176 FEEDING HORSES IN TRAINING. 



cumstance that must be immediately attended 

 to. The groom must quickly turn the thing 

 over in his mind, and consider whether it 

 may have taken place from any unintentional 

 little mismanagement on his part in the work- 

 ing or watering of such horse, or, as I before 

 observed, from the rash treatment of the boy 

 who may have ridden a flighty one. If a 

 horse should have gone off his feed from either 

 of the above-mentioned causes, the groom must 

 change his system of treatment, in the working 

 and watering of his horses, for one of less se- 

 verity, and which may be more suitable to the 

 horse's constitution. If, on the other hand, the 

 cause originates in the rash treatment of the 

 boy who rode him, one of a more placid temper 

 should supply his place. From whichsoever of 

 the causes just mentioned, a horse goes off his 

 feed, his work must be stopped, and the neces- 

 sary steps are to be taken to bring him again 

 to his usual manner of feeding; and of this, we 

 shall have occasion to say more presently. But, 

 should a horse go off his feed from indisposition, 

 this would be of much more serious consequence 

 than either of the first- mentioned circumstances; 

 therefore, a minute inspection must immediately 

 take place, so as accurately to ascertain with 



