CARE OF NAGS, COBS, AND PONIES. 47 



more thoroughly groouied than teaiu-hoises. Unless the coat 

 iiij kept clean, and tlie i)ores of the skin open, horses are not 

 in a lit condition lor perfornjing fast work with ea.se and 

 comfort. The provision of a- rug" for nag-iiorses> isi an optional 

 matter; there is no real necessity for doing so, excepting 

 when they have been clipped. When a horse is brought into 

 the stable in a heated state, after fast work, it is advisable to 

 ru1> it down witli wisps of straw, after which it ]iiay be left 

 to cool down of its own accord, greiit care being taken, how- 

 ever, to see that it does not stand in a draught. 



Na&'.Horses on the Road — In regard to the man- 

 agement of :iag-horses, when on the road, thc' following details 

 should be mentioned. A horse should never be asked 

 to trot up oi' down a hill. h\ going down a liill tlie lioi'se 

 lias C|uite enough to do to hold back the trap or cart, with- 

 out its work being needlessly increased by making it pro- 

 ceed at a tvot. A horse between shafts is most liable to 

 stumble when going down hill, hence the driver must be 

 jiartieularly careful when driving down an incline. Whether 

 it be loaded or not, it should always be seen that the trap 

 or cart is properly balanced ; a great deal of needless and 

 severe exertion is caused by the vehicle not being balanced. 

 When a horse is driven on journeys longer than, say, four 

 miles, its powers nmst be husbanded by the driver during 

 the early stages of the journey. Drivers very commonly make 

 the mistake of sending a fresh animal along at too rapid a 

 rate at first, the result being that it soon gets tired, and 

 slows down considerably, after travelling a shorts distance ; 

 during the rest of the journey tlie animal is in a fatigued con- 

 dition, and not up to its work. The proper way to drive tt 

 horse is to make it go along at a steady pace, and the driver 

 should always be careful not to let the pace get any faster 

 than the horse can conveniently manage, without losing its 

 wind or becoming distressed. 



Management of Ponies — Ponies naturally require 

 less food tlian full-sized horstxs, on account of their smaller size. 



