TURNING HORSES OUT TO GRASS. 
473 
What rest has a horse or any other animal with a fine 
coat and sensitive skin when even a single fly is crawling 
over it ? Witness in the summer months the myriads of in- 
sects which surround all cattle when grazing, and w T atch the 
poor horses huddled together for shelter under trees or 
hedgerows, nervously tossing their heads, switching the tail, 
stamping, and thus jarring the legs and feet, moving to and 
fro in the vain hope of escape from their tormentors, and then 
ask if this be “ rest ? ” 
When the sun is powerful the feet become hot and 
parched, the horn is rendered brittle and breaks off in 
pieces. Besides, nothing throws a horse so soon out of con- 
dition as green food. The consequence in eight cases out 
of ten is that the animal comes out from grass in much 
worse form than when turned out to “ rest ” — if he escape 
getting staked, or being kicked by his companions. 
It is said, and I believe truly, that no hunter is in condi- 
tion before he is seven years old ; which means that he has 
had three years’ hard keep and moderate work. 
The summering of hunters is now an altogether different 
matter from what it was formerly. If properly treated, the 
hunter will at most be allowed a small quantity of green 
food as bonne bouclie , for a week or so. This is gathered for 
him, is eaten in his box or in the yard attached, and his 
usual feeds of corn are not lessened. 
What, then, is the best method of dealing with horses in 
the summer, when either rest is a necessity or otherwise 
desirable ? 
Put them into a loose box or shed, well littered with tan, 
bark, sawdust, or straw, or all combined ; remove the shoes, 
and rasp off the sharp edges of the crust to prevent them 
breaking; supply water without a stint ; give liberal allowance 
of oats, Indian corn, and bran, with cut chaff and hay, the 
whole of which will be the better for being made damp with 
water. 
If on the part of the owner there is a predilection for 
green food, give it in small quantities mixed by hand with the 
hay, always remembering that the fat which it invariably pro- 
duces is so much lumber, not condition, and that when the 
horse returns to work the fat is thrown off at the cost of addi- 
tional wear in the feet and legs. 
I am, Sir, your obedient servant, 
B. Cartledge, Member of the Royal College 
of Veterinary Surgeons. 
Sheffield, May 9. 
