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THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

THROUGH THE STABLE

AN' I)

SADDLE-ROOM

BY

ARTHUR T. FISHER

(Late 21st Hussars)

LONDON
RICHARD BENTLEY AND SON

publishers in (Drttnars to g}« ^tjestu the (Queen

1890

[All rights reserved]

J

1°

THE AUTHOR

DEDICATES THIS LITTLE BOOK
TO THE MEMORY OF HIS FRIEND AND COMMANDING ^OFFICER.

THE LATE

COLONEL E. B. WAKE,

2 1st Hussars.
June, 1890.

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Preface ... - - xvii

PART I.

STABLE AND STABLE GEAR.

CHAPTER I.

The stable. — Soil for situation. — Sand v. clay. — Points
essential in the construction of stables. — Drainage. —
Flooring - - - - - - - 3

CHAPTER II.

Ventilation. — Cavalry stables. — Argument in proof of the
necessity for proper ventilation. — Anecdotes. — Autumn
manoeuvres of 1875 - - - - - 8

CHAPTER III.
Stable windows - - 15

CHAPTER IV.

Warmth. — Material for outer walls. — Inside walls. —
Roofing. — Thatched roofs - - 18

viii CONTENTS.

CHAPTER V.

PAGE

Space. — Water supply in stables. — Softening water. —
' Anti-calcaire.' — Precautions against fire. — Fire and
accident insurances. — Removing horses from a burning
stable - - - - - - - 23

CHAPTER VI.

Stable doors. — Carelessness of grooms in leading horses
in and out of stables. — Good grooms v. bad - - 27

CHAPTER VII.

Stable fittings. — Stalls. — Loose-boxes. — Stall partitions.
— Government stable fittings.— Wood for partitions. —
— Racks and mangers. — Feeding on the ground. —
Movable fittings.— Fork and broom racks. — Shelves.
— Stall-post pegs. — Dust and dirt. — Slovenly servants - 30

CHAPTER VIII.

Stable necessaries. — Pillar-reins. — Necessity for looping
up pillar-reins. — Accidents from loose pillar-reins. —
List of grooming utensils. — List of stable utensils. —
Brushes.— Work done by the blind.— Body-brushes.—
Water - brushes. — Dandy - brushes. — Curry - combs. —
Mane - combs. — Sponges. — Hoof - pickers. — Stable-
rubbers. — Chamois leathers. — Burnishers. — Saddle-
soap. — Clipping - machines. — Singeing - lamps. — Stable-
scissors. — Average prices of grooming utensils. — Stable
brooms. — Wheelbarrows. — Buckets. — Stable lamps and
lighting. — Candle-ends. — Corn-measures. — Corn-sieves.
— Corn-bins. — Prices of corn-bins. — Average price of
stable utensils - - - - - - 37

CONTENTS. ix

CHAPTER IX.

PAGE

Horse-clothing and horses' coats. — Kerseymere clothing. —
Colour of clothing. — Making up of clothing. — London
and provincial work. — Quarter-sheet and breast-piece.
— Fillet-strings. — Pad and roller. — Improper girthing
up of rollers. — Evils of girthing up of rollers too tightly.
— Hoods. — Short hoods. — Fawn-striped rugs. — Weight
and price of ditto. — How to test woollen goods. — Night
rugs. — Summer clothing - - - - 54

CHAPTER X.

Bandages. — Mode of tying bandages. — Cracked heels. —
Woollen bandages. — Hunting bandages. — Support from
bandages. — Colour of material for bandages. — Care of
bandages. — ' Naphthaline ' for prevention of moth in
woollen goods, etc. — ' Naphthaline ' for saddles. —
Stocking bandages. — Water bandages. — Chamois-
leather bandages. — Sweating bandages. — -Bandaging. —
Prices of bandages - - - - - 64

"o^

CHAPTER XL

Stable headstalls. — Prices of headstalls. — Lead-lines. —
Logs. — Fitting of lead-lines. — Prices of lead-lines. —
Prices quoted for articles. — Good and bad articles. —
Rack-chains. — Spring-hooks. — New patent hooks. —
Kneecaps. — Use of kneecaps. — Evils of kneecaps. —
Proper description of kneecaps. — Kneecaps too tightly
fitted. — How to fit on kneecaps. — Necessity for ob-
taining good articles. — Price of kneecaps. — Watering
bridles. — Watering snaffles. — Dirty watering snaffles.
— Reins for watering snaffles. — Care and condition of
watering snaffles.— Accidents from rotten reins. — Mode
of fitting watering-bridle reins. — Leading-reins. — Useful
maxims. — Exercising without saddles. — Price of water-
ing bridles ... . . 71

CONTENTS.

PART II.
COACHHOUSE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

CHAPTER XII.

PAGE

Coachhouse. — -Heating coachhouse. — Watering floor of
coachhouse. — Flooring of coachhouse. — Saddle-room.
— Doors of saddle-room. — Stove of saddle - room. —
Patent stove. — Light from window of saddle-room. —
Panelling walls of saddle-room. — Disposal of saddlery
in saddle-room. — Saddle-racks. — Own patent saddle-
racks. — Construction of saddle-racks. — Advantage of
saddle-racks. — Prices of saddle-racks. — Saddle-room
shelves. — Saddle-room cupboards. — Order and cleanli-
ness.— Forage store. — Disposal of forage in store. —
Economy of order. — Bedding - sheds. — Economy and
construction of bedding-sheds. — Grooms' chambers. —
Communicating window from grooms' chambers to
stable. — Comfort of servants' rooms. — Cleanliness of
servants' rooms. — Inspection of servants' rooms by
master - - - - - - - 87

CHAPTER XIII.

Requirements of a good saddle. — Parts of a saddle. —
Saddle-trees. — Saddle-seats. — Saddle-fittings. — Saddle-
flaps. — Stuffing of saddles. — Panels. — Sweat-flaps. —
Good and bad trees. — Cut of saddles. — Straight seats.
— Argument in favour of straight seats. — Length of
rein obtained by use of straight seats. — Why horses pull
less when ridden by ladies. — Knee-rolls v. plain flaps. —
Field correspondence as to knee-rolls and plain flaps. —
Use of the leg in riding. — Cavalry riding. — Advantage
of knee-rolls. — Major Whyte-Melville on plain flaps. —
— Girths. — Stirrup-irons. — Saddle-bar stops. — Fitting of
stirrup - leathers. — Good saddles. — Best saddles. —
Materials used for lining saddles. — Messrs. Whippy's
new system of lining saddles.— Saddle-heads. — Num-

CONTENTS. xi

PAdE

nabs. — Chambering saddles. — Side-saddles and sore
backs.— Back -stays.— Cause and prevention of sore
backs in ladies' horses.— Proper position for a lady on
side - saddle. — Improper seat. — Safety stirrups for
ladies 101

CHAPTEE XIV.

Bridles. — Headstalls. —Buckles. — Browbands. — Eeins.

Parts of a bridle.— Double- rein snaffles.— Bits.—

Shape of a horse's mouth.— Hard and soft mouths.—
Spoiled mouths.— How to fit a bit in a horse's mouth.—
Curb.— Throat - lash.— Noseband.— Variety of bits. —
The temptation of a saddler's shop.— Fancy bits. —
Useful bits. — Useless bits. — Snaffles. — Use of two
snaffles.— Gag-snaffles.— Bits and bridoons.— Too severe
bits.— The grid-iron.— Curb-save.— Lip-straps.— Ward-
bits.— Bit -mouthpieces. —Instrument for measuring a
horse's mouth.— The « Pelham ' bit.— ' Ben Morgan'
bit.— 'Ben Morgan' bit for driving.— Breast-plates.—
Fitting of breast - plates. — Martingales. — Standing
martingales.— Eein-rings.— How to saddle a horse.—
Cleaning of saddlery.— Evils of saddle-paste.— Care in
cleaning saddle-flaps.— Prices of saddlery - 129

CHAPTEE XV.

Harness. — Parts of harness. — Headstall. — Bit. —
Bridoon - hangers . — Buckles . — Harness furniture . —
Metal browbands.— Evils of old-fashioned driving-bit.—
'Liverpool' bits.— Sliding ports.— Use of bit-bars.-
Blinkers.— Crest-brushes.— Collars.— Hames.— Hames-
rings.— Saddle-terrets.— Danger of bearing-rein hooks.
-Back-band.— Tugs.— Belly-band.— ' Tilbury ' tugs.—
Crupper.— Breeching.— Traces.— Spare traces.— Kick-
ing-straps.— Eeins.— Billets.— Use and abuse of bearing-
reins.— Harness-cleaning, black and brown.— Brass-
work.— How to clean patent leather.— Harness-cleaning

xii CONTENTS.

PAGE

utensils and prices. — How to harness a horse to a
carriage. — How to unharness a horse from a carriage.
— Double harness. — Roller-bolts. — Uses of pole. — Pole-
chains. — -Coupling -reins. — Fitting of coupling - reins. —
Carriages. — Horse and carriage to be suitably propor-
tioned.— Care of carriages.— Varnish must be dry. —
Abuse of the spoke-brush. — How to clean a carriage. —
Water-hose. — Wheel-lift. — Use and abuse of wheel-lift.
— Care of carriage-poles. — Care of wheels. — Tramway
lines. — Evil effects of sun on a carriage. — List and prices
of carriage-cleaning utensils - 152

PART III.

FEEDING AND FARMERY.

CHAPTER XVI.

Forage. — Hay. — Average price of hay. — Weight of hay.
— Meadow-hay. — Old v. new hay.- — Selection of hay.—
Perfect hay. — Mow-burnt hay. — How to test quality of
hay. — Rye - grass and clover. — Oats. — English and
foreign oats. — Black, white, and gray oats. — Weight of
oats. — Testing weight of oats. — Price of oats. — Old oats.
— Made-up oats. — How to detect made-up oats. — How
to select oats. — Weighing oats. — Straw. — Varieties of
straw. — Foreign competition. — Price of straw. — Oat-
straw, — Bedding. — Fern. — Sawdust. — Peat - mould. —
Moss-litter. — Bran. — Price of bran - - - 175

CHAPTER XVII.

Extra forage. — Beans. — Price of beans. — Quantity and
effects of beans. — Peas. — Price of peas. — Maize. — Use of
maize. — Price of maize.— Linseed. — Linseed-mashes. —
Merits of linseed-mashes. — Linseed-oil. — Cooked foods.
— Advantages of cooked foods.— Effects of cooked foods.
— Preparation of cooked foods. — Green forage. —

CONTENTS. xiii

PAOE

Quantity of green forage to be given. — Lucerne. —
Carrots. — Price of carrots. ■ — Quantity of food required
for a horse. — Daily scale of food.- — Cost of horse-keep.
— Annual cost of horse-keep. — Feeding horses. — Chaff.
— Indigestion. — Hay and straw for chaff. — Feeding-
hours. — Feeding with hay.- — Watering. — Food and
work. — Bad feeders. — Instinct. — Coaxing delicate
feeders. — Mice in stable. — Eock-salt.- — Bran-mashes. —
How to make bran-mashes. — Bran-poultices. — Linseed-
poultices. — How to make linseed-poultices. — Gruel. —
How to make gruel. — Ale for tired horse. — An English
sportsman ..__-- 188

CHAPTER XVIII.

