304 Our Noblest Friend, The Horse 



generally with abundant flesh, certain quickly to 

 harden through judicious exercise into the massive 

 muscles so admirable to the eye, and so useful in 

 the subsequent tasks imposed. 



This is probably the sort of halcyon view of the 

 matter taken by the heedless owner who consigns his 

 animals to the tender thoughtfulness of the average 

 farmer or horse-boarding establishment for a 

 season's run at grass ; and probably he mentally 

 pats himself on the back as he reclines at ease in 

 hammock or on easy-chair, and pictures " Daisy " 

 and " Dandy '' and all the rest of them fairly wal- 

 lowing in the fatness of the land. This is his mental 

 photograph, but he rarely or never takes the pains 

 to " verify his suspicions " and see that his depend- 

 ents are daily receiving the care and attention which 

 he should ensure them. 



The truth of the matter is that few pastures are 

 thoroughly satisfactory; and none are during the 

 superheated and insect-swarming periods of June, 

 July, and August, at least, unless the occupants 

 are kept up during the day and turned out only at 



