78 TREATMENT OF HORSES 



fully aware that race horses, generally speaking, 

 cannot be brought to post in their best form, 

 without having physic administered to them as 

 occasion may require. But such artificial means 

 may be dispensed with almost altogether, parti- 

 cularly in the autumn; for it is at this season of 

 the year (the autumn) that many such horses as 

 we are alluding to are drawn fine, (light of flesh) ; 

 and notwithstanding that they may be stale in 

 themselves, and also on their legs, there will be 

 no occasion to physic such horses to the extent 

 we have alluded to. The few of them, such as 

 may be gross and fleshy, with their heels 

 perhaps a little cracked, may require a couple 

 of doses of physic, on their being laid by; but 

 only under such circumstances can physic be of 

 any use. Stale horses are no sooner laid by in 

 loose places, to eat, drink, sleep, and enjoy them- 

 selves, for three or perhaps four months, than 

 from this sort of indulgence they soon put up 

 flesh; and by the gentle exercise they take in 

 those places, they soon get fresh in themselves, 

 and cool and clean on their legs, without their 

 having so much physic administered to them. 



We will now lay down some few plain rules 

 as to the manner of feeding the above horses. 