Personal supervision by master. — Such personal super-
vision not lowering. — Evidences of a good groom. —
Amount of work for one servant. — Overworked grooms.
— Good servants procurable. — A fair day's work and a
fair day's wage. — Hours for grooming. — Time required
to clean a horse. — Blind horses and summer coats. —
' Wolf-teeth ' and shying. — Hour for ' morning ' stables.
— Hours for, and routine of, grooming. — Morning. —
Mid - day. — Evening. — Grooming a tired hunter. —
— Extra rules for grooming hunters. — Refusing corn. —
Points to be specially attended to in grooming. — How
to test good grooming. — How to groom. — The use of
the curry - comb. — Clipping. — Time for clipping. —
Singeing. — Naphtha and gas singeing - lamps. — Un-
dipped legs. — Treatment after singeing. — Mane-pulling.
— How to pull a mane. — Hogging manes. — Tail-cutting.
Docking ------- 205

xo

CHAPTER XIX.

Shoeing.— Odd feet indicative of previous unsoundness.
—Construction of foot .—Shape and structure of crust
and sole.— The frog. — Thickness of crust and sole. —

xiv CONTENTS.

PAGE

Alse of coffin-bone. — Circular action of foot. — Use of
shoes. — Iron suitable for shoes. — Sole not to be pared.
— Ignorance of farriers. — Evils of chopping out the
heels. — Lowering the feet. — Shoe to rest on the crust.
— Shape and thickness of shoe. — Clinches. — Position of
nails. — Concave shoes. — ' Fitzwygrarn ' shoes. — The
'Charlier' system. — Tips. — Eoughing. — Patent hoof-
pads. — Calkins. — Over-reaching. — Cause of cutting and
prevention. — Bevelled shoes. — Inconvenience caused by
neglect of servants. — Inspection by farrier. — Shoeing-
pricks. — Price of shoeing. — Hot feet and remedy. —
Stopping. — Eecipe for stopping. — Thrush and treat-
ment.— Corns and treatment. — Shoeing with leather. —
Lameness. — Shoulder lameness. — Lameness in hock. —
From splint. — Of fetlock-joint.— Sandcrack and treat-
ment.— Hoof-ointment - 224

PART IV.

AILMENTS AND THEIR TREATMENT.

CHAPTER XX.

Mud-fever. — How to prevent mud-fever. — Cold and cough.
— Prevention of cold and cough. — Treatment for cold
and cough. — Strangles. — Treatment for strangles. —
Glanders and farcy. — Malignity of glanders. —
Difference between roaring and broken wind. —
Roaring and its causes. — Whistling. — New cure for
roaring. — Horses subject to roaring. — Broken wind. —
Treatment for broken wind. — Wind - sucking and
crib - biting. — Wind - sucking and crib - biting not
infectious. — Weaving. — String - halt. — Worms. — Cure
for worms. — Bots. — Eating bedding. — Muzzles. — Price
of muzzles. — Tearing clothing. — Prevention of tearing
clothing. — Kicking in stable. — Prevention of kicking in
stable. — Capped hock. — Treatment for capped hock. —

CONTENTS. xv

PAOK

Capped elbow. — Treatment for capped elbow.- — Cause of
capped elbow. — Prevention of capped elbow. — Cracked
heels. — Cure of cracked heels. — Windgalls. — Treatment
for windgalls. — Spavin. — Treatment of spavin. —
Thoroughpin. — Curb. — Treatment of curb. — Eingbone.
— Treatment of ringbone. — Side - bones. — Splint. —
Treatment of splint. — ' Periosteotomy.' — Causes of
splint. — Speedy-cut. — Cause of speedy-cut. — Treatment
of speedy-cut. — Navicular disease. — Seat of navicular
disease. — Unnerving for navicular disease.— Navicular
disease hereditary. — Peculiarity of navicular disease. —
Indication of disease. — Detection of disease. — Effect of
sympathy. — Sore backs and galls. — Examination of
back. — Treatment for sore backs.— Sitfast. — Treatment
of sitfast. — Lampas. — Treatment of lampas. — Tooth-
ache. — ' High - blowing.' — Eingworm. — Treatment for
ringworm. — Preparation for physic. — How to give a
ball. — Physic after grass. — Purging. — Treatment. —
Diseases of the eye. — Cataract. — Causes of blindness. —
Blind coach-horses. — Examination for cataract - - 257

CHAPTEE XXI.

Eecipe for physic - balls. — Eecipe for cleaning leather
breeches. — Eecipe for cleaning white cords. — Eecipe
for cleaning brown cords. — Eecipe for cleaning top-
boots. — Eecipe for cleaning scarlet coats. — Eecipe for
cleaning drab coats. — Eecipe for cleaning hunting-hats 290

CHAPTEE XXII.

Livery. — Vulgar liveries. — Leather waist-belts. — Pad-
grooms. — Equipment for pad-grooms. — Eiding-clothes.
— Advice as to the purchase of a horse. — Engagement-
form for men-servants. — Finale - 293

PREFACE.

So many books have been written on horses and
stable management, that in commencing the pre-
sent little work I feel that I am but about to
traverse ground which has been ' ove?i-trodden ' —
nay, ' churned up ' — by those who have been in
the field before me, and that the subject is already
too well worn to admit of yet another treatise upon
it being produced. I hope, however, that such
may prove not to be the case, inasmuch as since it
is indisputable that no two people entertain quite
the same ideas on any subject, I may be able, I
trust, to view the one at present before me, and
treat the same, in a somewhat different manner to
my predecessors. What has invariably struck me
in perusing the many books on horses and their
management which have been already before the
public is, as a rule, their want of simplicity.
They appear to me to be rather mystifying than
instructive. There is usually a great deal said

b

xviii PREFACE.

about the horse, his breeding and origin, etc., and
a great deal of what may be termed veterinary
information, the latter often very old-fashioned and
well-nigh obsolete ; but there is a want of useful
explanation requisite for a person who is utterly
ignorant of such matters, and by which the daily
routine of ordinary stable management should be
carried on, as well, I may add, as the why and the
wherefore for such routine — why such a thing is the
right way, and such the wrong.

It is for this class of persons — the altogether
ignorant, those who know absolutely nothing about
horses and stables — that I desire to write, and to
impart the information which I consider that the
experience of a lifetime spent amongst horses, in-
cluding many years of service in an English
cavalry regiment, coupled with an ever-earnest
desire to gather and store up all knowledge
regarding the management of the animal I love
so well, entitle me to offer for their help and
guidance.

Every true Englishman loves a horse, even if he
knows no more about him than he does about a
kangaroo, and but few of our countrymen can
gaze on a handsome horse without admiration ;
and if questioned and answering truthfully regard-
ing his knowledge of horses, would, if ignorant,

PREFACE. xix

admit his want of knowledge somewhat blushingly,
as if he were ashamed to say he knew nothing
about them. His blushes be to his credit ! How
should he know if he has never had the opportunity
of learning ? Yet that man may shortly afterwards
find himself in the possession of a horse which
choice or necessity, or both, has made his property.
He is entirely in the hands of his groom. The
latter is perhaps careless or dishonest, and then
commences a long course of experience dearly
bought, and what should have been to him a
source of pleasure and, at least, convenience, if not
of profit (as in the case of a professional man whose
requirements necessitate his keeping a stable), be-
comes too often a very bugbear of worry, annoy-
ance and expense. He buys a book on horses,
and sits down to read up the subject steadily and
honestly. He learns, perhaps, how the Darley
Arabian, etc., influenced our English breed ; and
then commencing a chapter on age and teeth,
gets into a hopeless muddle, which a further
chapter on anatomy renders a complete quagmire.
His horse is perhaps slightly ailing, and the
veterinary surgeon has run him up a long bill and
made out a long ' case ' out of nothing ; and mean-
while his groom, having little or no work to do,
is enjoying himself with his friends in the nearest

xx PREFACE.

pot-house, while the services of the jobmaster have
to be requisitioned. He looks again into his book
and tries to study up the ailment from which his
horse is suffering. If lucky enough to find any
mention of it, he very soon comes to the conclusion
that it is beyond him altogether. He can't under-
stand all the scientific terms and long names given,
and so he shies the book away, and begins to think
that he will stick to the jobmaster in future ; and
perhaps his decision is not an unwise one after all.
But his interest in his horse has gone. He cares
nothing for the jobmaster or his horses ; they don't
belong to him, and so long as they draw or carry
him about he is satisfied. And so his dream of
any pleasure to be derived from a stable of his own
has vanished, and all for the want of a little know-
ledge, which he would gladly gain if he only knew
where to obtain it. It is this little knowledge I
wish to impart : just enough to enable a man to
manage his stable with the ' eye of a master,' and
to protect himself from the troubles caused by the
carelessness and dishonesty of his servants ; to
make his stable a pleasure to him, and to keep
his horses fit to look at and fit to work. I aim at
nothing more, and if my efforts prove successful in
any one single instance, I shall feel that they have
not been quite wasted.

THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

PAKT I.

STABLE AND STABLE-GEAR.

I 3 ]

CHAPTER I.

The stable. — Soil for situation. — Sand -v. clay. — Points essential
in the construction of stables. — Drainage. — Flooring.

I propose to go through my subject systemati-
cally, and to divide it into the following parts, viz. :

Part I. — The Stable and Stable-Gear.
Part II. — The Coach-house and Saddle-room.
Part III. — Feeding and Farriery.
Part IV. — Ailments, and their Treatment.
Miscellaneous.

I will take the stable first of all, arguing that it
is no use to purchase a horse unless you have some-
where to put him, and that somewhere is suitable
for his accommodation. I will try and describe
what a perfect stable should be like. One can
hardly expect to obtain perfection in anything ;
but with the perfect model in front of us, it will be,
perhaps, easier to recognise the main points to be
sought for and secured, if possible.

1 9

4 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

We will begin at the situation. This latter
should, I need hardly say, be dry, sheltered, and
light, and, if possible, not on a clay soil. The
different soils come in this order :

Sand, 1. Chalk, 3.

Gravel, 2. Clay, 4.

I have, you see, placed clay the last.

