MINOR DISEASES 141 



started only eight of us were there when the fox 

 was eaten. Three of the eight hailed from our 

 stable, and my relative, with I think pardonable 

 pride, said to someone who was complimenting 

 him on their performance, '' They only averaged 

 £S each." This is how it came about. One 

 horse cost £22 ; another had happened a nasty 

 accident and had a damaged hock. She cost £2. 

 And the third w^as a present. The horse that 

 cost £22 was thought to be worn out, but careful 

 management kept his legs right and he fairly 

 averaged three days a fortnight for six seasons. 

 Then his legs were better than they were when 

 Vv^e got him and a nervous old gentleman gave 

 £^0 for him and he carried him for three or 

 four seasons. The mare that had been injured, 

 by dint of unremitting attention we got perfectly 

 right and though she was undoubtedly a valuable 

 mare then she as certainly cost us all she was 

 worth in trouble. A good deal of the nursing 

 fell upon me, and I shall never forget a week of 

 incessant fomenting etc. to which her ultimate 

 recovery was due. We managed, as amateurs 

 so often do, to dry up the running wound too 

 soon, and the result was such a swelled leg and 

 body as is seldom seen. The groom and I 

 attended to her. We bled her at the toe and 

 then fomented her until far into the night or 

 rather morning for the day was generally dawning 

 when we left her, made as comfortable as we 

 could with hot wet rugs etc. After four or five 

 days of this attention during which she did not 



