THOUGHTS UPON HUNTING, ^OJi 



LETTER XXIV, 



I AM now, my friend, about to take leave of 

 you ; and at the fame time that I give repofe 

 to you, let me intreat you to fhew the fame favour 

 to your hounds and horfes. It is now the breed- 

 ing feafon, a proper time, in my opinion, to leave 

 off hunting ; lince it is more likely to be your fer- 

 vants amutement, than your's ; and is always to 

 the prejudice of two noble animals, which we 

 fportfmen are bound in gratitude to take care of. 



After a long and tirefome winter, furely the 

 horfe deferves fome repofe. Let him then enjoy 

 his fhort-lived liberty; and as his feet are the 

 parts which fufFer moft, turn him out into a foft 

 pafture. Some there are, who difapprove of 

 grafs, faying, that when a horfe is in good order, the 

 turning him out undoes it all again. — It certainly 

 does. — ^Yet at the fame time, I believe, that nq 

 horfe can be frefh in his limbs, or will lafl you 

 long without it. — Can ftanding in a hot flable do 

 him any good ? — and can hard exercife, particuT 

 larly in the fummer, be of any advantage to him ? 

 Is it not foft ground and long reft thiit will bef^ 

 X 3 refrefh. 



