104 ^'^ THE a:CONOMY OF THE STABLE. 



hunter's fleih fnall have become hard, his muf- 

 cles tenfe and firm, and his wind free from 

 obflruclion; in a word, v/hen he approaches 

 the flate of high condition, an occahonal burft 

 of fpeed may be encouraged, if thought necef- 

 fary, but I know not that fweats are ever given 

 to hunters, which indeed could not be other- 

 wife than detrimental, both in reducing them 

 too low, and rendering them too fufceptible of 

 cold. 



A walk- of twenty minutes is proper before 

 the gallop, for which laft a rifmg ground is 

 preferable, and the moft advantageous length 

 is about a mile and a quarter : this performed, 

 walk to water, after which walk again a reafon- 

 aHle time, and repeat the gallop ; another 

 courfe of walking at the eafe of the horfe, fo as 

 to continue the whole to the period of about 

 two hours from leaving the flable, concludes 

 the morning exercife : circumftances may ren- 

 der it neceffary to abridge this courfe in the 

 afternoon, or even intirely to omit it. Thus 

 in two or three months may the hunting-horfe 

 be put into a proper {late to exhibit his befl 

 performance in the field. 



If he be a young horfe, or one which has ' 

 never been in the field, of courfe there is a 

 neceflity of teaching h?kn to. leap. Accufl;om 

 him to fee a fteady leaper go over the bar ; 

 then lead him to it, well covered with furze^ 



ancj 



