388 LIFE WITH THE TROTTERS. 



for granted that you have bought a horse that in disposition, 

 formation, breed, natural gait, etc., is calculated for a road 

 horse, one that does not need boots or toe-weights and has 

 no peculiarities about shoeing, with a little good horse 

 sense brought to bear, you will be surprised how long a 

 horse will last. 



In proof of this, look at the length of time that Dexter 

 lived and was useful. Mr. Work" s team, Swiveller and Ed- 

 ward, the last time I saw them, looked like colts. They 

 have not only had a long career on the road, but before he 

 bought them were used as turf horses for some time. No 

 t}T^)e of horses that I know of live any longer or are able to 

 do any more work of their kind, if properly cared for, than 

 trotters. In the management of your horse irf the stable, 

 the first thing absolutely necessary is a man of intelligence. 

 I have read a great many books on the ventilation of stables, 

 etc. , but seldom see anything said in regard to the man who 

 is going to manage the ventilation. Don't expect to find a 

 first-class groom that will be capable of growing roses in 

 your greenhouse, as with their limited chance for education 

 they will not have time to learn both trades weU. I think 

 that the same attention should be paid the ventilation and 

 drainage of your stable that you would pay to your own 

 house. I think artificial heat in a stable unnatural and 

 detrimental to horses. What tliey want is plenty of fresh 

 air, to be comfortably clothed, and to have a good bed at all 

 times. No matter how well you feed or care for a man, if 

 you put him in a bad bed at night he will be very apt to find 

 fault in the morning, and I think it is the same with a 

 horse. 



In the matter of feeding the liorse the attendant has to 

 be governed entirely by the disposition of the animal and 

 the amount of work he is expected to do. These things 

 come to a man by natural observation and tact. When it 

 comes to driving, if you want to realize the greatest pleasure 

 there is in the ownership of a liorse learn to drive him well. 

 I think there is just as much pleasure in the knowledge of 



