LIVERY STABLES AND LIVERY SERVANTS. ,205 



me to allow that when I had the best of it, I de- 

 served little credit; and when the worst, that I 

 did my part like a regular muff. 



Let us now look at another plan ; and see, 

 setting aside being well carried, how, in point of 

 actual money, the thing would work. I am 

 alluding to keeping a hunter at a hunting-stable 

 at livery or at home. 



We will say a fair horse, with average runs, 

 will carry a man three times a fortnight — which 

 a good wear-and-tear horse will do on the 

 former plan. If the distance is such as to bring 

 you to the Queen's stag-hounds, or to any fox- 

 hounds out of the reach of the omnibuses, your 

 man must be out nine days a fortnight, paying for 

 your horse, of course, sixpence a feed for oats, and 

 the usual charge for hay ; compare these expenses 

 to what you would have to pay at a regular 

 hunting stable, — the balance in your favour would 

 not be a fortune. At such a stable you have but 

 the one expense, your horse is taken wherever 

 the fixture may be ; there is no blunder in mis- 

 taking places — so sure as the hounds are there, 

 so sure is your horse. He has had his proper 

 exercise, or a sweat, if wanted. If a frost sets in, 

 without your troubling yourself about it, he gets 

 a dose of physic ; and if ordinary exercise cannot 

 be given, artificial means are resorted to, to give it. 

 You have the advantage of a stud-groom over 



