PRESERVATION OF WORKING CONDITION. 329 



much and iinnvoidably reduced. The debility which a febrile 

 disease of itself produces, is often sufficient to destroy work- 

 ing condition as effectually as if the horse had never had 

 any. Hence racers and hunters are often unfit to come to 

 their work, at the expected time. Perhaps iwlluenza, or a 

 similar malady, invades the stable, and for a time suspends all 

 further training, and destroys that which has been given. It 

 is the very same when the horse is at work. An attack of 

 inflammation, or a fever in the middle of winter, throws the 

 hunter out of the field for all the remainder of that season. 

 By or before the time he has recovered, and again been 

 trained, hunting is over. 



That which is true of the hunter or racer in this respect, is 

 not less true of other horses. Their work may not require 

 such a long and complicated course of preparation ; but still 

 they must hav-e some. That which served at first may serve 

 now, provided the disease be completely subdued. All dis- 

 eases and fevers are not alike ; while one may wholly destroy 

 condition, another may only impair it. 



Pain. — While a horse is in constant pain, he is never 

 in excellent condition for work. Very acute pain materially 

 impairs his condition in a couple of days. Many horses 

 are compelled to work when lame, and it is well knovvn that 

 they never carry so much flesh, nor appear so gay, as when 

 sound They are seldom indeed fit to perform full work. In 

 double harness the sound horse generally has more than his 

 share of the draught, and if the lame horse be very willing, 

 he soon wears himself out. But horses are often in pain 

 without being lame. All kinds of abuse and bad manage- 

 ment, consisting in cold, comfortless stables, want of groom- 

 ing, neglect of the proper hours for feeding and watering, 

 want of room to lie, disturbed rest from various causes, impair 

 the horse's condition. Harsh usage from bad grooms often 

 destroys the repose and the appetite of nervous horses. Dis- 

 comfort and terror are actual pain, and though never very 

 acute, yet its constant operation has a sensible influence upon 

 the condition and appearance of the horse. Grease, and 

 sores on the neck, back, or other parts upon which the har- 

 ness rides, produce a great deal of pain, both in the stable 

 and at work. A large sore on the seat of the collar impairs 

 a horse's condition as eflectually as want of food. All kinds 

 of discomfort, annoyance, terror, or ill-usage, are as truly de- 

 bilitating, when long continued, as the pain of a broken limb, 

 though much less acute. 



28* 



