116 THE HORSE. 



my horses off, whether for winter or summer, and 

 think no more about them till I wanted them home. 

 My plan was as follows, imprimis, I spoke properly 

 to the park-keeper, soliciting the honour of his ac- 

 quaintance for my horse or horses. In the next 

 place, a visit was paid them every month or six 

 weeks by myself or groom, in order to judge of 

 their condition, and particularly to inspect the state 

 of their feet, and to have recourse when needful to 

 the assistance of the neighbouring smith. Some 

 days previously to their being dismissed from the 

 stable, their clothes, if any, were taken off, and their 

 shoes, if old ; their feet pared so far as to promote 

 the future sound growth of the hoof, and light new 

 narrow-webbed shoes put upon them, somewhat 

 shorter than those to which the horses had been 

 accustomed in work. During many years, turning 

 off horses of almost every description, whether in 

 winter or summer, I do not recollect the occurrence of 

 a single accident, or of any thing but signal benefits 

 to the animals, and profit to myself. Since the trade 

 of horse stealing has become so general, and has met 

 with such notable encouragement from proprietors, 

 a park will no doubt be deemed the most secure 

 place, by that minority who are disinclined to join in 

 the general sentiment of apathy, and who are really 

 in earnest, on the score of shutting the stable door 

 before the horse be stolen. The terms at Osterley 

 Park at present, for wintering a horse, are two guineas 

 for six weeks, none being admitted for a less period. 

 A dry soil, at least a sufficient part of the land being 

 sound and dry, a comfortable and dry layer, whether 



