166 THE POCKET AND THE STUD. 



stable, the horse was taken exceedingly ill ; and 

 on my going to see him I found him suffering 

 under inflammation of the bowels, and this know- 

 ing groom with a physic-ball in his hand, which 

 he was preparing to give. I remonstrated against 

 so preposterous an act. The groom was obstinate, 

 saying, " that if the horse wanted physic six days 

 before, he wanted it six times as much now ; " 

 but I was as obstinate as he, and it ended in my 

 soundly swearing no ball, at least physic-ball, 

 should the horse get. The man swore he would 

 do as he liked with the horse while under his care, 

 and again prepared to give the ball. I settled 

 this by ejecting the fellow from the stable, locking 

 the door, and just remarking the horse was not 

 then under his care. I immediately sent for a 

 veterinary surgeon, told him the story, and, not 

 being nice in his selection of terms, he said to the 



man, " Why, you d fool, if the horse had got 



that ball, he would never have wanted another ; 

 he would most likely have been a dead one before 

 morning." What a treasure in a stable such a 

 prescribing groom must be ! yet many such there 

 are in high repute with masters who know no 

 better than themselves. 



I do not mean that a man who knows what he 

 is about need send his horse on every trifling 

 ailment to any veterinary surgeon ; but it is the 

 cheapest plan for the man who does not. 



