TURNING HORSES OUT 



In the large Eastern cities the practice of horse 

 owners turning all or some of their horses out for 

 a portion of the year is a very common one. Con- 

 sequently it is an important matter for them to 

 study this question from every standpoint. For 

 instance, is it wise to turn a horse out if he is 

 going sound, and is in good working condition? 

 Many owners express themselves and act as if it 

 were a benefit to a horse to be thrown into com- 

 plete idleness at intervals for a time. Others do 

 it with the object of saving expense. Mr. C. J. 

 Hamlin, of Buffalo, whom everybody knows as 

 a gentleman of long experience and also as one 

 of good judgment in horse matters, is said to have 

 given expression to the following aphorism, viz., 

 that "two let-ups are as bad as a break-down." 

 This statement may be considered rather an ex- 

 aggeration by some, but those who have had an 

 opportunity for fully observing the effects of 

 "turning out" on horseflesh will agree that there 

 is a large measure of truth in it. If you throw 

 a horse into complete or comparative idleness for 



64 



Digitized by Microsoft® 