In a sandy or gravelly soil water is generally
good, apart from the natural dryness of such soils ;
and the quality of water has a very marked effect
on the well-being of horses, and here, although
chalk, as a soil, is better than clay, still it must be
admitted that th^ water from the latter, being less
hard than that from the former, is more suitable for
horses ; nevertheless, no animals thrive as well on
clay as on chalk, and it is an indisputed fact that
where kennels are situated on a clay soil young
hounds are never so thriving as on any other kind
of soil. I therefore consider that clay must take a
' back seat '; but on whatever soil stables may be
placed, they should on no account, if possible, be
situated in a dip or hollow. Common-sense argues
too strongly against their being so ; albeit, too
often such is the case — in many instances dryness
being sacrificed to the shelter afforded by a hill-
side. Shelter and warmth are doubtless necessary,

SOIL FOR SITUATION.

and very necessary, but dryness is of the first
importance. The horse is a native of a dry, sandy
country, and it may be noticed that in districts
where horses are bred, those in which the soil
is of either of the first-named three, or of a good
loam, are of better constitution, and their bone is
of better quality. Take, for example, the York-
shire and Lincolnshire breeds. The former are, as
a rule, not so well boned as the latter. The bone
is not so dense ; it is softer, more liable to throw out
exostoses (splints, etc.) than that of the latter horses.
The counties, though adjoining, are different in
soil : the former is clay, the latter sandy and
lighter. In my opinion a good Lincolnshire horse is
the best horse in the world, bar none. A horse can
stand a good deal of cold and thrive fairly well, as
our mountain ponies prove to be the case ; but a
low-lying, damp, clayey soil is most detrimental to
his well-doing.

Having selected a suitable site for the stable,
the next thing to be considered is its construction.

Here the main points to be considered are these :

Drainage. Warmth.

Ventilation. Spaca.

Light. Water supply.

Drainage is perhaps the one chief thing of all

6 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

which must be absolutely perfect ; and bear in
mind that unless a drain is perfect it is no dram
at all ; the word is then a misnomer.

The simpler the system the better. An open
ditch is better than an elaborately covered subway.

Let the drains from each stall or box run direct
into one common gutter, which traverses the stable
from one end to the other, and the further this
gutter is extended beyond the stable in its open
form before it is received into any underground
drain the better. As far as stable drainage is con-
cerned nothing further is necessary.

The flooring- of each stall or box should be of
some material which will not easily break, and for
this purpose there is nothing better than the
hard blue bricks which are made for the pur-
pose, and which are scored with lines at regular
intervals each way, to allow of the passage of fluid ;
these are each one in itself a small drain, and when
the stall is brushed down the broom completely
cleans each one out ; but the flooring of the stable
generally should be on a concrete base, by which
means the level is preserved in each stall. At the
same time it is absolutely essential that the bricks
should be well and evenly laid and joined with
cement, and placed so that the lines cut in the
bricks correspond with each other.

FLOORING.

The flooring of the stalls should slope very
slio-htlv inwards towards the centre, and also
towards the gutter or ' gangway,' as it is termed.
It is far too often the case that the slope is too
great. If so, undue strain is placed on the horses'
hocks, and horses will, in order to avoid thus
having to stand, as it were, uphill, draw back on
to the gangway as far as their lead-lines will admit,
and get into the habit of bearing on their head-stalls,
to the detriment of the latter and their own health,
to say nothing of making the gangway dirty, etc.

[ 3 ]

CHAPTER II.

Ventilation. — Cavalry stables. — Argument in proof of the
necessity for proper ventilation. — Anecdotes — Autumn
manoeuvres of 1875.

If it is necessary to lay stress on the subject of
drainage, it is scarcely less so regarding that of
ventilation. If drainage should be perfect, ventila-
tion should be equally so.

Now, perfect ventilation means perfect freedom
from draught, contradictory as the assertion may
at first sight appear to be. In other words, there
should be in a stable every facility for the ingress
of fresh air and the egress of foul — and yet this
should be arranged so as to secure to the inmates of
that stable complete immunity from what is com-
monly called draught. The incoming of the fresh,
and exit of the foul air, should be insensibly and
rapidly effected.

To ensure this is a simple matter enough, pro-
vided it is done in the right way. There should

VENTILATION.

be one or more (according to the size of the stable)
ventilating shafts in the roof itself, and one or
more on each side of the stable, near the top of the
walls. These should have what is termed ' louvre
boards,' and cords to allow of their being opened
or closed, wholly or partially, as desired. Further-
more, there should be ventilating gratings a few
inches from the floor on all the walls, and these
should also be furnished with closing bars, so that
they can be kept open or shut.

As far as the ventilators are concerned, nothing
further is necessary, other than the common sense
to use them properly, and to regulate them ac-
cording to weather — but it is needless to add that
some of these must be ever open, day and night. It
is but a matter for very ordinary intelligence to
determine which should be closed.

I think that the present is no inopportune time
to enlarge somewhat on the evils of bad and in-
sufficient ventilation, and the benefits to be derived
from the reverse. Much sickness would be pre-
vented in stables if more attention were paid to
ventilation than is far too generally the case.
Now, a horse consumes a large quantity of air in
the twenty-four hours — far more than people
suppose, judging from the size of the stables which
one so often sees, their imperfect arrangement, and

i o THR O UGH STABLE A ND SADDLE-R O OM.

the absence of a proper (often of any) system of
ventilation.

Without the requisite supply of fresh air it is
impossible to maintain horses in perfect health and
condition.

The wilful, pigheaded ignorance of grooms in this
respect is proverbial. They are so afraid that the
horses under their charge will catch cold, and that
their coats will ' stare,' as it is termed, that thev
invariably stop up every crevice and ventilator in a
stable in cold weather, thereby thinking to secure
the end they have in view, whereas they are, all
the time, but taking the most certain steps to
ensure the very evil they would avert.

It is a well-known, and I may say an undisjmted,
fact (by all who know anything about the subject)
that horses (young horses especially), on coming
into stables from grass, are nearly always affected
with throat, and often with lung, ailments, in a
greater or less degree ; while assuming the reverse
to be the case, and they are moved from stables to
grass, they rarely, if ever, suffer from the change,
thus proving how absolutely essential pure air is to
their well-doing.

Despite all that has from time to time been
advanced on this subject, excepting in large estab-
lishments a well and properly ventilated stable

CA VALR Y STABLES. 1 1

seems to be the exception rather than the rule ;
and there are many of the larger establishments,
which I could name if I chose, where such details
are very unduly cared for, and the ventilation
is by no means what it should be, although the
fittings, etc., of the stable may be very smart and
lavishly carried out in other respects, and the
horses' names painted up in gold letters, etc., and
all that style of thing. I have very often, in
such cases, been well-nigh stifled with the over-
loaded atmosphere.

I must admit that very many of our cavalry
stables (I do not, of course, allude to the more
modern-built ones, but to those of older date) are
almost infamous as regards their construction, and
it is impossible to keep the horses in health unless
every door and window is kept open. They are
very often low, dark, badly paved, ill-drained, narrow-
stalled places, and nothing but the very greatest
care prevents their becoming literal hot-beds of
disease. True it is that, of the more modern ones,
many are equally excellent in every respect, and
save where a contract has been badly carried out
as regards the quality of the material used for
doors, windows, and other fittings, they are for the
most part almost perfect.

Of those which have come under my own

i2 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

particular experience, I should give the preference
to the new cavalry stables at Glasgow and
Colchester, which far surpass, the former especially,
any cavalry stables I have ever seen. Those at
Glasgow are magnificent. It may perhaps be
interesting, in further proof of the value of an
unlimited supply of fresh air in stables, to quote
the following facts :

In cavalry regiments, the young horses which
are purchased as ' remounts ' are chiefly obtained
in Ireland, and these come over thence in batches
varying in number as they are required. They are
packed in cattle-trucks, and started on their journey,
and often have to travel in severe weather with no
other protection from the cold than their own
coats ; yet on their arrival few, as a rule, seem any
the worse for it, beyond fatigue and accidents, the
result of kicks, etc., and it is very rarely, if ever,
that they are affected with coughs or colds. They
are nearly all brought straight from grass, yet,
within a few days of their being placed in stables,
and with every precaution taken to ensure ventila-
tion (the doors and windows of the stables being-
left open day and night, and but very few being
placed in each stable), they nearly all suffer from
coughs and colds, which generally end in strangles.

During the autumn manoeuvres of 1875, I was,

THE A UTUMN MANCE UVRES OF 187 5 . 13

with my own regiment and two other cavalry
regiments, encamped for some ten days in a place
called Colonv Boo-, near Aldershot. It was a
time to be ever ruefully remembered by all who
took part in them, by reason of its cheerless, wet
misery ; for during the ten days we were there, I
can most truthfully assert that it rained almost

%J

incessantly day and night, and what, even in a dry
summer, was always more or less of a ' bog ' became
a ' lake.' Until we had been there for some days,
exposed to all this inclemency of the weather, the
horses had not so much as even a sino-le blanket
to cover them, and yet, notwithstanding this ex-
posure, though it is true they were affected by the
cold and wet (and it was cold and wet) in other
ways, colds and coughs were unheard of.

Again, at the same time, an officer of my
regiment had of necessity to take out with him
into camp (he being at the time short of horses) an
old and favourite charger, which, at the time of her
going out from the stables in barracks, was suffering
from a severe cold. In a few days she was quite
well asfain.

Another friend of mine, a captain in another
regiment, was, on his first going out with us into
camp, suffering from an acute attack of neuralgia,
but he was quite well in less than twenty-four

i4 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

hours after he had arrived there. Nor did I hear
of anyone suffering from coughs or colds, though
we hardly knew what it was to feel really dry
during1 the whole time we were out. and we were
forced to put our clothes into our beds to try and
keep them dry during the night.

Now, these are plain facts, the truth of which all
those who were there present with me can vouch
for, and there must be many other similar cases
which could be adduced in further proof of what I
say. If people would but give their horses a
chance of breathing the air they should breathe,
and which is so essential for them, they would save
themselves much anxiety and expense consequent
upon the frequent visits of the veterinary surgeon,
and their horses would be more ' fit to look at ' and
more ' fit to go ' than is but too often the case.

[ >5 ]

CHAPTER III.

Stable windows.

Next to the ventilation, I suppose that the lighting
of a stable ought to be considered.

In this much must depend on the situation of
the stable. The latter should, where it is prac-
ticable, face south or south-west, so as to obtain as
much sunlight as possible. Light is as essential to
the well-doing of horses as air and warmth ; and
in that they are not different to the rest of the
creation ; but the light which is supplied to a
stable through the windows should be admitted so
as not to be a source of annoyance to the horses.
Nothing could well be more so than for the latter
to have to face the glare of the sun shining upon
them through a glass window. I should, therefore,
select the southern side, i.e., the side opposite to
that on which the mangers are situated, for the
windows of a stable. It is very easy to shade

1 6 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

them in hot weather by means of blinds or screens,
and in winter the maximum of lisfht is secured.

