and vigour. The feet (hould be ma- 

 naged according to the rules already laid 

 down, among which, that of confhant ablution 

 is of the greateft confequence in the prefent 

 cafe. Care muft be taken to preferve the pro- 

 per fhape of the hoof, by preventing a too great 

 increafe of the toe. The falutary exercife of 

 good grooming is well underftood ; over and 

 above that, the flallion ought to be regularly 

 led abroad, to imbibe the exhilarating and en- 

 vigorating influence of a varied atmofphere, 

 and on no pretence to be kept fuccelfive days 

 breathing the enfeebling effluvia of the ftable. 

 As I have already faid, it is better to feed him 

 with ground corn, that of courfe being more 

 eafily convertible into nutriment, and with the 

 lead fatigue to the digeftive organs, fince no- 

 thing will pafs whole into the ftomach, and 



the 



