78 THE HORSE : ITS KEEP AND MANAGEMENT. 



five minutes before they went out in the morning, and 

 again when they came home at night. It would be well, 

 where a person has a number of horses, to have a place 

 made where they can go and stand in for a time when the 

 weather is hot: it would pay the owner 100 per cent, for the 

 trouble. Such a place could easily be made with cement, 

 nice and shallow, so that the horses could walk into it 

 easily. If the water is laid on, have a tap for supplying it, 

 and a little plug at the bottom with a drain to empty 

 it. In country places there is usually a pond where 

 horses can stand in. Water has a great effect, not only 

 upon the feet, but on the legs also. 



I have known a great many horses bought in London 

 where they have been running on stones, and their legs and 

 feet have been so bad the animals could scarcely stand 

 upon them. When they are like that, farmers often buy 

 them at the sales in London, take them down in the 

 country, turn them out in some damp meadow, and let 

 them stand in a pond from one to four hours a day. In many 

 cases the legs and feet get quite cured, and as perfect as they 

 were before. Some people, instead of sending them on to the 

 sales, kill the animals off at once. Horses which run should 

 always have their feet washed before they go out of the 

 stable. It is always better to serve the heavy horses in this 

 way as well, if time will permit, but it is very seldom these 

 get washed at all, as it is not usual. This is only done on a 

 few particular farms. Soft soap, nice clean water, and a 

 good stiff brush, are the finest things to wash horses' feet 

 with, the soap is very cleansing. 