The windows of a stable should be made to fit
very carefully and well, and should be arranged so
as to take out altogether if required, and to open
on a pivot rather than by means of the ordinary
cords and pulleys, which latter are for ever getting
out of order. A lattice window is to my way of
thinking preferable to one made of large squares
of glass ; the glass used may be either plain, or
ground, or coloured. Stable windows are con-
stantly getting broken, and the lattice windows are
very much more easily and cheaply repaired than
the others ; and where there is ample light to be
obtained, I should prefer their adoption, and I like
their appearance better. Where there is a diffi-
culty in procuring sufficient light by reason of
surrounding buildings, etc., the ordinary modern
style is of course necessary.

There should, however, be not less than one
window to every three horses, unless it be an extra
large one. If it is necessary to have the windows
placed, on the side of the stable which faces the
horses, they should be arranged so as to be as high
up as they can be conveniently situated, and must
then be opened by means of cords or a wand made
for the purpose; but wherever they may be, the side

STABLE WINDOWS. 17

walls are unsuitable for them, and every facility
should be given for their being easily cleaned and
kept free from the dust which so quickly accumu-
lates in a stable ; and dust and dirt are two things
which should never be allowed to remain in a stable
longer than they would be in a drawing-room ; but
of this I will speak later on.

[ i8 1

CHAPTER IV.

Warmth. — Material for outer walls. — Inside walls. — Eoofing.

— Thatched roofs.

In the second chapter I made mention of the
following points as necessary in the construction
of stables, viz., drainage, ventilation, light, warmth,
space, and water supply. I have briefly dealt
with the first three, and that of warmth claims
our next attention. In speaking of warmth in
a stable, I do not wish the reader to infer that
I at all advocate an over-high temperature ; I
rather desire to impress upon him the necessity
there is to avoid such. I should, perhaps, have
better expressed myself if I had used the word
' temperature.' However, the former term carries
with it the fuller meaning, and so I have decided
to retain it, and the reader will see in what manner
I propose to deal with it, and why I have deter-
mined upon its use.

We have, as I have said, selected a site for our

MATERIAL FOR OUTER WALLS. 19

stable, and determined, upon the best aspect for it
— its base and flooring, its drainage, its venti-
lation, and its lighting, but I have as yet said
nothing regarding the actual construction of its
walls. Now, I suppose that out of every dozen
stables, at least two-thirds of them are built of
bricks. Where stone is scarce, and consequently
expensive, there is no alternative but to use some
other material. Of those which are more readily
to hand, bricks, I suppose, are, as a rule, the most
easily obtainable. Of course, they are very inferior
to good stone, by reason of their being more porous.
It is stated that a brick will absorb a pint of
water. If that is true, what, then, can be less
suited for building purposes, inasmuch as a brick
building must necessarily absorb a very great
amount of moisture ? Where, however, they are
used, it is essential that the building should be
the very best of its kind possible, and by the
means of double walls every precaution taken to
ensure the inside of the stable being as dry as
possible. Unless this is so (and such a building is
necessarily somewhat costly at first), a good wooden
building, or one of corrugated iron lined with wood,
and the space between packed with sawdust or some
such non-conducting material, is far superior in my
estimation, inasmuch as dryness and more equable

2o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

temperature are better maintained. In stables
especially, where such is easily obtainable, flint and
stone appear to me to be excellent, nor can I think
that there can be anything better suited for the
purpose; and it has the advantage of being very
enduring and pleasant to look at, and, I should say,
is as well-nigh impervious to damp as it can be.

An equable temperature is what should be con-
sidered as of the first importance in a stable, and it
is impossible to maintain such if the building itself
is composed of thin walls of a porous texture.

Of whatever substance the walls of a stable may
be, they should be lined inside. For this purjDOse
cement painted is the best. I do not say that I
like its appearance as well as a wooden match -
boarding ; but it is, I think, healthier and cleaner,
and more easily kept clean, than woodwork. It is
also safer, not only from being uninflammable, but
also because, in the case of a horse kicking, there
is no danger from splinters of wood, etc. , and it offers
less inducement for a horse to gnaw and contract
the vice of crib-biting. I am myself a strong ad-
vocate for as little woodwork as possible being-
used inside a stable, for these reasons. As regards
the cemented walls being healthier there can be
no possible doubt, as it is obvious that woodwork
would be more likely to retain impurities.

ROOFING. 21

We now come to the question of roof, and as
to whether it is better to have the forage -loft
over the stable or not. I consider that it is ;
but where such is not the case there should be a
ceiling, and (if in the country) a thatched roof. A
roof made of thatch, if well done, will last for many
years with but a very small annual outlay. The
only objection I have to its use is the possibility
of its catching fire. I therefore should not use it
in a town, but in the country the case is different.
As is well known, a thatched roof is warmer in
winter and cooler in summer, and an equable tem-
perature is more easily maintained. There is no
denying that its appearance is in its favour. A good
Dorsetshire thatcher (and the Dorset people under-
stand the business better than any other labourers)
can put on a roof which will last a lifetime, and
which is as regular and level as a roof of any other
material. I must, however, caution the reader
against using a thatched roof unless he can secure
the services of a really good thatcher. A bad
thatch is perhaps the worst roof in the world,
whereas a good one is amongst the very best.
Next to thatch, a stone or tiled roof is to be
preferred. Slate roofs are for ever getting out of
order, and their appearance is also against them,
and when they are loosened by heavy gales, etc.,

22 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

they are apt to be uncommonly dangerous, and to
rip on very rapidly.

However, as ' circumstances alter cases,' so I
will leave the matter in the hands of the reader to
judge for himself as to which (if he has any choice
in the matter) to select.

[ *3 ]

CHAPTER V.

Space. — Water supply in stables.— Softening water. — 'Anti-
calcaire.' — Precautions against fire. — Fire and accident
insurances. — Removing horses from a burning stable.

The subject of space must necessarily go hand-in-
hand with that of construction.

If I were asked how laro-e a stable for so many
horses should be, my reply would be : As large as
possible, within the limits of reason ; and I could
not say more if I were to write for a year on the
subject. Plenty of height, width, and depth.
Ground space and money must, however, both be
limited, but a stable should be always larger than
is absolutely necessary ; that is to say, where one
horse only is likely to be kept there should be
room for two ; where two, room for three ; and
where three or four, room for five or six, and
so on in like proportion. The extra accom-
modation is always useful, and the increased air-
space most desirable. As I intend to go more
fully into the subject of stalls, loose-boxes, etc.,
later on, I will not enter upon it here. It is but

24 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

necessary to bear in mind that it is an absolute
impossibility to keep horses in health if they are
overcrowded. By giving them plenty of space,
and maintaining a proper system of ventilation — due
regard being paid to their own cleanliness, and that
of their surroundings, good food, good water, good
drainage, and plenty of work — everything, barring
accidents, will be almost sure to &o well : but no
amount of care and trouble will answer the purpose
if they are overcrowded. Sooner or later the evil
will become apparent. The man who is the
possessor of one horse only generally contrives to
get more work out of that one than his neighbour
who may have three or four. Very much, it is
true, because that one is better cared for, perhaps,
and gets plenty of work, and also because the
chances are that, his stable being probably built to
accommodate two, there is no overcrowding, and
consequently there is more breathing-space.

As regards the water supply of stables, it must
be good and sufficient. A tap, both inside as well
as outside, is a great convenience, and where the
one is possible the other is equally so, and costs
but little more. Where, however, the water has
to be obtained by means of a pump, then a water-
trough, or a receptacle to hold the water which
is pumped up, should be at hand, inasmuch as

WATER SUPPLY. 25

it is ever a good thins? for the water to remain
in the air for some time after it has been drawn,
and this very much softens it, and renders
it more suitable for drinking than when it is
drawn fresh from the pump. But such trough
or vessel must, it is needless to say, be kept scrupu-
lously clean and changed frequently, and should
once a week at least be scrubbed with salt to
prevent any furring of the sides and bottom.
Where the water is especially hard, it may be
softened by the use of the material sold nowa-
days under the name of ' Anti-calcaire,' which
is most effective and very moderate in price. A
small quantity can be kept mixed up in a barrel, and
taken out for daily use.

As I have before remarked, very hard water is
not suitable for horses, and it should invariably
be softened by some such means as I have men-
tioned. Exposure to the air is very efficacious
in most instances ; but there are cases in which
even this precaution is barely sufficient, and so
recourse must be had to some other means, and
from all I have heard of ' Anti-calcaire,' it is,
I am assured on the very best authority, all it
professes to be. It is, I believe, sold by Messrs.
Maignen and Co., and, contrary to most advertised
articles, is good.

26 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Together with a plentiful water supply, I may
urge the reader to bear in mind how very necessary
it is to take all precautions against fire, and to en-
deavour to secure the means for putting one out,
should he have the misfortune to have one break
out in his stables, and to see that such arrange-
ments as he may be able to make are ever kept in
working order. A few of the hand-grenades sold
nowadays should be kept in readiness where they
can be instantly got at in case of their being
required. They are really good, and most
thoroughly answer the purpose for which they are
intended, and they are moderate in price.

Eveiy stable and its contents should be also
fully insured against fire, and the horses against
accident, and, I may add, the carriage and harness
likewise.

Should a stable be on fire, the first thing is, of
course, to endeavour to get the horses out of danger.
Now, itisamos^ difficult thing to induce a horse to
leave a burning stable — indeed, almost impossible —
unless they are bridled or have an ordinary driving
headstall put on. Strange to say, there is then no
difficulty at all. Why this should be so, I have
never been able to ascertain ; but such is the case,
and I think I may as well state the fact here,
while it is in my mind.

[ *7 ]

CHAPTER VI.

Stable doors. — Carelessness of grooms in leading horses in and
out of stables. — Good grooms v. bad.

We have so far considered the external construction
of the stable, its walls, roofing, lighting, etc., and it
now remains to further decide what is the best
kind of doorway to use.

I know nothing better than that in use in the
officers' stables in the cavalry barracks at Col-
chester. It is simplicity itself, and more durable
than any other system with which I am acquainted.
Each door is divided into two halves horizontally,
viz., an upper and lower half. The lower portion
is slung on hinges in the ordinary way, and is
fastened with a bolt and hand-latch of circular
form, with a folding-ring handle — this latter being
countersunk so as to offer no projections to horses
in entering or leaving the stable. The upper half
runs on small wheels on a rail on the top of the
lower door when it is desirable to close it, and back
into the wall, or, I should rather say, into 'rebates'

28 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

fixed on the inside of the wall. Thus either the top
or bottom half of the door may be opened or closed
at will ; but when both are closed each supports and
locks the other.

