318 ON THE MANAGEMENT 



him any good ? and can hard exercise, parti- 

 cularly in the summer, be of any advantage 

 to him ? Is it not soft ground and long rest 

 that will best refresh his limbs, while the 

 night air and morning dews will invigorate 

 his body? Some never physic their hunters; 

 only observing, when they first take them up 

 from grass, to work them gently : some turn 

 out theirs all the year. It is not unusual for 

 such as follow the latter method, to physic 

 their horses at grass; they then are taken 

 up, well fed, and properly exercised, to get 

 them into order: this done, they are turned 

 out for a few hours every day when they are 

 not ridden. The pasture should be dry, 

 and should have but little grass: there they 

 will stretch their limbs and cool their bodies, 

 and will take as much exercise as is necessary 

 for them. I have remarked, that, thus treat- 

 ed, they catch fewer colds, have the use of 

 their limbs more freely, and are less liable to 

 lameness than other horses. Another advan- 

 tage attends this method, which, in the horses 

 you ride yourself, you will allow to be very 

 material : — your horse, when once he is in 

 order, will require less strong exercise than 

 grooms generally give their horses ; and his 



