ON THE STABLES, ETC. 51 



tion could not be ascertained, as none of us heaid him 

 in the night; but from the ap})earance of the horse's 

 coat (although dry when he entered the stable), he 

 had been sweating most profusely, and he must, no 

 doubt, have been struggling for some hours, or perhaps 

 the whole night. Fortunately he had not to run for some 

 time afterwards. A horse, if cast a night or two before 

 his race, no matter whether by accident, or from inatten- 

 tion in the groom not tying him up properly, and es- 

 pecially if he be a flighty one, might be put off his 

 feed a day or two, which would greatly decrease his 

 powers for the race. Indeed, from such a circumstance, 

 he may come to post 71bs. or a stone below his proper 

 form, a weight which a horse in public running cannot 

 easily give to those of his year, unless he has to run 

 in bad company, or is himself a very superior horse. 

 Grooms who have been long accustomed to the care 

 of horses, are all aware, that amongst a number of 

 horses, one will now and then, by rolling in the stall, 

 get himself cast. Indeed, there are some horses, that 

 soon contract the habit of rolling every night. 



At the time of my having horses under my care, 

 whenever I found one addicted to this habit, the me- 

 thod I usually adopted to prevent his indulging in it, 

 was to make his bed perfectly level ; that is, as high in 

 the middle as on the sides, and then to tie his head up 

 so short with the collar-rein as only to admit of his 

 laying his body down, without the liberty of putting 

 his head to the ground ; in this way I have mostly 

 succeeded. 



E 2 



