258 CONFESSIONS OF A HORSE DEALER. 



Exercising .is the next point to which I shall call the 

 attention of iny tyro. At first, a walking puce is quite 

 fast enough, and if ho be stabled in a loose box, once a 

 day of two hours' duration will be sufficient ; but if in 

 a stall, he ought to be exercised twice a Jay, morning 

 and evening, and as timo progresses say a week he 

 may be trotted, and afterwards grJloppod, to benefit his 

 wind, and sweat off the superfluous flesh. 



I may remark, that if the horse has been runring at 

 grass with others, it would be as well to place him in a 

 stable where he will h^Te company, if convenient. 

 Horses are fond of company, and bear separation badly, 

 I have known horses that have been taken up from 

 others with whom they have associated a considerable 

 time, grow as thin as a rake, .and all attempts have 

 failed to get them into condition, until a companion has 

 been introduced to keep them company. 



Another very important matter in the conditioning of 

 horses, is water. The qualities of water vary much, 

 and ought to undergo the examination of some persons 

 more competent than the generality of grooms before 

 it is given to a valuable horse, more especially a hunter 

 or racer. I am convinced that many a horse has lost 

 his race in a distant part of the country to where he 

 has been trained, through not being inured to the water. 

 High-bred horses have very susceptible insides, and a 

 change of water will often relax or irritate, according to 

 circumstances. We may divide all water into the hard 

 and soft kinds j hard water may be ascertained by wash- 



