STABLE MANAGEMENT 233 



dandelions, and even groundsel, for the horses in training, 

 when other green food could not be procured. Horses are 

 exceedingly fond of celery, and when once accustomed to it 

 will usually select it in preference to carrots if offered the 

 choice. In Spain barley was often sown for the sole purpose 

 of feeding horses, being cut when quite young, as clover is 

 here. 



For some reason, which is rather obscure, it seems 

 necessary for horses to take a certain amount of earth into 

 their stomachs, and the craving for it on the part of horses 

 entirely stable-fed is not very generally recognised. When 

 such animals obtain a rare chance of a nibble at grass, it 

 will generally be observed that instead of at once seizing 

 the opportunity of eating the herbage they tear up mouth- 

 fuls of earth, and munch it in evident enjoyment, until a 

 muddy trickle escapes down their chins. After their desire 

 has been gratified for a few minutes they will then begin 

 to graze with satisfaction, and if frequently allowed a bite 

 of grass they do not take any notice of earth. Probably in 

 the ordinary course of grazing some earth is unconsciously 

 gathered up with the roots of grass, for a horse bites very 

 close to the ground, and this is missed when a horse is fed 

 only in the stable. 



EOUTINE AFTER HUNTING. 



When attending to the legs and feet the latter should 

 be carefully washed out, especial attention being paid that 

 every particle of dirt is removed from the frogs, and also 

 between the web of the shoe and the sole of the foot, but 

 the less water that touches the former the better. Experi- 

 ence has proved over and over again that when the legs 

 are washed after return from hunting, or indeed at any time 

 when covered with mud, they are much more likely to suffer 

 from cracked heels, or mud fever, than if the bulk of the 

 mud is removed with a wisp of straw, the legs rubbed fairly 

 dry, and then serge or flannel bandages wrapped loosely 

 round the legs until the next morning, when any dry mud 

 which remains can easily be brushed out without trouble. 



