STABLE OPERATIONS. 81 



pretend to have skill in the veterinary art. They do not say 

 that they know all about it, for in that case they would not 

 have to take the place and pay of a stableman ; yet they 

 think they may render good service, and they say that much 

 very plainly. It is all nonsense and imposition. These pre- 

 tenders seldom, almost never, know their own business. If 

 they knew that, as they ought to know it, they would be good 

 servants without knowing anything else. If they are good 

 grooms and better doctors, it is clear they ought to be veter- 

 inary surgeons If equally skilful in both capacities, they 

 ought- to choose that business which will pay best. But 

 where have they learned so much about diseases and their 

 remedies ? They have seen much — that is, about as much in 

 all as a veterinarian in tolerable practice will see in a day. 



Drivers. — These are men who work the horses. Some 

 also have the stable management of them. The gentleman's 

 coachman has already been spoken of. The others are post- 

 boys, hackney-coachmen, cab, omnibus, noddy, and stage 

 drivers, carters, ploughmen, and so forth. It is needless to 

 speak of these in detail. A glance at what has already been 

 said of stablemen will indicate what are the most essential 

 qualifications, and what their most common vices, with the 

 consequences of their vice. It is only necessary to observe 

 farther, that, in addition to sobriety and skill in their employ- 

 ment, all those who work the horses should be humane. Every 

 stableman should feel for a feeble horse, and spare him ; but 

 in those who drive, kindness is of more importance. I have 

 known horses purposely driven to death, or so overtasked, 

 that debility, and other consequences of severe labor, gave the 

 driver an excuse for demanding exchange. These things 

 have been done, sometimes because the horse was too slow, 

 too fast, or too feeble ; sometimes merely because he was 

 awkward to manage, or did not please the eye of the driver. 

 Such things could never happen in the hands of an humane 

 man. 



But, though the horses are sometimes purposely abused and 

 destroyed by cruel drivers, they are much oftener injured by 

 bad drivers. They are often lamed by starting, and by stop- 

 ping them too suddenly. They ought to have some warning 

 in both cases ; it always indicates bad driving when a horse 

 is thrown upon his knees at starting, or upon his haunches at 

 stopping, or upon his side at turning. A fall is not always 

 the consequence, but some part is sprained by the violent 

 effort which the horse is compelled to make in obeying the 



