51 



so stoutly withstood the pleadings of humanity for the poor 

 horse ; and perhaps, whUe the question rested solely upon that 

 ground, the groom might be in some degree excused for 

 striking the balance between Ms trouble and the horse's 

 enjoyment in his o\^^l favor ; but now that the blessing of 

 sound feet is shown to be involved in it, there can be very 

 few grooms, indeed none, worthy of the name of gToom, who 

 would not willingly incur t^vice as much trouble, to secure 

 such a benefit to their horses ; and, when horse-masters once 

 become thoroughly alive to the importance of this matter ; 

 when they remember, that the natural life of a horse is from 

 thii'ty five to forty years ; and that three-fourths of them 

 die, or are destroyed under twelve years old, used up, with 

 scarcely a foot to go upon, I take it, they will be very 

 apt to transfer their sympathies from the groom and liis 

 trouble to their own pockets, and their horse's welfare. 



The apatliy, which prevails upon this subject, and checks 

 any thing like energetic and well directed efforts towards 

 amending the treatment of the horse, is attributable to the 

 false notion, which is too commonly entertained, that, if a 

 horse pei'form his work moderately well for five or six years, 

 he has done all, that could reasonably have been expected 

 from liim ; and therefore, as the phrase goes, "he owes his 

 master nothing." It is quite true, that five or six years' 

 labour is an ample I'eturn for the treatment, received by most 

 horses ; but, when they have been the subjects of judicious 

 management, double the length of service may fairly be 

 expected from them ; indeed any thmg, short of that period, 

 should be considered, as leaving them theii- masters debtors. 