There is in this arrangement no chance of horses
being damaged, no hanging of doors, and the wear
and tear is reduced very considerably, and inas-
much as they fit so closely, there is very little, if
any, possible draught.

With such doors as these it is, if space permits,
quite possible to have doors at either end of even a
small stable. Their cost may exceed that of the
ordinary doors in the first instance ; but in the
long-run they would, I am sure, be found economical.

Of course, in a large stable there should be doors
at either end, and, where there are a great many
horses, doors in the front side as well — say one for
every four or five stalls.

Whatever system of door may be adopted, I
would urge the reader to set his face most strongly
against any fastenings which offer any projections
either in the way of hasps or handles, for they
are the constant cause of damage to horses ; and the
edges of all door-posts should be rounded oft', so
as to, as far as possible, minimize the chance of
damage.

Grooms are exceedingly careless in leading

CARELESSNESS OE GEO QMS. 29

horses through doorways ; as often as not they lead
the way, dragging the horse after them, and the
result may be, and often is, an injury to the horse's
hip. Many a horse is set ' down at hip,' as it is
termed, from their carelessness in this respect. A
good groom would, of course, never be guilty of
such carelessness ; but how many really good
grooms is one fortunate enough to secure in a life-
time ?

It may be thought that I am perhaps very much
' down on ' grooms. So I am on the bad and care-
less, and rightly, too, I consider. They deserve
to be blamed, and, what is more, they know it too ;
no one knows it better. But for a really honest,
hard-working groom I have every respect. Groom-
ing is hard and monotonous work : day in, day out,
the work is the same, with little or no variety, and
with far too often no commendation — nay, barely
any notice taken of the results of his labour. The
master, perhaps, very rarely visits his stable,
although morning after morning it is in spick
and span order, and arranged as if his coming were
expected. But more of this later on ; I am some-
what straying from my subject, and I wish to keep
its several details as separate as I possibly can.

[ 3° 1

CHAPTER VII.

Stable fittings. — Stalls. — Loose - boxes. — Stall partitions. —
Government stable fittings. — Wood for partitions. — Backs
and mangers. — Feeding on the ground. — Movable fittings.
— Fork and broom racks. — Shelves. — Stall-post pegs. —
Dust and dirt. — Slovenly servants.

I will now proceed to discuss what are termed the
internal fittings of the stable. First of all I would
draw attention to the fact that the stalls are
usually made far too narrow, and horses, therefore,
in being turned round in them, are very apt to
knock themselves about. They should, on the
contrary, be of such a width that a big horse can
move round with perfect ease ; they are also fre-
quently wanting in depth.

As I remarked before, horses are apt, when the
slope of the ' standing ' is excessive, to rein back
on to the gangway. If the stall is deep enough
this should be impossible. Moreover, if they are
wide and deep enough, it is an easy matter to
contrive a loose-box by putting up bails of wood

STALL PARTITIONS. 31

across from the stall-post to the wall, and this is
often a very great convenience ; besides which,
a good wide stall gives a horse ample room to
roll without fear of his getting cast. Again, a
shallow stable gives insufficient room for the
gangway, and this, in the case of a kicking or
vicious horse, is dangerous. Of course, where it
can be managed, there is nothing- so good as a
horse-box ; but it is a luxury which is not within
the reach of everyone, although a great many of
the modern stables are constructed so as to give
each horse a box to himself. Where such exist
they generally, and, indeed, always, should have
the upper part of the partitions railed with iron, so
as to allow as free a passage of air through the
stable as can be secured. It is argued that boxes
consume more straw than stalls. I do not think
they do, inasmuch as the straw is not so trampled
down and soiled as in a stall. It may take more
straw at first to litter a box, but if properly
attended to, and not carelessly wasted, it will
require no more additional daily straw to keep up
the requisite supply than a stall ; indeed, I doubt
very much if the consumption is not actually less.

Where stalls are used the partition should be
movable. In Government stables, at least in
those used for the: officers' horses, they are in-

32 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

variably so constructed. The stall-post is of iron,
and fits into a slot in an iron plate fixed to the
floor and into a groove of wood fixed to the ceiling".
From this post to the wall on the manger side of
the stable there is a bent iron beading, which is
grooved so as to admit the heads of the partition-
boards. The tails of the latter are fixed into an
iron grooved plate on the floor, running from the
stall-post to the wall. The ends of the iron
beading are mortised into an upright post fixed
against the wall at one end, and the other end
drops into a slot cut in the stall-post, and the
whole is bolted with a hinged iron plate in the
stall-post, which shuts flat into it and fixes the
head of the beading. This style of partition is
very easily removed and replaced, and the boards,
being tongued and grooved, can be taken apart and
either cleaned or packed away, as may be required.
If either of them ffet broken bv kickine*-, it can be
easily replaced by any ordinary carpenter. These
boards should, however, not be made of deal ;
beech, oak, or pitch-pine are better, and less
liable to splinter, and though perhaps rather more
expensive at first, are more durable, and conse-
quently more economical in the long-run.

We now come to the consideration of mangers
and racks. There is nowadays but one material

RACKS AND MANGERS. ^

admissible for these, and that is enamelled iron ;
but they should be placed on the same level with
each other, and should not be fixtures to the wall,
but made so as to hang from it by claws and
rings, or else by a bolting bar. All mangers,
whether of iron or wood, should be kept scrupu-
lously clean, and constantly scrubbed out with salt
and water.

The old system of placing the hay in a rack
above the horse was bad. First of all, why should
the wretched animal be compelled to crane its neck
up in the air each time it wanted a mouthful of
hay ? Again, the seeds from the hay were con-
stantly falling into the eyes of horses, and caused
great pain and inflammation ; added to which
nature never intended a horse to gather his food
up in the air, but to eat it off the ground ; nowa-
days many people discard racks and mangers alto-
gether, and feed their horses entirely on the ground.
This is a plan, however, with which I cannot
altogether agree, inasmuch as not only much food
is wasted in the straw, but it must most certainly
tend to encourage a horse to eat his bedding, and
that is by no means to be desired, and, moreover,
it is hardly possible to give bran mashes on the
ground. Where a horse is a cross feeder and bolts
his food, it may perhaps be a wise plan ; but I

3

34 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

should prefer to feed such horses little at a time
and more frequently.

Where possible, all stable fittings should be
of iron, painted to protect them from rust, and
movable. The simpler and fewer the fittings and
paraphernalia in a stable, the better. The fewer
fittings, the less dust and dirt and the fewer things
to keep clean. All forks, brooms, shovels, etc.,
should be placed, and when not in use kept, in
racks which are sold for that purpose, and should
never under any circumstances be left lying about
or resting against the wall. A sudden jar may
knock a fork down, and it is quite possible that the
first person who goes into the stable may, not
seeing it, run it into his foot ; besides which, it is
untidy, and untidiness in a stable is inadmissible.

One or two simple shelves are useful in a stable,
but not one more than is absolutely necessary.
These should be made so as to take down easily,
daily if required, and nothing but the actual
(/rooming utensils be ever allowed on them, and on
no account should any cupboards be permitted.
Cupboards simply become receptacles for all sorts
of rubbish, to say nothing of grog-bottles, etc.
A peg whereon to hang the dung-basket completes
the list of necessaries, unless it be one long peg of
wood or iron, as the case may be (the latter for

SL O VENL Y SER VANTS. 3 5

choice), high up on the stall-posts, for hanging
harness, etc., on, when harnessing or unhar-
nessing.

Everything which can possibly harbour one
speck of dust or dirt should be kept out of a
stable. Dust and dirt should be kept down with a
strong hand, remembering that the more articles
there are, the more dust ; the more dust, the more
dirt ; the more dirt, the more disease. I cannot
speak too strongly on this subject. What can be
more unsightly in a stable than a row of dusty,
dirty bottles, with here and there an old curry-
comb, a worn-out bandage or two, and perhaps,
crammed in between these, the stump of an old
tobacco-pipe ? And ten to one that a match-box,
which is sure to be smothered with lumps of tallow
(such match-boxes always are smothered with
candle-grease), is lying alongside of them, and very
probably the fag-end of an old tallow-candle.
Where articles such as these are to be seen in a
stable, it is needless to expect to see clean or well-
conditioned horses ; other things will be on a par.
The servant is a sloven, and the master is either
ignorant or a sloven too — ' like master, like man.'
Probably the whole establishment, inside and out,
partakes of the same character. As fir as the
stable is concerned, I should very much doubt if

3—2

36 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

the master is a sportsman, for if so, he would
never be so careless of his stable. It argues to me
that the groom is aware that his master either does
not know or does not care, and so he takes ad-
vantage of him. My advice to a master who finds
his groom careless or dirty in his stable is to get
another as soon as he can, and not to waste time
and property after he has duly cautioned him. It
must come to dismissal sooner or later, and is only
a matter of time. Therefore it is well to abridge
the intervening period as much as possible, and so
save a possibly worse state of things and much
vexation. When a servant is careless or untidy,
he is not trying to do his work (I mean, of course,
a servant who is supposed to know his business).
His heart is not in it. Good service must be
willingly given. If it has to be extracted at what
may be termed the sword's point, it becomes well-
nisfh valueless, and the strain on both master and
man becomes too great to continue for any length
of time, and must end in a ' blow up ' and parting
company. Therefore, the sooner the man conveys
himself and his talents to a sphere where they may
be more appreciated, the better for both of them.

[ 37 ]

CHAPTER VIII.

Stable necessaries. — Pillar-reins. — Necessity for looping up
pillar-reins. — Accidents from loose pillar-reins. — List of
grooming utensils. — List of stable utensils. — Brushes. —
Work done by the blind. — Body-brushes. — Water-brushes.
- Dandy - brushes. ■ — Curry - combs. - - Mane - combs. —
Sponges. — Hoof-pickers. — Stable rubbers. — Chamois
leathers. — Burnishers. — Saddle-soap. — Clipping machines.
— Singeing-lamps. — Stable scissors. — Average prices of
grooming utensils. — Stable brooms. — Wheelbarrows. —
Buckets. — Stable lamps and lighting. — Candle-ends. —
Corn-measures — -Corn-sieves. — Corn-bins. — Prices of corn-
bins. — Average price of stable utensils.

I think I have in the forep-oinp; enumerated all of
what may be called the actual fittings of the stable
— the fixtures ; and I will now proceed to take
notice of the smaller articles which are necessary,
such as pillar-reins, brooms, forks, shovels, brushes,
and the necessary grooming utensils, etc. Pillar-
reins are a necessary, and are used to fasten a horse
to when he is saddled or harnessed and waiting to
go out.

