PRESERVATION OF WORKING CONDITION. 333 



galls, bog-spavin, and thorough-pin. They are little bags 

 containing joint-oil which prevents friction. Rapid and last- 

 ing exertion increases the quantity of this fluid, and dilates 

 the bags which contain it. 



The legs of racers and hunters are always more or less the 

 worse of wear toward the close of their working season. If 

 these horses were wanted all the year through, the legs would 

 demand rest, thouah the body might not. Hunters rest all 

 sumnier, racers all winter, and during repose, their legs re- 

 gain their original integrity and form. 



The legs of horses are very differently constructed. Some 

 are so well formed that they suffer a great deal before they 

 begin to fail ; others are so defective that they will not stand 

 hard work. With racers and hunters much may be done to 

 save them ; fermentations, hand-rubbing, and bandages, are 

 of much service after severe work ; but they require too 

 much time and attendance to be employed for inferior horses. 

 In mail and coaching studs, horses with bad legs may be put 

 to short stages ; and in many cases it may be proper to let 

 them go to spring grass for four or six weeks : there the legs 

 may be restored so far as to preserve the horse for a year 

 longer. 



It is the fashion at present to dispense with breech-bands 

 or breeching for stage-coach horses ; and where the road is 

 pretty level, or the coach light, they are of little use. But it 

 seems to me they have been too generally discarded. With- 

 * out breech-bands the whole weight of the coach in going 

 down hill is thrown upon the neck, and from the neck to the 

 fore legs. Hilly ground is destructive to both fore and hind 

 legs ; but the fore ones always fail first. I think breech- 

 bands on the horses that have the worst stage, would make 

 the fore legs last longer. 



The Feet are often injured by excess of work. The fore 

 feet are liable to one disease which has been denominated, 

 with as much truth as energy, " the curse of good horses," I 

 mean the navicular disease, or grogginess. It is very common 

 among all kinds of fast-workers. Bad shoeing, neglect of 

 stable cares to preserve the feet, hard roads, and various other 

 agents, have been blamed for producing it. But it seems to 

 me the most common and the most certain cause has been too 

 little considered. Long journeys, at a fast pace, will make 

 almost any horse groggy. Bad shoeing and want of stable 

 care both help, but, I am nearly sure, they alone never produce 

 grogginess. The horse must go far and fast ; if his feet b$ 



