THE HORSE. 247 



I still retain my opinion without change or reserve. 

 " Nothing can come in competition with the sound- 

 ness of the horse's legs and feet, and the refrigeration, 

 and, as we may say, reanimation, after months of 

 excessive labour and straining, and confinement to a 

 solid, heating, and constipating diet. There is no 

 equal remedy in the case to that best of all coolers 

 and alterants, the spring grass, the purifying, elastic 

 external air, and the dew of heaven. What can a 

 horse possibly lose by rational and natural treatment 

 like this, excepting in the mere imagination of his 

 owner ? The fineness of his skin is easily recoverable, 

 and, with respect to good order (condition), that, one 

 would suppose, must rather consist in renovated 

 vigour, and augmented powers of action, than in ap- 

 pearance, or any presumed virtue of custom. The 

 holyday of a month or two out of the twelve, is a 

 kindness we owe to the horse which so dearly earns 

 it, whilst it contributes to lengthen, and to render his 

 services of more worth." The grass of this country 

 has made horses, why not mend them ? 



I am aware we have our gentlemen condition-hun- 

 ters, those preux chevaliers, who decide, sur le champ, 

 by the imposition of hands, and we formerly had our 

 land-tasters ; but the proof of the pudding is in the 

 eating ; and what hunter summered abroad, and sub- 

 sequently trained with judgment, has ever been 

 known to fail in consequence of such practice ? Ask 

 the noble Lords Derby and Petre, Mr. Farquharson, 

 and Mr. Maberly, I should rather say, ask the majo- 

 rity of the keepers of hunters throughout Britain. 

 In that famous run of forty miles by Mr. Farquhar- 



