420 THE HORSE. 



The circulation, once excited, does not become tranquil the mo- 

 ment exertion ceases. The heart, and other internal organs 

 which act in concert with the heart, continue for a time to per- 

 form their functions with all the energy which violent muscular 

 exertion demands, and they do mischief before they are aware' 

 that their extraordinary services are no longer required: An 

 irregularity in the distribution of the blood takes place ; some 

 part receives more than it needs, and an inflammation is the re- 

 sult. Motion prevents this, because it keeps up a demand for 

 blood among the muscles. The transition from rapid motion to 

 rest is too sudden, and should be broken by gentle motion. If 

 the heart and nervous system could be restrained as easily as the 

 action of the voluntary muscles, there would be no need for 

 walking a heated horse, since it would be sufficient to render all 

 the organs tranquil at the same time. 



This brief analysis of what is going on intei-nally, may be 

 useful to those who would know exactly when it is safe to put a 

 heated horse to perfect rest. It is needless to keep him in mo- 

 tion after the pulse has sunk to nearly its natural number of 

 beats per minute, which is under 40. Stablemen go by the 

 heat of the skin, but on a hot day the skin will often remain 

 above its usual heat, for a good while after the system is 

 quite calm. The state of the skin, however, in general indi- 

 cates the degree of internal excitement with sufficient accu- 

 racy. 



The object, then, in walking a heated horse, is to allay the 

 excitement of exertion in all parts of the body at the same time, 

 and by degrees, to keep the muscles working because the heart 

 is Avorking. The motion should always be slow, and the horse 

 led, not ridden. If wet, and the weather cold, his walk may be 

 faster than summer weather requires. 



When the state of the weather, and the want of a covered 

 ride, put walking out of the question, the horse must either go to 

 the stable or he must suffer a little exposure to the rain. When 

 much excited, that is, when very warm, it is better that he 

 should walk for a few minutes in the rain, than that he should 

 stand quite still. But a horse seldom comes in very warm while 

 it is raining. If he must go into the stable it should not be too 



