74 STABLE ECONOMY. 



will do things their own way, without even attempting any 

 other. They know everything, and everybody's business 

 but their own. Others are so desperately vain of their swee 

 persons, that for one hour they spend upon the horses, they 

 spend two in letting people see themselves, or in preparing to 

 be seen. Some are careless, wasteful, indifferent to their 

 master's interests. Others are insinuating hypocrites, mere 

 eye-servants ; never doing their duty, yet always busy ; never 

 grumbling, but often ostentatiously exhibiting some trait of 

 superfluous obedience, deference, or care. Some are slovenly, 

 always in disorder. Many are indifferent to the welfare and 

 comfort of the horses. They may not be ill-tempered nor 

 violent ; but they are negligent, and that often amounts to 

 cruelty. They never sympathize with the suffering. They 

 will stand round a horse in the pangs of death, and, if moved 

 at all, it is to utter some foul jest, or to bestow a curse or a 

 kick. These fellows are rarely to be trusted, as stablemen, 

 and never as drivers. Indeed, they are unworthy of all trust. 

 They are always heartless, selfish vagabonds, indifferent to 

 everything but their own animal wants, and never doing any 

 good but what the law compels. A good stableman should 

 love horses ; while they are ill he should not be quite at 

 ease. 



Some stablemen have the speaking-evil. They are never 

 right but when they are talking with somebody. While they 

 are gossipping the work is standing. In general these are 

 sad boasters and tale-bearers. They must have something to 

 prate about, and if there is nothing to be said about the master 

 or his lady, nor any secret to be carried from the stables or the 

 house, new stories must, be laid upon the old foundation, and 

 with fiction, and truth, and says-he and says-I, some sort of a 

 story is trumped up to afford the talking gentleman a little 

 merriment or consolation. In most stables this vice is of no 

 consequence ; but such a man is not to be trusted in a racing 

 stud. These great talkers are mostly always great liars. 



The Gentleman's Coachman is not the same being in the 

 city that he appears in the country. In the crowded streets 

 of large towns he should have nothing to learn. Skill in 

 driving is his most essential qualification. Sobriety stands 

 next, and after that, experience in the stable management of 

 his horses. He should be careful at all times ; cool when 

 accidents happen ; kind to his horses ; active, robust, good- 

 looking ; of a mature age ; not disposed to sleep on the. box, 

 nor too fond of company. He should be punctual to a 



