THE LIFE OF A SPORTSMAN 245 



night, as well as in the heat of the day, when wetted 

 matting was placed in the open windows, to cool the air, 

 and prevent the entrance of flies. Their hours of being 

 let loose in the small space of ground allotted to them, on 

 the outside of their hovels, were from four to eight or 

 nine in the morning, and from seven or eight to ten in 

 the evening, unless the weather was wet, when they were 

 invariably confined to their hovels. Their food was, 

 occasionally, tares or lucern, in some cases mixed with 

 their hay ; and in no instance were they allowed green 

 meat altogether for more than three or four consecutive 

 days. And another precaution was observed. The horses 

 were sorted according to the nature of their constitution 

 those which carried much flesh being put together, and 

 vice versa, the quantity of their food being regulated 

 accordingly. In the case of two, indeed, such was their 

 aptitude to gather flesh, that, after the first month, they 

 were ridden out to exercise for at least two hours, in a cool 

 place, and on turf. Their general allowance of oats was 

 three-quarters of a peck to each horse, in the twenty -four 

 hours, a few old beans being given to two of them, who 

 were a little deficient in stamina, although the most 

 brilliant of the whole stud in a burst. Their hinder 

 shoes were taken off, but their fore feet were protected 

 by tips, and their toes were kept shortened, the same as 

 if they had been in work, although little was done to the 

 sole, and the frog not touched at all. Each horse, with the 

 exception of one that had thrushes, and which was under 

 a process of cure by the groom, stood in wetted clay for 

 the space of two hours daily, for the benefit of their feet 

 and legs, and some light doses of physic were administered 

 to such as exhibited symptoms of foulness. Alterative 

 powders, also, consisting of levigated antimony and 

 sulphur, were given in their corn to three who did not 

 coat well in the preceding winter, and the best effects 

 were experienced from them. The stud were put into 

 these paddocks on the 8th day of May, and taken into 

 the stables again on the 1st day of August, during which 

 time no accident of any kind occurred to them. More- 

 over, their condition was excellent ; that is to say, to 

 commence the preparation for severe work in the hunt- 

 ing season, from the firmness of their flesh in the first 

 instance ; from their not being overladen with it, to the 

 injury of their legs, in the second ; and from only a 



