ROAD HORSES. 187 
ing states the old English custom in this regard as 
follows : — 
“Before the advent of railways, fifty miles in a 
day was not considered too much for a pair of horses 
to do, and that in a lumbering travelling carriage. 
The rules laid down for such a journey were, to go 
ten miles and bait for fifteen minutes, giving each 
horse an opportunity to wash out his mouth, and a 
wisp of hay; then to travel another six miles and stop 
half an hour, taking off the harness, rubbing the horses 
well down, and giving to each half a peck of corn. 
After travelling a further ten miles, hay and water 
were given as at first, when another six miles might 
be traversed; and then a bait of at least two hours 
was considered necessary, and the horses were given 
hay and a feed of corn. After journeying another ten 
miles, hay and water, as before, were administered, and 
the rest of the journey might be accomplished without 
a further stop, when the horses were provided with a 
mash for their night meal, and if the weather were 
cold and wet some beans were thrown in. This calcu- 
lates a pace averaging six or seven miles an hour.” 
Iam acquainted with a Morgan filly, five years old, 
that, without any special preparation, travelled last 
fall from the White Mountains to Boston, one hundred 
and forty-seven miles, in exactly three days, with per- 
fect ease. The first day she went but thirty-five 
miles, the second fifty-four, the third fifty-eight. Her 
owner furnishes me with the following account of the 
last day : — 
“T started from Portsmouth at eight a.m., drove 
fifteen miles, and stopped for three quarters of an 
hour, taking the mare out, rubbing her legs well, and 
