FEEDING, EXERCISE, AKD GROOMING. 283 



SO ionsf, as to suffer some iiiiurv from it. The 

 common practice, however, of washing the 

 legs with cold water should never be allowed, 

 unless the horse be exercised, or have his legs 

 well nibljed immediately after It is super- 

 fluous, perhaps, to point out the impropriety 

 and danger of plunging a horse into a river 

 while sweating from severe exercise, a practice 

 commonly adopted by proprietors of post 

 and stas^e-coach horses : that it is often done 

 with impunity must be o;nuited ; but it is 

 probable, that many of them sufier from the 

 treatment, though the ill effect is not often 

 immediately observed *. 



* It appears, from the experiments of Dr. Ciirrle, that when 



the heat of the skin is above tlie natural degree, the application 



of cold water is highly refreshing and invigorating ; but when the 



heat of the system has been in some measure exhausted by 



continued exercise and perspiration, it will generally produce 



considerable debility ; and in the hum?m body the most dangerous 



consequences have ensued from it. The same observation applies 



to cold water taken into the stomach, which on such an occasion 



has been known to cause sudden death. It is probable, therefore, 



that many of the diseases of these poor animals arise from the 



debilitj^ which this treatment occasions; and perhaps the mischief 



■would be greater, were it not that the river or pond is generally 



at a little distance from the stable, so that the^;^ get some exercise 



immediately after their immersion, r.iid that Ihe stable is generallj^ 



very warm. 



