202 THE POCKET AND THE STUD. 



London grooms, I will answer for it that it is not. 

 And supposing that it was, how can a horse, 

 situated as he must be in London, ever be fit to 

 go with hounds ? The most proper thing that is 

 done with him during the week, is the preparing 

 him by his twenty miles' walk the day preceding 

 hunting ; and against this we have to set the very 

 improper act of dragging a stiff and tired horse 

 home the day after hunting twenty miles along a 

 turnpike road, in lieu of one hour's gentle walk on 

 turf, just to stretch his legs and conduce to recover 

 his appetite. If he is brought home, that his 

 owner may have him to ride in the p|irk the inter- 

 mediate days, the idea is unreasonable ; probably, 

 in fact almost to a certainty, if there was anything 

 of a run, a horse thus treated through the week 

 will refuse his corn at night, and quite as probably 

 the next morning. Five hours on the road, with 

 an empty stomach, and aching limbs, is not a very 

 proper preparation for a show-off in the park: and 

 where is he to get a gallop to prepare him for the 

 next hunting day, unless he be sent to some of 

 the places stated to be for the exercise of hunters 

 close to town, where their feet and legs are 

 battered to pieces in the spring and autumn, and 

 smothered with mud if sent there in the winter ? 



It is all very well to send a horse to Banstead 

 downs in the morning, take a canter with the 

 harriers, and trot him quietly home afterwards. 



