ON THE CECONOMY OF THE STABLE. 10/ 



above defcribed cfie6ls : tbofe balls being totally 

 diTcontinued, the carcafes of the horfes became 

 hard, and they performed their bufmefs in the 

 hi'^hefl flvle. 



The practice of riding rough hunters, or 

 fuch as are fufl'ered to run abroad all winter, 

 was formerly much extolled by a few particu- 

 lar people. Horfes in that trim were faid to 

 be very hardy, and weather proof, and it was 

 even afferted that they ran equally flout with 

 thofe in the highefl; condition. I have no be- 

 hef for irrational aflertions upon any fubje^l, 

 the primordial circumflance (imply, of their 

 irrationality, being, in my opinion, a fufficient 

 confutation. Polfibly fome hardy-conftitutioned 

 horfes may have performed well in fuch an 

 unfavourable plight ; which faid horfes would 

 no doubt have been capable of atchieving ftill 

 greater feats in higher condition. Even the 

 riding a horfe in fuch a bear's fls.in, muff de- 

 traft much from the meritorious pride and 

 pleafure of a fporifman. Any grafs given with 

 corn, mufl neceil'arily leffen the hold of the 

 hard meat upon the body of the horfe, but 

 more efpecially the faint and wafhy herbage 

 of the winter: I fliould fuppofe the rifks of 

 catching cold increafed by this method ; by no 

 means an improper one, to lay a foundation 

 even for the glanders. To allow the hunter 

 to walk about in a paddock, and cool his 



limbs. 



