CHAPTER IX 



Cost of Keeping a Horse 



As a number of people are deterred from keep- 

 ing a horse because of their uncertainty of the 

 expense to which such a luxury will put them ; 

 and as an equal number embark upon horse-keep- 

 ing and eventually find, to their sorrow, that the 

 expenditure is gi^eater than they anticipated ; as 

 also a good deal of ignorance is constantly dis- 

 played (and consequently taken advantage of) 

 about the fair and proper prices of stable 

 accessories ; a chapter devoted to prices may be 

 useful to the novice, and ma}^ save liim from hav- 

 ing to learn these matters in the most expensive 

 of schools, experience. The prices we give are, 

 of course, only approximate. Prices vary in every 

 part of the country, so that it is impossible to do 

 more than suggest a fair average price for the 

 best quality of article. If the prices paid by the 

 reader are less than we name, he should be sus- 

 picious of the quality of the goods he is buying. 

 It always pays to buy the best of everything ; and 

 it must be remembered that, as a rule, the best 

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