142 ON PHYSIC. 



have made on the working and feeding of his horses, 

 and according to the difficulty he anticipates in the pur- 

 ging of one horse more than in the purging of another ; 

 so will he make his arrangements in preparing each 

 horse for his physic. 



On the day previous to giving them their physic, it 

 is necessary, with a view, in some measure, to relax 

 their bowels, that they should be kept during the day 

 on ma.shes, with a small quantity of hay ; and at night 

 they should be sparingly fed with it. Let them have 

 half of their usual quantity : some would be much bet- 

 ter without any hay ; and such of them as are much 

 inclined to eat their bedding, should have their setting 

 muzzles put on them. On the following morning each 

 horse should have a double-handful of mash given him; 

 and after each has eaten this poition, they should be 

 got ready and taken out to walking exercise, for a cou- 

 ple or three hours. By taking these precautions, — pre- 

 paring them with a mash or two the evening before, 

 and keeping them over night short of hay — the next 

 morning while at exercise, they empty themselves, and 

 their bowels become relaxed ; and when they return to 

 the stables, their physic should be immediately given 

 them ; and the following morning, it is more than pro- 

 bable, the whole of them will be found to purge in due 

 time, with a less quantity of aloes than was generally 

 given to such horses. The groom may add half a 

 drachm or even a drachm of aloes to the quantity to be 

 given to such horse as he is of opinion may be more 

 difficult to purge than the rest; and he may keep him 



