THE HACKNEY.] MODERN VETERINARY PRACTICE. [the hackney. 



knocking his pastern joints, since these defects 

 arise almost invariably from the irregular 

 pointing of the toe, inwards or outwards, for 

 which, neither a wide chest nor the most skil- 

 ful farriery has ever yet provided a sufficient 

 remedy. A saddle horse, of any description, can 

 scarcely go too close before, or too wide behind. 



Perhaps the best pedigree for a road horse 

 to have, is to be bred from hackney stock on 

 both sides, more particularly for a trotter. The 

 high road is the proper theatre of exercise for 

 such horses ; but there may be sometimes a 

 necessity for exercising them on the pavement, 

 as is the case in London, where the pace should 

 never exceed the slow trot. 



The author of The Horse says — " The hack- 

 ney should be a hunter in miniature, with 

 these exceptions. His height should rarely 

 exceed fifteen hands and an inch. He will be 

 sufficiently strong and more pleasant for work 

 below that standard. He should be of a more 

 compact form than the hunter, and have more 

 bulk, according to his height ; for he has not 

 merely to stand an occasional, and perhaps 

 severe burst in the field, but a great deal of 

 every-day work. It is of essential consequence 

 that the bones beneath the knee should be 

 deep and flat, and the tendon not Md in. The 

 pastern should be short, and although oblique 

 or slanting, yet far less so than that of the race- 

 horse or hunter. There should be obliquity 

 enough to give pleasant action, but not to 

 render the horse incapable of the wear and 

 tear of constant and, sometimes, hard work. 

 The foot is a matter of the greatest conse- 

 quence in the hackney. It should be of a size 

 corresponding with the bulk of the animal — 

 neither too hollow nor too flat ; open at the 

 heels, and free from corns and thrushes. The 

 fore-legs should be perfectly straight. There 

 needs not a moment's consideration with the 

 public, to be convinced that a horse with his 

 knees bent, will, from a slight cause, and 

 especially if he is over-weighted, come down. 

 The fact, however, is, that a horse with bent 

 fore-legs has rarely broken knees. The back 

 should be straight and sliort, yet sufficiently 

 Jong to leave comfortable room for the saddle 

 between the shoulders and the haunch, without 

 pressing on either. Some persons prefer a 

 hollow-backed horse. He is generally an easy 

 one to go. He will canter well with a lady ; 



he may not carry so heavy a weight, nor stand 

 such hard work, but it is a great luxury to ride 

 him. The road horse should be hi^'li in tho 

 fore-hand, round in the barrel, and deep in the 

 chest ; tlie saddle will not then pass too for- 

 ward, but the girths will remain firmly fixed in 

 their proper place." 



A good hack will travel fifty or sixty miles 

 a day with ease; but for long-continued 

 journeys, thirty or forty miles a day is as much 

 as should be required. Let no man expect 

 great performances, unless his horse be full of 

 hard meat, and in conditioj^. Should a man 

 be forced to ride an animal a journey with his 

 full burden of grass-flesh upon him, he must 

 at first ride him moderately ; and by virtue of 

 good solid corn-feeds, his horse will, in a month, 

 attain condition. 



Many persons ride long stages — say thirty or 

 forty miles — without feeding ; but it is incon- 

 siderate, and is injurious to the horse. INIode- 

 rate feeds at the difierent stages, and an ample 

 one at the last, are most beneficial ; a quartern 

 of oats, with a handful or two of beans, are 

 sufficient quantities during the day ; at night, 

 half a peck of oats and a few handfuls of beans ; 

 so that a hack upon a journey of considerable 

 length, may be allowed from a peck and a 

 quarter, to a peck and a half of oats. Hasty 

 travellers will yet find an advantage in starting 

 at a very moderate pace, and in finishing the 

 last three miles of a stage, especially in hot 

 weather, as leisurely as their haste will admit, 

 since, by such means, they will save time; as 

 their horses, on reaching the inn, will be the 

 sooner dry, and ready to feed. On the road, 

 the horse may be indulged, every eight or ten 

 miles, if he requires it, with a few go-downs of 

 water ; and in hot weather, over hard roads, 

 and with fast travelling, when the shoes acquire 

 a burning heat, it is most refreshing to the 

 animal to ride him over his pasterns, momen- 

 tarily, through any water that may be accessi- 

 ble. But a caution of much moment must 

 have place here. Be the weather hot or cold, 

 a horse in a state of perspiration, should never 

 be kept standing any length of time in water. 



In fast travelling, every horseman of common 

 sense will ease his hack up the hills ; in going 

 down also, if he values his own neck and his 

 horse's knees, he will do the same. 



AVe have heard of a respectable butcher, who 



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