90 RIDING, DRIVING AND KINDRED SPORTS 



have a warm bath, but acting on a doctor's 

 advice I gave this up, substituting a good rub 

 over with a rough towel, and found I was 

 better for it, the hot bath being too relaxing for 

 many people, myself included. 



The next morning the horse should be 

 groomed carefully, his feet washed, clean 

 bandages put on, and he should be walked 

 about, if a young horse, for half an hour 

 mornino- and evenino-, if an old one for rather 

 longer. An old horse in hard work wants 

 more exercise than a younger one, as his joints 

 and muscles stiffen much more easily. In 

 such a stable as I am writing of, it is very 

 likely that there will be an old horse or two, 

 and this is a matter well worth rememberino. 

 The remainder of the day the horse should 

 have to himself in rest and quietness. I had 

 a mare, and a very good one, who would make 

 a pillow for her head by switching up her 

 bedding straw and lie for a day at full length, 

 only getting up to eat. Such an animal is 

 generally a good poor man's horse, as it pre- 

 serves its leofs lono^er than the others. 



A point on which I lay much stress is the 

 temperature of the stable. This should be as 

 nearly that of the outer air as is consistent with 

 the absence of draughts. A current of air 

 should always circulate over the horse's head, 



