CONDITION. 441 



twice or thrice a week, as the season approaches, will complete 

 the pm-pose. Clipping or singeing has now become so general, 

 that it is scarcely necessary to make a comment upon the ad- 

 vantages they afford ; and to a certain extent, dependent upon 

 the length of coat, one or other of the operations is indispensa- 

 ble. It enables the servants to dress the horses with so much 

 more expedition when they return home after the fatigues of 

 the day. When the country is very deep and wet, and the 

 horse's coat is covered with clay, or other adhesive soil, the 

 plan of washing the animal all over with warm water imme- 

 diately on his return to his stables is recommended. It is a 

 great object to dress a tired hunter as expeditiously as possible, 

 and two men should always be employed for that purpose. The 

 ordeal, which the hunter undergoes preparatory to his work, is 

 often inconsistent. On the previous day the hay should be 

 moderately apportioned, regulated by the constitution of the 

 animal. On the mornicg of hunting he should be allowed 

 from six to eight go-downs of water, according to the distance 

 he may have to travel to the place of meeting, and two feeds 

 of corn is as much as he will require. On his return to his 

 stable, he should have, immediately that the bridle is removed 

 from his head, half a bucket of gruel, prepared with linseed, 

 oatmeal, or wheat flour, which requires to be boiled, and a 

 plentiful allowance of bran mash. 



The preparatory work and treatment of hacks and carriage- 

 horses scarcely varies, if the owner desires to have them in first- 

 rate order. The most extraordinary notions prevail concerning 

 the hardihood of horses, and the best means of securing that 

 valuable faculty. It is alleged that those which are bred in the 

 mountainous districts of Wales and Scotland are highly gifted 

 with this property. It is true they bear exposure to great in- 

 clemency of weather, and live on scanty food. Thus, reasoning 

 by analogy, persons fancy that by demi-starvation and expo- 

 sure to inclemency a hardy animal may be reared. There can- 

 not be a more palpable error. The mountaineers are not able 

 to work in their native state ; they must be well supplied with 

 good nutriment, when their active services are required, and 

 that, with dry shelter, in a well-ventilated building, is the key- 

 stone to physical power and endurance. 



