94 STABLE ECONOMY. 



is too sudden, and should be broken by gentle motion. If the 

 heart and nervous system could be restrained as easily as the 

 action of the voluntary muscles, there would be no need for 

 walking a heated horse, since it would be sufficient to render 

 all the organs tranquil at the same time. 



This brief analysis of what is going on internally, may be 

 useful to those who would know exactly when it is safe to 

 put a heated horse to perfect rest. It is needless to keep him 

 in motion after the pulse has sunk to nearly its natural number 

 of beats per minute, which is under 40. Stablemen go by 

 the heat of the skin, but on a hot day the skin will often re- 

 main above its usual heat, for a good while after the system is 

 quite calm. The state of the skin, however, in general indi- 

 cates the degree of internal excitement with sufficient accu- 

 racy. 



The object, then, in walking a heated horse, is to allay the 

 excitement of exertion in all parts of the body at the same 

 time and by degrees, to keep the muscles working because 

 the heart is working. The motion should always be slow, 

 and the horse led, not ridden. If wet, and the weather cold, 

 his walk may be faster than summer weather requires. 



When the state of the weather, and the want of a covered 

 ride, put walking out of the question, the horse must either 

 go to the stable or he must sutler a little exposure to the rain. 

 When much excited, that is, when very warm, it is better that 

 he should walk for a few minutes in the rain, than that he 

 should stand quite still. But a horse seldom comes in very 

 warm while it is raining. If he must go into the stable it 

 should not be too close. To a horse hot, perspiring, and 

 breathing very quick, a warm stable is particularly distressing. 

 Some faint under it. Till somewhat calm he may stand with 

 his head to the door, but not in a current of cold air, at least 

 not after he begins to cool. 



Walking a Wet Horse. — Gentle motion to a heated horse 

 is necessary, to prevent the evils likely to arise from one set 

 of organs doing more than another set requires. But in many 

 cases motion after work is useful when the horse is not heat- 

 ed. He may come in drenched with rain, but quite cool, and 

 there may be no one at hand to dry him, or his coat may be 

 so long that one man can not get him dry before he begins to 

 shiver. In such cases the horse should be walked about. 

 Were he stabled or allowed to stand at rest in this state, he 

 would be very likely to suffer as much injury as if he were 

 suddenly brought to a stand-still when in a high state of per- 



