20 HORSES: 



appearance with little daily exercise ; but put such a 

 horse suddenly on to severe work and his lack of 

 muscle soon becomes apparent. He has no staying 

 power ; his fat melts away and shows him for what 

 he was all the time — thin in flesh. Mr. P., a young 

 man in my own town, went into the grocery business. 

 He owned a poor little horse, and having no surplus 

 capital, he thought he would '*get along" with this 

 one at first until trade should increase to the point of 

 compelling him to make a change. He had been vainly 

 trying to " fat him up " with food alone, with the in- 

 tent of selling him, as he had nothing for him to do ; 

 but he now began to " pick up," and finally, flying 

 about town from 6 A.M., to ii, and sometimes later, 

 pulling a pretty heavy wagon all the time, and, upon 

 occasion, taking the family out for a ride in the after- 

 noon and evening, he became plump and handsome 

 and virtually proof against work and weather. He 

 looked fat, but, speaking roundly, there " wasn't a 

 spoonful of fat about him "; he used his muscles and 

 so th^Y grew, and being sufficiently fed, his food was 

 all digested and assimilated, and went to nourish the 

 muscular system so that it could grow. Not work 

 alone, nor food alone ; but both together, in generous 

 measure — work, rest, and food — enough of each, and 

 pure air twenty-four hours in the day — this is the law 

 and gospel of horse hygiene. In fact, the same prin- 

 ciple holds with regard to human beings. " Work 

 don't kill," says Burdette ; " it is too much recrea- 

 tion, my boy, that does the business for the most of 

 them." Overwork is injurious, and may be fatal ; but 



