228 FIELD AND FERN. 



'^ The Indian/^ Elliot of Clifton^ Swan on his ches- 

 nut, and David Henderson. 



The hunters and hacks are all washed over with 

 tepid water when they come in. Fonr of them are 

 brought into the place together, and two grooms are 

 occupied about forty minutes over each. They are 

 clothed and left quiet for an hour and a half, and 

 then dressed over for the night. They also get lin- 

 seed tea when they come in, a pail at twice, and have 

 their feet stuffed with linseed, fore and aft, twice a 

 week. The linseed is always bruised at the mill just 

 before the stones want setting, and then mixed with 

 w^ater. It leaves a fine oily mixture in the hoof when 

 it is picked out next morniug. But for this care the 

 feet would often be very much bruised, although 

 the blacksmith, who always accompanies the horses, 

 bevels out the inside of the fore shoe, to try and 

 prevent them from picking up flints. 



There are fifteen servants^ horses, and "Will 

 Shore, who has just fmished his third season, 

 has five. Rebecca by Isaac of York, a game light 

 mare, goes into the light-grass and moor country on 

 Tuesday, Ilston does the hilly w^ork on Saturday, and 

 either Chesters, Titus Gates, or Tipperary is certain 

 to be told off for the stitf fencing on the Kelso side 

 each Thursday. Ilston is one of the best in the 

 stud, and was bought by Lord Walter in Essex, and 

 Williamson's comment on Chesters hits him off to 

 the life : " There^s a multiim in parvo, quite a contra- 

 diction to the Paymasters — he's so short-legged. The 