There are various kinds — iron chains, leather
straps, and cords. I prefer the latter. They last

38 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

quite as long as the leather, and, if kept properly
pipe-clayed, look better. The white, solid, eight-
plaited cord is the best cord for the purpose ; and
these should have a brass spring-hook at either end,
by which to attach them to the rings on the stall-
posts at one end and the bit at the other. If of
leather, they are usually made at one end to buckle
and strap on to the post-rings, and with a spring-
hook at the other. Chains I do not care for ; and
they don't look smart, though they wear, practically
speaking, for ever. But of whatever material pillar-
reins are made, when not in use they should invari-
ably be kept looped up, and especially where
chains are used.

I have known the most serious consequences
occur from neglect of this precaution. Mares,
especially when ' horsing,' as it is called, are very
apt to rub their quarters against the stall-posts and
swish their tails about, and at times to get the
pillar-reins under their tails, and do themselves
really serious injury. It seems, perhaps, incredible
that such a thing could easily occur or be more
than an isolated instance.

A case of this kind occurred in my own stables
some years ago, and I was at a loss to understand
how the injury could have been sustained. I had
at the time a very handsome, well-bred mare as a

PILLAR-REINS. 39

first charger. She was always very fidgety in the
stable at night, and when ' in season' exceptionally
so. One morning my groom reported to me that
she had got damaged, and he could not explain
how it had happened ; but it looked as if someone
had maliciously torn her ' bearing' with some sharp
instrument. I was naturally much distressed about
it, and reported the circumstance to the colonel,
who ordered an investigation to be made. I could
not suspect my groom, for he had been some time
with me, and was invariably gentle to, and fond of,
his horses, and I could not for a moment think it
possible that I had any enemy capable of doing me
such an injury.

My regiment was at this time at Aldershot.
Happening to meet Mr. Pallin, then the veterinary
surgeon of the 20th Hussars, I told him of the
unlucky occurrence. After listening to what
I had to say, he said : ' You may make your
mind quite easy about it. No one has done it
but the mare herself, with the key of the pillar-
chains,' adding that it was by no means an
uncommon accident. Strange to say, not long-
after this we had one or two similar cases occur
amongst the troop-horses ; and from that time
all the pillar-chains were ordered to be looped up
when not in use.

4o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

I mention this fact, since it may not only be in-
teresting to the reader, but may serve to impress
upon him the reason why pillar-reins should be
looped up ; and, as I stated at the commencement
of this book, I think it of consequence to give
the why and the wherefore, in order that the right
way of doing things may be secured and the wrong
avoided.

The cleaning articles required by a groom are
but few in number, but they should be good of
their kind. They are as follows :

Body-brush.

Water ditto.

Dandy ditto.

Curry-comb.

Mane ditto.

Two sponges — one large, one small.

Hoof-pick.

Three rubbers.

Two chamois leathers.

Burnisher.

Soap (common yellowr).
To these may be added the following, which will
do for the use of the stable generally, viz.,

Clipping machine.

Singeing-lamp.

Pair of scissors.

LIST OF STABLE UTENSILS. 41

For the use of the stable itself, the following are
also requisite :

Birch or whalebone brooms.

Stable fork.

Shovel.

Wheelbarrow.

Dung-basket.

Stable lantern.

Ditto buckets.

Corn-measures.

Ditto sieves.
Now, I propose taking all these in the order in
which I have enumerated them, and will endeavour
to explain, for the use of the reader, how to purchase
good articles, giving, as nearly as I can, the average
price of each one.

Brushes vary as much in quality as any article
well-modi can. A orood brush will wear out at

o o

least two bad ones, and it is impossible to get a
good one at a low price. Firstly, because good
bristles are dear, and good work is never cheap.
If the reader will take the trouble to examine a
good brush, he will see that it is composed of a
number of small tufts of bristles, which are doubled
through holes in a wooden back, and that the back
of the brush is covered over with a thin piece of
wood in order to protect the bristle-ends on that

42 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

side, as also to give it a more finished appearance.
In a good brush this backing is generally screwed
on ; in an inferior article it is glued, and here, at
once, there is a marked difference, as where the
latter may, and will, probably, soon come off, the
former will, or should, remain on as long as the
bristles last. Now, if he will again turn the brush
over and examine the tufts of bristles, he will see
that each bristle is equally good. Let him now take
an inferior brush and make a similar inspection, and
he will see that in the centre of each tuft the
bristles are inferior to those outside the tuft — in
fact, that the tufts are adulterated ; and so it goes
on with those still more inferior, until he will find
in the worst kind scarcely any bristles at all, but
all rubbish. Some years ago I was talking on the
subject of brush-making to a blind lad who was
a protege of my family, and who earned his living
by brush-making, and he explained to me that the
blind could not adulterate brushes. They could,
he said, make brushes of altogether bad, or alto-
gether good material ; but they could not manage
to arrange the bad in the centre of the o^ood so as
not to be at once apparent. I used to employ him
to make my horse-brushes, and some of my brother
officers also gave him orders, and very good they
were. The)' were, perhaps, not so elaborately

BRUSHES. 43

finished and varnished up as those I could have
bought at a saddler's for nearly the same price, but
the material and work were excellent, and they wore
to the very last. I would urge my readers, where
they can conveniently do so, to purchase their stable
brushes, etc., from some of the blind institutions. I
believe all their work is good and sound. I do not
think it is very much cheaper than that performed
by other workmen ; but it is reliable, and it is a
satisfaction to feel that, in addition to obtaining value
for one's money, one is also helping those who, being
so terribly afflicted, are striving to help themselves.

Bod '[/-brushes. — A good body-brush costs from
5 s. to 6 s. The latter price is ample, though some
of the shops will perhaps charge 6s. 6d. for those
with polished backs. As the back is just as
serviceable whether polished or not, polish is of no
consequence, and can be dispensed with.

Water-brush. — What I have remarked as being1
necessary in a body-brush applies equally to a water-
brush. Of course, it is a sine qua non that, the
brush being constantly wet, the back should be
well screwed on and carefully closed. The price of
a good water-brush is from 5s. 6d. to 6s., much
about the same as a body-brush.

Dandy-brush. — Dandy-brushes are used for
brushing off the rough dirt. These are made of

44 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

whalebone, or whalebone and what is termed whisk.
Their price is about 2s. to 2s. 6d.

Curry-combs. — A curry-comb is used for clean-
ing the body-brush when grooming, and to clear it
of the scurf which accumulates on the brush. It
should be used for that purpose alone, and not, as I
have seen ignorant grooms do, for scraping the
horse with. Could ignorance, and I may almost
acid brutality, go further than to scrape the skin
of a horse with a curry-comb ? — which latter, being
made of iron and having its edges serrated, must be
about as pleasant to the wretched animal as it
would be if rubbed with a row of saws. No wonder
so many horses are bad to groom. Curry-combs
are very inexpensive, and can be bought from 6d.
to Is. each. Those with a webbing handstrap are
better than those with handles, being more con-
venient to hold, and the handles invariably come
off after a few days' use.

Mane-combs. — I need not say anything about
mane-combs further than that they should be made
of horn. These, and not what are termed, and
aptly so, ' mane-drags,' should be used. The latter
are useless in a gentleman's stable, and, in the
hands of any but the most experienced in their use,
are brutallv cruel instruments. Mane-combs cost
but a very few pence.

SPONGES. 45

Sponges. — Sponges are amongst the more ex-
pensive items in the list of stable gear ; that is to
say, they are made so by servants, but should not
be. A groom requires two, one large and one
small. Now, saddlers never keep cheap sponges,
and it is difficult to get a fair-sized sponge at a
saddler's under 6s. or 7s. They assure you they
are of the best qualit}^, and they doubtless are so ;
and they assert that, being so, they will last out two
or three of a cheaper kind ; so they should. My
experience, however, goes to prove that they do
not — not from any fault of the sponge itself, but
rather through the carelessness of the user. The
temptation of a new sponge is too great for some
servants, who quietly appropriate them to their own
use, and if they do not, they are so careless in
wringing them out that they invariably tear them,
and all that they have to produce within a short
time of what was vaunted to last so long is a torn,
wretched strip of a thing. I myself always now
buy the cheaper kinds, and I find that a sponge
for which I give Is. or Is. Gd. lasts just as long as
a more expensive one. I therefore recommend the
reader to follow my advice. Otherwise he would
have more satisfaction if he were to o-ive the extra
5s. to the first beggar he meets, or even to throw it
over the hedge where somebody might benefit by it.

46 THR 0 UGH ST A BLE AND SA DDLE-R O OM.

Hoof-pickers. — Hoof-pickers are necessary evils,
and are used for picking- out the dung, etc., which may
have collected in the horse's feet when standing in the
stable. Careless servants are apt to be far too rough
in using them, and to pick away with them to the
detriment of the horse's feet. They are made of iron,
and are very inexpensive — about 2d. each. They
should be blunt-pointed, for the reason T have
stated above.

Stable Rubbers. — Stable rubbers are cloths made
of strong linen ; a groom requires about three of
them. It is a wise plan to have them marked
with the owner's name in ink in large letters and
numbered. They are less likely to get lost, and
the word ' stable ' should also be written on them.
They should also be provided with a tape loop to
hang them up by. Grooms should be expected to
wash these and such-like articles themselves, and
they should not be allowed to form part of the
household linen in the weekly wash. When they
do so, they are soon lost, and, of course, nobody
knows anvthinsx about them. Their price is about
5s. per dozen.

Chamois Leathers. — Two chamois leathers are
sufficient for each groom. In purchasing them,
hold them up to the light, in order to detect any
thin spots. A small one, uniformly thick, will last

BURNISHERS.— SADDLE-SOAP. 47

longer than a larger one with thin patches. When
not in use, those which are wet should be hung care-
fully to dry, but not on a nail or any sharp pro-
jection. Good ones cost about 2s. each, and that
is a fair average price to give for them.

Burnishers. — It is impossible for a groom to
keep the steel- work under his charge bright and
properly clean without a burnisher. It should be
sewn on to a square of leather which is strong
and pliant. Buff is generally used for the pur-
pose. In purchasing a burnisher, do not grudge
the price for one of good size. They are somewhat
expensive, and cost from about 2s. 6d. to 3s. 6d.

Saddle-soap. — The soap used for saddlery and
for stable purposes must be pure sn\dJigJtt-colour<<L
The dark-coloured soap, or soft soap, discolours the
leather. Saddle-soap can be purchased in round
tins, convenient for using, from any saddler for
Is. each, or the plain, old-fashioned yellow soap,
such as is used for household purposes, is equally
good ; indeed, for saddles, etc., I almost prefer it to
any other. Soft soap is all very well for washing
the white heels of horses, etc., but it should never
be used for saddlery or any fine leather.

