DURING THE WINTER MONTHS. 89 



fine and warm, the horses may be out as early 

 as eight o'clock ; but as the clays are shortening, 

 and the mornings get colder, the horses must go 

 out on each succeeding morning later. The 

 opening of the stables, during this month, 

 should be at daylight ; and the business of 

 the day should be regulated by the training 

 groom as follows : — On his opening the sta- 

 bles, he immediately calls up his boys ; hav- 

 ing dressed themselves, they turn up their bed- 

 settles, take down the bales, and having clean- 

 ed out their horses' mangers, they immediate- 

 ly assemble at the corn-binn ; the groom being 

 here, gives each boy a feed of corn for his horse, 

 which, after it is well sifted, is given to him. 

 The whole of the horses having eaten their corn, 

 and the stables being set fair, the boys put on 

 their horses' dressing muzzles, and chain up their 

 heads ; the horses are then stripped of their 

 standing clothes, these being thrown over the 

 tops of the racks. The horses after being dress- 

 ed are re-clothed in their exercise clothes, and 

 their saddles put on ; their legs being rubbed, 

 the stables again set fair, and the bales put up, 

 they are left to stand with their heads up and 

 muzzles on; the stable-door being locked by the 

 groom, he and his boys go to their breakfast. 



