100 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



when he is boxed. During the journey he breaks 

 out into a cold sweat and he is in rather a miser- 

 able condition when he arrives home, and it 

 sometimes takes a considerable time to make him 

 comfortable. 



If possible when a horse is returning home 

 by train he should be ridden slowly the last 

 two or three miles before he gets to the station. 

 If there is time a good straw wisp vigorously 

 applied will do much to make him comfortable 

 on his journey and if his legs be wet and cold 

 he will be all the better for being bandaged all 

 round, and especially if it has been found possible 

 to warm the bandages. If the wisping has been 

 vigorous and the bandages have been warmed 

 the horse should not take much ' doing up ' 

 when he gets home. 



It goes without saying that before the sports- 

 man looks after any tea for himself he should 

 see to it that his horse has some warm gruel. 

 A lock of sweet hay to pull at whilst he is being 

 wisped is all that is necessary in the way of 

 food. And if the sportsman values his horse 

 he will see all this done himself before he attends 

 to his own wants, unless he should have his 

 groom with him. And if he even has it will 

 probably be just as well to give an eye to the 

 proceedings. If there are none about but agri- 

 cultural labourers they will want well looking 

 to, for as a rule your agricultural labourer does 

 not believe in putting his weight into the 

 wisp. 



