77 

 tendency to difeafe, which we again countera<5t by 

 art. 



Horfes under flrong exercife require full feed- 

 ing; and fo long as the exercife is proportioned to 

 their feeding, they feldom hurt ; but there are times 

 when we do not want to exert them, and yet we 

 wifh to keep them in a flate to be able to it when 

 we do want their exertions ; and it is at this time 

 that they frequently fuffer ; for the neceflity of ex- , 

 ercife proportioned to their keep is -not fufficiently 

 confidered, or the time cannot be fpared, or fervants 

 negle(fl them ; and thus the horfe becomes purfive, 

 accumulates fat, his legs fwell, and his heels crack, 

 and at length become greafy, and which muft ne- 

 ceflTarily be the cafe : for the receipts of the conlli- 

 tution being great by the high feeding, fo the out- 

 goings, by perfpiration, &c. &c. ought to be large 

 likewife; and if the fecretions do not find their 

 natural vents, they will find themfelves artificial 

 ones. 



The mufcles we have defcribed as being compofed 

 of fibres, have a contradile power, by which all 

 the motions of the body are performed. Thefe fibres 

 ad beft when they are in a right line to each other; 

 but it is not always that they are fo placed. Every 

 one has feen beef, whofe flefliy fibres were inter- 

 fperfed with fat : it is the fame fometimes with 

 horfes; and thefe mufcles, therefore, having their 



H 2 



