40 LETTING HOUNDS LIE OUT IN THE COURTS. 



in summer, and during the time that hounds are in the 

 kennel, they had much better be upon their beds, 

 than lying out, as is the custom in some establish- 

 ments, under the shade of trees, on the damp ground. 

 It is the opinion of Mr. W. Smith, Lord Yarborough's 

 huntsman, that nothing contributes to render hounds 

 liable to rheumatism, or shoulder lameness, more than 

 allowing them to lie on the cold ground in the shade, 

 particularly after work or exercise, besides it is the 

 means of making servants slack in taking them out to 

 horse exercise, of which they ought to have at least 

 four hours' work every morning early, during the 

 summer months. The only use a large grass court 

 can be of is, in my opinion, for the puppies to air 

 themselves at their will, when they come up from 

 their quarters, and which should be kept exclusively 

 for them ; if hounds are to be walked out either for 

 inspection, or for exercise after feeding, or on rest 

 days, they should be taken into the paddock, which 

 should be also kept entirely for that purpose.* If 

 horses are turned in, their dung is always in the 

 way, as most hounds will, even directly after feeding, 

 ramble about to pick it up. As we are now upon the 

 subject of their eating excrement, and other filth, it 

 may not be considered an improper time to mention 

 the tendency that some of them have to fill themselves 

 with the dung of not only the others, but also to 

 devour their own ordure.f The number of hounds 



* The size of a grass court to the puppies' kennel, need not be more than a 

 hundred yards square in a very airy situation. The paddock for moving the old 

 hounds into, should be three or four acres at least. 



t Hounds which are in the habit of eating the filth in the courts may always 

 be known by their bad condition, and by their being more or less dropped in their 

 bodies. 