Each groom should be provided with the above-
named articles. Those which I have described as
useful for the stable generally, would suffice for

48 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

every three or four horses, and I will take them
in the order I have named them :

Clipping Machines. — Clipping machines cost about
7s. 6d. to 10s. 6d. Clark's are as good as any, price
8 s. 6d. They require to be kept carefully oiled and
clean, and when not in use should be protected with a
leather case. The teeth are very apt to get broken
with careless usage, and from being thrown down, etc.

Singeing -lamps. — There are two or three kinds
of singeing-lamps. The two most generally in use
are gas and naphtha. Those for gas are expensive,
the latter very inexpensive, costing only a shilling
or two, as compared with half a guinea or there-
abouts. To my way of thinking there is no com-
parison between the two, and in this instance the
cheaper has the advantage. It is true that naphtha-
lamps require to be carefully and constantly
trimmed ; but a good hand will make better work
with them, for the flame from gas is too fierce and
strong for singeing horses, and is apt to burn them.
The naphtha is slower and better altogether, and
burns the hair off more regularly.

Stable Scissors. — A pair of stable scissors will
be found necessary, and with these there is nothing
further required.

The cost of the above-named articles is as
follows, viz. :

COST OF STABLE UTENSILS.

49

£

s.

d.

1 body-brush, say

.

. 0

6

6

1 water ditto

■

. 0

5

6

1 dandy ditto

.

. 0

2

0

1 curry-comb

.

. 0

0

6

1 mane ditto

i

. 0

0

6

2 sponges, one at 2s.

and one at

Is. . 0

3

0

1 hoof-pick .

. .

. 0

0

6

3 rubbers .

.

. 0

1

6

2 chamois leathers

.

. 0

4

0

1 burnisher

. ,

. 0

3

6

1 clipping machine

.

. 0

8

6

1 singeing-lamp .

.

. 0

2

6

1 pair of stable scissors

. 0

2

0

£2 0 6

For the use of the stable itself, the list I have
given under the head of ' Stable Requisites ' will
suffice.

Forks. — Stable forks are often made far too
sharp. They are, when so, dangerous, and especially
so in the hands of a careless groom. They should
be blunt-pointed, and not too long in the handle.
They cost about 3 s.

Brooms. — Bass-brooms are the best for stable
use, as they penetrate every crevice, and wear well.
Their price is about 2 s.

Birch - brooms. — Birch - brooms answer well
enough for the rougher, outside work, and cost
about 3 s. per dozen.

Shovel. — A stable shovel is also a necessity.
Price 3 s. 6d.

5o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Wheelbarrow. — A wheelbarrow costs from 15 s.
to £1.

Dung-basket. — A dung-basket costs from 2s. 6d.
to 3 s. 6d.

Wooden Buckets. — Wooden buckets are best for
stable purposes, and when painted cost about 5s.
each.

Iron Pails. — Those of galvanized iron last
longer and are less expensive. One wooden one
for each horse, and one iron one to every two or
three horses, are sufficient. The galvanized iron
ones cost about 3 s. There is also another de-
scription of bucket which is useful for fomentations,
etc., if required. It is longer and deeper than the
ordinary wooden bucket. These are made of wood.

Stable Lamps and Lighting. — The best light for
a stable is undoubtedly gas, but where this is not
available, recourse must be had to some other
description of light. Side-wall lights, perhaps, give
the best light, but they should never be used off
the wall, and should be carefully attended to, as
the dust from the bedding, etc., very soon accumu-
lates on them. One or two lanterns of the kind
known as ' hurricane lanterns ' are as good as
anything, and these should be slung from the
ceiling, so as to be out of the way, and to lessen
the chance of their setting fire to anything. They

CORN-MEASURE, ETC. 51

usually burn oil, or some kind of paraffin. I do not
like paraffin in a stable, but it gives a good light.
A candle lantern is insufficient for the dark winter
mornings and evenings, and grooms are so apt to
take out the candles and to stick them on the
window-sills or anywhere they can. I need hardly
caution the reader to be most severely ' down on '
anything of the kind. Such malpractices generally
leave their traces behind them in the shape of spots
of grease and burnt patches of woodwork. A
good pattern of ' hurricane stable lamp ' is to be
obtained at any of the principal shops where such
things are sold, for, I think, about 5s.

Corn-measure. — A corn-measure may also be
added to the above list ; the usual price for a half-
gallon one is Is. (or rather less).

Corn-sieve. — A corn-sieve is useful for siftino-
the dust from the oats, and also for carrying chaff,
etc. The price of them is about 2s.

Corn-bins. — I had intended to make mention of
corn-bins later on, but the present is perhaps not
inopportune, so I will do so now. I recommend
the use of those made of galvanized iron, as being
well-nigh imperishable, and rat and mouse proof.
The cost of them, which in this instance I have
taken from the Army and Navy Co-operative
Society's price-list, I append :

4 — -1

52 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

To hold 1 sack of corn, from

, . — i SilC K S lf , ,

£ s. a.

0 18 0
17 9

1 18 6

2 11 9

I should advise the use of one to hold two sacks
(for corn), and one to hold one sack (for bran). A
third may be found useful for chaff, but it is not
necessary. Two of the size I have named would
be large enough for a stable of two or three horses.
Where practicable, I do not advise that the corn-
bins should be kept in the stables, inasmuch as I
am so strongly opposed to anything further than
the horses and what is absolutely necessary being-
there, greater cleanliness and less lodgment for dust
and dirt being thereby secured.

The cost of utensils necessary for a stable of one
or two horses will be, therefore, as follows, viz. :

1 stable fork
1 bass-broom
3 birch-brooms
1 wheelbarrow
1 shovel
1 dung-basket
1 wooden bucket
1 iron pail .
1 stable lamp

1 half-gallon corn
1 corn-sieve
1 iron corn-bin

-1- ii i »

measure

£

s.

d.

0

3

0

0

2

0

0

0

9

1

0

0

0

3

6

0

3

6

0

5

0

0

3

0

0

5

0

0

1

0

0

2

0

1

7

9

0

18

0

£4 14 6

TOTAL COST OF STABLE UTENSILS. 53

Nor do I see that this sura can be reduced.
The corn-bins, of course, take up half, and the
wheelbarrow a quarter, or nearly so, of the sum
total ; but these are articles which will not require
renewing- for a long time, especially the former.

[ 54]

CHAPTER IX.

Horse-clothing and horses' coats. — Kerseymere clothing. —
Colour of clothing.— Making up of clothing. — London and
provincial work. — Quarter-sheet and breast-piece. — Fillet-
strings. — Pad and roller. — Improper girthing up of rollers.
— Evils of girthing up of rollers. — Hoods. — Short hoods.
— Fawn striped rugs.— Weight and price of ditto. — How
to test woollen goods.— Night-rugs.— Summer clothing.

The amount of clothing required for a horse must
of course be determined by weather. In this
climate there are but few months — I may say but
few weeks — in the year during which it is possible
to dispense with clothing of some kind.

Horses in stables are compelled to lead a some-
what artificial kind of existence. Naturally speak-
ing, their coats are equal to the occasion, provided
they have a sufficient shelter and litter for the
nights and more inclement periods of the year ;
and as a rule, if left alone, their coats, if they
are healthy, will generally ' thicken' and ' thin' —
' rise' and ' fall,' as it is termed — according as the
weather may be cold or mild ; and at these times

HORSE-CLOTHING AND HORSES' COATS. 55

the very moving of the coat is productive of a
considerable amount of scurf, which — coupled with
the fact that Providence has seen also fit to arrange
that when they most require additional covering
their skin, which is always more or less greasy, .
should become more so — renders them during the
colder months of the vear more difficult to OTOom.
To facilitate their grooming, as also to save their
being exhausted by having to do fast work when
burdened with a heavy coat, to prevent possible
chills when kept standing after sweating im-
moderately, as under such circumstances must
undoubtedly be the case, we are compelled to
remove this natural covering of hair, this winter
coat, by means of the clipping machine and singeing-
lamp.

It is true that there are some horses which,
apparently, never get a winter coat, and whose
coats are, to look at, much the same at all seasons
of the year ; but such are the exceptions to the
general rule, and to these we will not here
refer.

Having removed this coat for the purpose of
work, it is clearly necessary that we must provide
the animal, when he is not actually doing work,
with a substitute for that which Nature gave him
and we have removed.

56 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Horse-clothing, therefore, becomes necessary.

Most horses require during the twenty-four hours
from one to three rugs, according to the temperature
of the weather.

It will be sufficient to state here that three good
rugs should be sufficient, as a general rule, for a
horse, even in the cold winter nights. If these are
really good and of proper weight, more than this
number is (except under extraordinary circum-
stances) apt to be weakening.

A full suit of clothing consists of the following,
viz. :

A quarter-sheet, hood, pad, roller, and fillet-
strinofs. One of these full suits is sufficient for
each horse, and is, as a rule, worn only during the
daytime, or when the horse is being led at exercise
in the winter. The hood is seldom required except
in the very severest weather, or when travelling by
rail, standing at a forge, etc.

This full suit is generally made of kerseymere,
which is sold of various patterns, and bound with
some coloured cloth — or of plain fawn-coloured
kerseymere, bound with blue, red, yellow, etc.

The colour is immaterial, provided the material
is good. If there is one colour which I have found
wear better and look smarter than any other, it is
what is known as the ' Oxford check,' and its

COLOUR AND MAKING UP OF CLOTHING. 57

having but little dye in it may, perhaps, be the
reason of its lasting qualities, as it is, of course,
well known that all dyes are more or less apt to
rot the material dved.

However, the colour must depend on the reader's
choice. Any saddler will show him a number of
good patterns which he can select from ; but what-
ever may be his choice, it is of consequence that
the clothing should be properly cut. If any
saddler were asked if he could make a suit of horse-
clothing, he would at once reply ' that he could, of
course.' So, likewise, anv tailor will assure a
customer that he can make a pair of hunting-
breeches. The result of believing in this assurance
would, I think, go far to prove that the former
would probably end in as great a failure as the
latter. My own experience reminds me of the most
remarkable productions regarding both.

It is quite the exception to get horse-clothing
well cut. A good London or really first-class
provincial saddler will doubtless be able to do so.
The ordinary local man will very possibly provide
precisely the same material as the London man,
bat he either will not or cannot cut it ; he either
skimps or bags it. It is tight where it should
be loose, and vice versd, and short where it should
be long, etc. The result is that it is wretchedly

5 8 THR O UGH STABLE A ND SADDLE-R O OM.

uncomfortable to the poor horse, is always getting
displaced, and probably causes a sore wither, or,
at least, rubs a bare spot on the shoulder points,
added to which it looks beastly and unsportsman-
like. Yet, if the prices of the two men are com-
pared, the difference will not be found to be so very
great ; while for wearing qualities, of course the
former has immeasurably the best of it, because,
fitting the horse properly as it does, there is no
undue strain upon any one part of it. Of course,
there are provincial saddlers who can cut a quar-
ter-sheet properly, but they are by no means
numerous.

