STABLE HOURS. 409 



usually commence at half-past five or six in the morning 

 Sometimes he must be in the stable much earlier, and some- 

 times he need not be there before seven. It depends upon the 

 time the stable is shut up at night, the work there is to do in the 

 morning, and the hour at which the horse is wanted. When 

 the horse is going out earlj^ and to fast work, the man should be 

 in the stable an hour before the horse goes to the road. In 

 general he arrives about six o'clock, gives the horse a little 

 water, and then his morning feed of grain. While the horse is 

 eating his breakfast, the man shakes up the litter, sweeps out 

 the stable, and prepares to dress the horse, or take him to exer- 

 cise. In summer, the morning exercise is often given before 

 breakfast, the horse getting water in the stable, or out of doors, 

 and his grain upon returning. In winter, the horse is dressed in 

 the morning, and exercised or prepared for work in the fore- 

 noon. He is again dressed when he conies in ; at mid-daj he is 

 fed. The remainder of the day is occupied in much the same 

 way, the horse receiving more exercise and another dressing ; 

 his third feed at four, and his fourth at eight. The hours of 

 feeding vary according to the number of times the horse is fed. 

 Horses for fast and hard work should be fed five times a-day 

 during the hunting season. The most of saddle-horses are fed 

 only three. The allowance of grain for all working-horses 

 should be given in at least three portions, and when the horse 

 receives as much as he will eat, it ought to be given at five 

 times. These should be distributed at nearly equal intervals. 

 When the groom is not employed in feeding, dressing, and exer- 

 cising the horse, he has the stable to arrange several times a day, 

 harness to clean, some of the horses to trim, and there are many 

 minor duties which he must manage at his leisure. The stable 

 is usually shut up at night about eight o'clock, when the horse 

 is eating his supper. 



Dressing before Work. — To keep the skin in good order, 

 the horse must be dressed once every day, besides the cleaning, 

 which is made after work. This dressing is usually j)erformed 

 in the morning, or in the forenoon. It varies in character, ac- 

 cording to the state of the skin and the value of the horse. The 

 operation is performed by means of the brush, the currycomb, 



