MODERN HORSE MANAGEMENT 



CHAPTER I 



AUTHOR'S INTRODUCTION 



1. In placing this book before the horse-loving 

 public, I take the liberty of hoping that the 

 horse, so long called the friend of man, will 

 benefit. For more than five years I have been 

 asked by many of my friends and others who 

 have been good enough to read my articles in 

 farm, horse and other periodicals, and who have 

 attended my lectures on the horse, to publish a 

 book. For a long time I hesitated to do this, 

 though I had accumulated copious notes, both 

 mentally and in writing, of the habits of the 

 horse and the right and wrong ways of caring 

 for him and teaching him. 



It is from these notes that I have compiled 

 many of my chapters. All through I have aimed 

 at brevity ; particularly have I done so in 

 Chapters IX., X. and XI. 



I have at the last moment tried to bring 

 everything as much up to date as possible, but, 

 on account of my limited time, I feel that there 

 is even yet much left out. 



I have compiled Chapter II. from several 

 histories, the classics and various articles. I 

 am indebted to Mr. Basil Tozer (author of " The 

 Horse in History") for much valuable informa- 

 tion. Chapter III. has been compiled from notes 

 taken while actually training horses during the 

 past ten years. Most of the points brought out 

 are purely common-sense ones, but, unfortun- 

 ately for the horse, too many horsemen possess 

 so little horse sense, and, what is more, they 

 never take advice — never hear someone else's 

 opinion and compare it with their own. A 

 horseman is one who is always open to advice 

 and who is always learning. It is a very regret- 

 table fact that so many Englishmen are such 

 poor horsemen. The cause of this is our conceit, 

 our unwillingness to learn. We ride more than 

 any other nation ; but mere riding does not 

 signify any knowledge of horsemanship. The 

 exhibitions of bad riding and the large number 

 of untrained horses in the hunting field are 

 sufficient to prove this. I have laid down no 

 theory that I have not proved to be correct with 

 all classes and ages of horses. But where the 



average horseman fails is in not having perfect 

 patience and complete control over his own 

 temper while handling horses. I have dealt 

 with the correct principles of feeding and water- 

 ing in Chapter IV., showing how absurd some of 

 the old ideas really are. I have purposely gone 

 into the physiological reasons, because unless 

 one knows why such and such a thing should be 

 done it often will not be done. 



In Chapter V. I have gone into physiology for 

 the same reason. I have discussed at some length 

 the subject of tail plaiting, for which I have 

 photographed a large number of plaited tails. 



In Chapters VI. and VII. I have pointed out 

 many of the common faults practised by horse- 

 men to-day, giving in each case practical reasons, 

 considering them always from the horse's point 

 of view. 



I owe very much to my late riding-master, 

 Professor Alfred Savigear, who, it must be 

 remembered, entered the British army in 1855, 

 and was the prime promoter of what is now the 

 Royal Naval and Military Tournament. He was 

 one of those who revised Baucher's system of 

 horse training, using his many good points, but 

 eliminating his radically wrong ones. I am also 

 indebted to my late instructor, Sergt. -Major 

 Broadley (ist D.G.), who was the British army 

 champion in mounted sports some six years ago. 

 I show numerous types of horses and vehicles. 



In Chapter IX. I deal with anatomical diseases, 

 in Chapter XI. diseases of organs, and in Chapter 

 XVIII. diseases of the foot. These chapters 

 have been compiled from my notes taken while 

 studying at the Ontario Veterinary College and 

 Toronto University and while practising in 

 Western Canada. They have been made as 

 up to date as possible by studying the latest 

 veterinary journals. In most cases I give the 

 treatment that I have found to be the most 

 successful ; but, as I advise in these chapters, 

 it is dangerous for an amateur to play with a 

 sick horse or with drugs. 



I feel that the condensed pharmacopoeia, 

 giving the uses and doses of drugs, with tables 



