22 STABLE MANAGEMEiNT. 



ment. To him must fall the management of the boys, and, 

 with other duties of less importance, the special one of attend- 

 ing to the wants of the horses ; for nothing requires greater 

 attention or more practical ability than feeding. 



The services of a good kennel-huntsman are known and 

 appreciated by every master of hounds ; whilst to the hunts- 

 man he is invaluable. Of exactly the same use a head lad 

 should be to the trainer ; for it is quite impossible the latter 

 should feed the horses, before exercising, at 5 a.m., and be 

 constantly in the stables (meal-times excepted) till 8 p.m. : 

 for a portion of his time must be given to other matters that 

 cannot be deputed. 



For example, the trainer has his correspondence with his 

 employers on the subject of entries and scratching. For 

 this purpose he must necessarily study the Racing Calendar. 

 It is needless to add that there are many other business calls 

 which consume his time, quite apart from the absences from 

 home to attend the different race meetings, which take up 

 no insignificant portion of it during the summer months. 

 And without an able man at the head of affairs during these 

 absences all would be anarchy with the boys and ruin to the 

 horses. 



Such a man is a necessity. He should not only have 

 experience but be absolutely trustworthy, and trustworthy 

 in a special sense. He should be one to be depended upon 

 to carry out the instructions for out-door exercise. In this 

 matter, he should implicitly obey, and no more, the positive 

 orders for the work each horse has to do during the absence 

 of the principal. In the stable, on the other hand, he 

 should know exactly what is best to do, yet only at the 

 instigation of the trainer himself should any alteration 

 be made in the appointed times for feeding and watering; 



