88 TREATMENT OF HORSES 



the going out of the horses twice a clay should 

 be discontinued, and they should now only go out 

 once a day to exercise, unless indeed the weather 

 should remain very fine and warm to the end of 

 the month ; they may, up to that time, walk out 

 on the downs in the afternoon, to stretch their 

 legs and empty themselves, and take their water 

 and a slow gallop after. The doing those little 

 things with them in the pure open air conduces 

 to their health, and affords them some amuse- 

 ment, if the weather, as I have just observed, is 

 really very fine. This method is to be preferred 

 to their being watered and brushed over in the 

 stables, unless indeed any of their coats have begun 

 to move, and that they are getting what is com- 

 monly termed "pen- feathered;" for at this critical 

 time horses are weak and faint, they sweat from 

 little exertion, and are very susceptible of cold; 

 and the sooner horses thus affected in autumn 

 have done their running, the better for them and 

 their owners. 



The hours of opening and shutting up the 

 stables during each day, as also the going out of 

 the horses to and returning from exercise, cannot 

 well be precisely defined. In the commencement 

 of the month of October, if the mornings are 



