66 HTJJTTITs^G CONDITION. 



the same. Tlie feet and legs of the horses are duly attended 

 to, and such minor operations as paring the hoofs, or nailing 

 " Tips" upon them are regularly performed.* The above is 

 the course pursued, until the latter end of July, or the 

 beginning of August, when the stud is again housed; and then 

 commences their preparation for the coming season. Every 

 animal has given to him a dose of purgative medicine, which we 

 will suppose to operate in a proper manner. In ten or twelve 

 days after the first dose, a second is given, of the same strength ; 

 and in some fourteen or twenty days after the second dose, a 

 third is administered : this completes the purging process. In 

 addition to the purging, the horses are subjected to a regular 

 course of exercise ; the duration of which is varied according to 

 circumstances, such as the age of the animal, its bodily state, 

 strength, and so forth. As a general rule, however, the exercise 

 is continued to each horse for two hours at a time. It consists 

 of walking, and now and then slowly trotting the animal while 

 he is heavily clothed. At the expiration of the time allotted, the 

 horses are taken to the stable, thoroughly groomed, and after- 

 wards covered with dry clothing of a lighter kind ; they are 

 then fed with oats, and a small portion of hay ; afterwards 

 bedded comfortably down, and left for several hours to rest.f 

 Towards evening the exercise is repeated, and continued for 

 about an hour. Such is their regular daily course of treatment ; 

 and as eacb animal becomes fitted for labour of a more severe 

 kind, he is trotted with greater briskness in a morning, and 

 the trotting is continued for a longer or shorter period according 



* " Tips" are sliocs of a pecular kind, wliicli are sometimes nailed upon the 

 fore feet of horses while they ai'e at grass, to protect the hoofs from being broken 

 by coming in contact mth the hard ground. 



t Occasionally beans are given with the oats, but in many establishments 

 they are not used. 



