626 
REMARKS ON VARIOUS CONTRIBUTIONS 
air ; and, next, that the system pursued in them is very inimical 
to long life. What ! the mean age of a cavalry horse only nine 
and a half years ! Why, I never considered a hunter of mine to 
be in his prime until he had arrived at that age*. 
I now proceed to the mention of what I saw in my late tour 
that is worthy the notice of veterinarians, or owners and breeders 
of horses. My first visit was to Badmington, the seat of the 
Duke of Beaufort, whose stud, of hunters only, exceeded forty. 
As may be supposed, they are for the most part clever, and, to a 
certain extent, first-rate ; but, taken as a stud, and for hard work 
with hounds, I give the preference to Lord Segrave’s, the amount 
of which (hunters alone) also exceeded forty. His lordship is not 
only an excellent judge of the animal, horse , but as he purchases, 
generally, with a view to his own weight, in case they turn up 
trumps, his horses are almost all weight-carriers. Lord Moreton’s 
was the next stud which came under my observation in this part 
of the country, and of that I cannot say much. There are, of 
course, some fine animals among them, to carry himself, for a bad, 
weak horse would have no chance with his lordship on his back; but, 
generally speaking, his stables want replenishing. The difficulty, 
however, of procuring hunters of any power, and in his part of 
the country especially, is very great. Indeed, it is universally com- 
plained of ; and I can safely say, that until I went into Leicester- 
shire and Northamptonshire, I did not see one farmer’s horse for 
which I would have given fifty pounds. 
But the condition of these studs — there is the point — touching 
our present business. The duke had seven roarers in his stud, 
and Lord Segrave eight ! — “How is all this to be accounted fori” 
was the question asked by me, and also put to me. It is true 
both these studs are summered abroad, and that, no doubt, is one 
reason ; but, still, there must be another. “ Atmospheric influ- 
ence,” says one. “ Undoubtedly,” say I ; but is not this — the fact 
being admitted — a strong argument against summering abroad 1 
The Badmington stud is fearfully exposed to this most inciting 
cause. The horses are turned into the park, where there is very 
little shelter, and, to get away from the flies, the lake of water is 
resorted to. Then, again, other horses are turned out with them, 
and when being caught up for casual purposes — which of course 
* With reference to the utility of ventilation, perhaps the state of affairs 
in the Dublin Lying-in- Hospital may be adduced as the most singular instance 
on record. In the space of four years, no less a number than 2944 infants 
out of 7650 died within the first fortnight after their birth. The hospital 
was completely ventilated , and the proportion of deaths were reduced to 279. 
Hence, out of the 2944 who had died, 2655 had perished solely from the 
foulness of the air. 
