The Stable Handbook 



horse to one, unless, indeed, you prefer his money 

 to his friendship. To buy at auctions you need 

 to be a fair judge, and also to be able to ride and 

 drive sufficiently well not to want a trial. Speak- 

 ing in the direct confidence that ought to exist 

 between author and reader, I should say, however, 

 that such people are the exception. But there is 

 no reason why you should not improve, and the 

 more you do the more pleasure will your stable 

 give you. There is, I think, some excellent 

 advice in what I have said, but good precepts are 

 like Opie's paints : they require to be mixed with 

 brains. 



So far, I have written about the general purpose 

 horse, but as most people will find that they can 

 or must spare a little more for the stable than they 

 had at first intended, I have always found that I 

 have at least a horse more in my stable than I am 

 supposed to have. Nor does the additional ex- 

 pense amount to much so long as you do not 

 require extra help in the stable. One man can 

 look after two horses and a pony if the master 

 keeps them in work. But it is evident that where 

 there is only one man he cannot afford much time 

 for exercising or going out with the carriage. 

 Still it is wise to keep the wages bill down, for I 

 have noticed that so soon as you add a second man, 

 be it only a helper for the hunting season, the 

 whole scale of your establishment goes up. Why 

 the butcher's and baker's bill should increase 



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