THE HORSE. 29 



gour. We address this, however, to the proprietor of 

 the mare, with an ancient adage at the tail of it, si 

 popiilus vidt decipi, decipiatur, which, being inter- 

 preted, means, if people choose to be humbugged, let 

 them. In the common way, no horse should be suf- 

 fered to cover, when faint and exhausted by his day's 

 labour. 



The stallion of the regular stud is kept throughout 

 the year, in the highest condition ; and should be al- 

 lowed as much of the heaviest and best oats, as he 

 can eat with an appetite, and as his digestive powers 

 are able to subdue and convert into nourishment. — 

 Experience has discovered a necessity for this ; at the 

 same time, it should be remembered, that the horse is 

 an animal peculiarly liable to intestinal accumulation ; 

 and a stallion being thus full fed throughout the year, 

 his intestines will necessarily be overloaded, and his 

 blood incrassated and heated above the standard of 

 real health. Hence it appears reasonable, though 

 probably seldom practised, that he might be greatly 

 benefited and his powers renovated, by two or three 

 mild purges, previous to the commencement of the 

 covering season. Even in the midst of that season, 

 should the horse become heated and faint, his bowels 

 confined, with loss of appetite, dullness, and want of 

 vigour, no time will be lost by allowing him a few 

 days, in which a mild purge may be exhibited. The 

 purging salts may sometimes be sufficient in this case. 

 A due attention to cleanliness should not be overlook- 

 ed. A stallion frequently gets a wound or excoriation, 

 or the part becomes foul, when he is quiet and will 

 permit it, ablution will be of great benefit and comfort, 



