THE HORSE : ITS KEEP AND MANAGEMENT. 25 



more ha} 7 and less corn, as I said before, be fed according to 

 the work. Corn of course has more stay in it than hay. 

 Take a horse which goes hunting three or four times a week : 

 hay by itself is scarcely any use to such an animal, because 

 it often goes so long without food before getting home. 

 Sometimes it does not get more than a mouthful of water 

 and a little hay until it gets in the stable late at night, 

 therefore it requires plenty of the best corn. Hunters 

 should really be turned out three months every Summer ; 

 then they would last as long as horses, of the same 

 stamp and stamina, thac are working in an ordinary way 

 all the year round. 



Hunting is very trying work for a horse, though the 

 animals may be as fond of it as the riders themselves. 

 There is many an old hunter that is put on one side as 

 worn out, and has to go on farm work, especially those 

 which will draw. Some will not, after they have been 

 accustomed to hunting and saddle back, but when these 

 horses which will work are drawing the plough, if the fox 

 hounds happen to go past where they are, very often they 

 will break loose from the team and run after the hounds. 

 I mention this, because some people say it is so cruel for 

 horses to have to run across ploughed fields and jump 

 hedges and gates, but when they are trained to it they look 

 forward to it and enjoy it as much as they do eating their 

 food. It is well not to give hunters clover, and but very 

 few beans. They should have good oats and the best 

 meadow hay. A few dried tares cut into chaff is a good 

 thing for them. I mention this to avoid giving them clover 



