EXERCISE 99 



The benefits of exercise as a preventive, and in many- 

 cases a curative, need not be further dwelt on, except to 

 urge on owners that they should insist on its systematic 

 and periodical observance. 



The owner of a single horse should order his groom, as 

 soon as the stable has been cleaned out in the morning, 

 while the horse is eating his first feed, to brush him over, 

 and put on his exercising saddle and bridle ; in cold 

 weather, if only intended to be walked, keep the cloth or 

 sheet on him under the saddle ; in warm weather, though 

 a horse's coat may be something the finer by being kept 

 warm, yet he is certainly the more liable to take cold when 

 he is necessarily deprived of it. We need hardly say that 

 the most open and airy places should be taken for exercise, 

 and this is the most favourable opportunity to improve a 

 horse's walk, two hours of which he should get ; and it is a 

 great thing to endeavour always to make him step longer 

 in his walk, and thus exercise the horse, and improve him 

 at the same time. If convenient, while out give him his 

 water. If a horse is inclined to flesh, the like exercise may 

 be taken in the afternoon, where persons have time and 

 convenience. But everyone cannot allow the time to be 

 so taken up, for it would be nearly equal to training, and 

 may not be thought necessary ; it is more than the 

 generality of horses require, and many inferior-bred horses, 

 who look well to the eye, cannot foj a continuance stand 

 the ordinary work that a horse has in training. If you 

 inquire of training grooms in charge of some terrible high- 

 bred colt, why he is not " brouglit out," they will answer, 

 " He would not stand his training." This is mere cant. 

 He has been over-trained and galloped too fast, not 

 judiciously and reasonably exercised. 



Should the horse's work be so moderate as not to occasion 

 a sweat, then, about twice a w^eek, he should have exercise 

 strong enough to sweat him ; this may be done in the pace 

 he is mostly rode in, that he may be practised and improved 

 in it ; if he be admired for his trot, it would be wrong to 

 gallop him, which might unsettle him in his esteemed pace ; 

 therefore, trot him out for the space of two miles, to bring 

 him to a comfortable sweat, and walk him back ; thus will 

 his limbs be rendered supple, his muscles developed by red 

 blood, and his ligaments and tendons strengthened. In- 

 activity debilitates, and over-exertion may sprain and 



