THEIR FEED AND THEIR FEET, 47 



own or their companions' temper. The horse appre- 

 ciates kind treatment, and it pays to give him the 

 kindest. 



OVERDRIVING — OVERWORK. 



Overdriving is a relative term. The horse that 

 never travels more than one mile at the top of his 

 speed, is overdriven if pushed three miles at a high 

 rate ; while another, or the same, gradually worked 

 up to it, may m.ake five. The ordinary driving-horse 

 that makes only his five to ten miles a day, and that 

 at a leisurely pace, is overdriven if sent twenty-five 

 miles at a stretch and at, say, the rate of eight miles 

 an hour ; while another, or the same, perhaps, after 

 proper preparation, may miake that distance in two 

 and a half hours, and, with an hour's rest, return at the 

 same rate, without being overdriven. Again, a horse 

 that is driven every day, from twenty to forty miles, 

 and kept in condition, will go seventy-five miles in 

 any one day, at a rate depending upon the quality of 

 the animal, and without straining, and may even 

 make the return journey on the following day with- 

 out harm if he is a powerful fellow by nature ; but, 

 following any extraordinary effort there should always 

 be a day of absolute or comparative rest — sufificient 

 rest, at all events — though a little " walk-round " may 

 usually be an advantage, unless the animal chances 

 to be disabled. In this case a little^ extra hand-rub- 

 bing will be beneficial, and care must be taken not 

 to overfeed ; for if there has been a real depletion of 

 the vital forces by reason of too hard usage, it must 



