IN FROSTY WEATHER. 121 



groom locks the door, and the horses are left to 

 stand with their heads up and muzzles on. The 

 groom and boys, having got their breakfasts, re- 

 turn, and again open the stables; the horses' 

 bridles and hoods are now put on, the best riding 

 boys mount them, and they are now ridden out 

 to the paddock to be exercised. The exercise 

 they are first to commence with is to be that 

 of walking; this is not only for the purpose of 

 their stretching their legs and emptying them- 

 selves, but to let them see the sort of place 

 they are in, and to make them acquainted with 

 the turns at the top and bottom of the paddock, 

 as well also as to get the straw bed in rather 

 a firm or settled state, before the horses go a 

 faster pace on it. In frosty, as in windy wea- 

 ther, they are very apt to be playsome, and on 

 any strange object suddenly catching their atten- 

 tion to be alarmed, and if one or two in front of 

 the string start or fly out, the rest are almost 

 certain to follow their example; but, as the best 

 riding boys are to be put upon them, and the 

 groom at all times is present, there is not 

 much danger to be apprehended from those cir- 

 cumstances. On the first day the horses should 

 be walked here until they are steady, and have 

 become somewhat familiar with the place. After 



