90 TREATMENT OF HORSES 



After this meal they immediately return to the 

 stables; the bales being taken down, the horses' 

 bridles and hoods being put on, the boys mount 

 their horses ; and as each boy knows the place his 

 horse has in the string, and the distance he is to 

 keep him from the horse in front of him, they 

 are all in their turn ridden out of the stable into 

 the yard, here to walk round until the saddles 

 are settled to their backs, after which the yard- 

 door is opened, and they now proceed in line, 

 by the most private road, to the downs ; and fol- 

 lowing them at a suitable distance, so as to see 

 well what both boys and horses are about, (for 

 I have known the boys to be quite as tricky as 

 the horses), must be the training groom on his 

 hack. 



For a moment I will just here observe, that, 

 during the whole of the time the horses are out, 

 the stable doors and windows are all to be left 

 open, to admit the pure air, so that the sta- 

 bles may be cooled and well ventilated by the 

 time the horses return ; indeed, this matter of 

 opening the doors and windows of the stables is 

 to take place on all occasions when the horses are 

 at exercise. 



But to return to the string of horses we left 



