ON THE TREATMENT OF HORSES' FEET, ETC. 291 



their attention to this point immediately on the horse's 

 coming into the stable, and while his feet are >^et in a 

 perfect state j for if they once become diseased, it is 

 difficult to get them sound : at least, I have found this 

 to be the case. 



Hunters and horses in common use are not so much 

 exposed, nor for so long a time, to the same causes 

 which injure their feet, as race-horses are. The former 

 are only working through the winter, and then mostly 

 on soft or moist gi'ound. In the summer, these horses 

 rest, and if their feet are properly attended to during 

 that season, there is time for them to recover any com- 

 mon injury they may have sustained in the course 

 of their winter's work. Similar precautions may 

 be adopted with respect to carriage-horses or hacks, by 

 turning them out of work for a sufficient period; but 

 the race-horse cannot be so conveniently put out of 

 work as either of these. 



A race-horse, unless an accident happens to him, is 

 kept up longer and more constantly in an artificial 

 state, than any other horse. 



Two and three year old colts which are bred for the 

 turf, and are engaged early in great stakes, are often 

 in training as yearlings, in the winter as well as in 

 the summer -, and when they come to a more advanced 

 age as country platers, some of them have to come to 

 post early in spring, and run at different meetings 

 until late in the autumn. 



Although these horses may not be actually abused 

 by a summer's running, yet many of them will become 



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