A quarter-sheet is most frequently made in one
piece to buckle round in front of the horse's chest ;
but it is a better plan to have a separate breast-
piece — it is warmer, and is not so apt to wear out
either the horse or itself. All rugs have a tendency
to work back, and this being so, the reason why
a breast-piece is more advantageous is obvious.
Horses very often get severely cut and galled in
the withers from a quarter-sheet being improperly
made, and such sores take some time in healinof.

o

Fillet-strings are usually made of braid of the
same colours as those in the clothino-, and are
plaited in a hollow round plait. They are fastened
to loops on the quarter-sheet, and are used for the

PAD AND ROLLER. 59

jjurpose of keeping the latter down in its place
when out in wind, etc. When in the stable, they
are looped up in the centre on to the centre seam
of the quarter-sheet, to preserve them from being
soiled.

The pad, as it is called, is merely an oblong piece
of kerseymere of the same colour as the rest of
the clothing, and bound in the same way. It is
used to protect the quarter-sheet, as well as the
horse's back, from any undue wear from the roller,
which is a description of girth with a padded back
and sides, which is fastened round the horse for the
purpose of securing the quarter-sheet in its place.
In girthing up the roller, care should be taken
that the quarter-sheet is first put on fairly and
truly and well forward, with the seam straight
down the centre of the horse's back — and this
should always be done before the roller is put on — ■
and that it (the roller) is not buckled too tightly,
and yet tightly enough. If the former is the case
the horse must suffer, and all sorts of evils arise
from rollers being habitually put on too tight.
If not tight enough, the clothing works back or
falls round, and, besides leaving the horse without
any covering over its loins, and just where covering
is most necessary, it also is sure to get torn and
soiled from being trampled upon ; and it is also

60 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

quite possible that a horse may get cast and
seriously injured by it.

I have already described the use of a hood, so
need not repeat it. A hood should fit well and
neatly, and be long enough to allow a horse to put
his head down without fear of its falling forward.
It should be provided with a small buckle and
strap wherewith to fasten it, and prevent its blow-
ing over the horse's head in wind. This strap
should go through a leather loop sewn on to the
wither of the quarter-sheet. Nothing can well be
more dangerous than a loose hood flying over a
horse's head. I leave the reader to imagine the
result of such in the case of a nervous horse. To
avoid the chance of this, short hoods are sometimes
used. They are sufficient protections to the head
and throat, but of course are not quite so effective
a covering as the ordinary hood.

The foregoing remarks on horse-clothing suits
comprise all the details which I consider worthy of
notice — at all events, all which is necessary for the
present occasion.

The price of a full suit of kerseymere varies, of
course, as to the quality of the material ; but a
Sfood suit should not cost more than between four
or five guineas, and should, with ordinary care, last
.some }^ears.

RUGS 6t

For what may be called intermediate clothing,
the ordinary fawn striped rugs, weighing from
8 lb. to 9 lb., can be used instead of the more ex-
pensive clothing ; and these can, if desired, be cut
out and bound in the same manner as the kersey-
mere quarter-sheet, or can be used plain, as sold ;
but they should be guaranteed to be all wool.
The heavier they are, of course, the better.
They are sold by weight, at the uniform price of
2s. per lb. weight, and when purchasing them
I would advise the reader to always see them
weighed. And here I may as well take the oppor-
tunity of remarking that if, when purchasing any
goods which are guaranteed to be ' all wool,' he
has any doubts as to their being so, he can very
easily satisfy himself as to whether such is the case
or not if he draws a thread from both the warp and
the woof of the material and picks them to pieces.
If there is any admixture of cotton or other such
inferior substance, it will, on being held up to the
light, be at once apparent, and he will, of course,
do well to reject it, as such material can never be
warm, or wear satisfactorily. It is well to know
this, and I have many a time been saved buying
a worthless article by taking the trouble to thus
examine it.

There is another very good kind of rug, which is

62 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

composed of strong canvas waterproofed and lined
with ruofo-ina- which is most useful as a nigfht-rusr, to
put over the other rugs, and to prevent their being
soiled. The roller, which should be made of leather,
is sewn on to it. When soiled, these rugs are
easily cleaned with soap and water, but the water
should not be warm. They should be made full
large, so as to allow for the other rugs beneath.
The price of them is, for the best quality, and of
the pattern I have described, about 17s. 6d. for
the full size.

There are several cheaper varieties of these rugs,
but they are very common, do not wear well, and
have but little real warmth in them. The best I
ever had I bought from Mr. Stone, the saddler at
Aldershot, for autumn manoeuvres. I do not know
if he still supplies them, but have no doubt that he
does ; and here I may mention that I wish the
reader to distinctly understand that, where in the
present little work I may have occasion to make
mention of the name of any tradesman or firm, I
do so solely for his (the reader's) benefit, and not,
as is so often the fashion nowadays, as an advertise-
ment for the tradesman. Such is entirely contrary
to my wish or intention.

Summer clothing is clothing made of linen, and
is generally made in the entire suit, similar to the

SUMMER CLOTHING. 63

kerseymere suits. It is useful to keep off flies,
dust, etc., and looks smart and clean. As a rule,
a quarter-sheet, pad or roller, and fillet-strings are
sufficient without the hood. Its price is about
£2 10s.

[ 64 ]

CHAPTER X.

Bandages. — Mode of tying bandages. — Cracked heels. —
Woollen bandages. — Hunting bandages. — Support from
bandages. — Colour of material for bandages. — Care of
bandages. — ' Naphthaline ' for prevention of moth in
woollen goods, etc. — ' Naphthaline ' for saddles. — Stocking
bandages. — Water bandages. — Chamois-leather bandages.
— Sweating bandages. — Bandaging. —Prices of bandages.

Bandages are made of several kinds of material,
viz., woollen, linen, stocking, and chamois leather ;
but of whatever description they may be, they
require to be very carefully put on, care being
taken not to fit them too tightly, as each fold
tightens the previous one.

They are, generally speaking, tied a few inches
below the knee, or else about the centre of the
leg. This is wrong. They should be tied low
down on the fetlock joint. They do not, perhaps,
look as well, but it is the best place, for if a
bandage is put on ever so loosely, there must be
always a certain amount of pressure, and if too
great pressure is had in the broad fold of the

CRACKED HEELS. 65

bandage itself, it must be still worse in the narrow
fold of the tape. The joint, therefore, seems to
me to be the best and proper place for the tape to
be tied, being less susceptible of pressure than the
tendons.

This method of tying bandages was shown me
many years ago by a friend whose opinion on such
matters is worth having. It is, however, but
rarely that one sees it adopted. It is no easy
matter to put on a bandage properly and neatly,
and requires care and practice.

After exercise, woollen bandages should always
be put on for a time, and should be rolled well into
the hollow of the heel, thus serving to absorb any
sweat, as well as any damp, which may remain if
the legs are wet or have been washed, which latter,
by-the-bye, they never should be.

Horses' heels are more or less damp after
exercise, and sweat very readily runs into the hollows
and collects there, and is liable, if left to dry
itself, to cause cracked heels, which are difficult
and troublesome to cure.

I do not, of course, wish it to be supposed that
bandaging should take the place of drying by hand,
but only as an additional precaution against
cracked heels. Some horses are very predisposed
to cracked heels, but thoroughbred horses are,

5

66 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

perhaps, less liable to get them than underbred
animals.

Woollen bandages, properly put on, are also the
next best thing to hand-rubbing, though, of course,
they are vastly inferior to it. The one should
follow the other.

Such bandages are invaluable for old horses, and
horses whose legs are ' filled' from overwork, and are
a great support to their legs, and in winter they are
warm. In some rough hunting countries they are
much used as a protection to horses' legs against
stone walls, etc. ; but when they are used for this,
or any similar purpose, they require to be very
carefully put on and tied ; indeed, they are almost
better if stitched on, as they are otherwise apt to
come undone, and very likel}' at the time when
hounds are running, and the necessity of having to
dismount and readjust them may possibly be the
cause of losing a good place in a good run.
Indeed, the only thing to do under such circum-
stances is to pull off the bandage altogether. I
have myself, on more than one occasion, ex-
perienced this annoyance, and invariably have a
few stitches put into the folds here and there as
they are laid.

Horses which have not got the advantage of a
loose-box require the support and pressure of

WOOLLEN BANDAGES. 67

bandages if their legs are at all apt to ' fill.'
There are some horses whose legs never ' fill,' even
with the severest work. I believe that, except for
drying and warming purposes, it is better not
to bandage the legs of such horses in the stable, '
and that their legs are kept tougher without them.

Woollen bandages are sold of different colours.
Experience has taught me that the fawn-coloured
and white last longest. Saddlers have assured me
that the material is the same, no matter what the
colour may be. I can but conclude, therefore, that
the colour of the dye affects the material. The
white ones soon get dirty and discoloured, and
require to be constantly washed, and so wear out
sooner than they otherwise would.

When not in use, all bandages should be kept
neatly rolled up, and should be well dried and
brushed before being put away. Brushing is
better than washing, as the latter is apt to shrink
them. All spare bandages, and everything of a
woollen nature which is used for stable purposes,
should be constantly overhauled and exposed to
the air and sun, in order to prevent the ravages of
moths ; and here I may as well advise the reader
to keep a small quantity of what is called ' naphtha-
line ' in the saddle-room. It is a white powder in
a crystallized form, very cleanly, and requires

5—2

68 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

to be but placed (a very small quantity will suffice)
in a tray on the saddle-room shelves, or hang-
ing it up in small muslin bags will suffice for the
purpose. It has a rather pungent, but not
altogether disagreeable, smell, and no moth will
come near it. It does not scent the articles them-
selves, and there is nothing equally efficacious for
the purpose.

As is well known, saddles, if uncared for, are
sure to become a prey to moth, and I would advise
that a small quantity of this powder should be
mixed up with the horsehair stuffing under the
pannels of each saddle. No matter how much
a saddle may suffer from neglect in other ways, it
will not be attacked by moth if this is done.

I may add that ' naphthaline ' is most useful for
other things, such as furs, feathers, etc., and im-
measurably superior to the moth-powders usually
sold, and which do not secure complete immunity
from moth, and seem to lose their virtue after a
short time. It can be procured from any good
chemist for a few pence an ounce, and the latter
quantity will go a long way and last a long
time.

Stocking- bandages are woven hollow in the
same manner as stockings, and are made of
some sort of fine wool or cotton, or mixture of

WATER BANDAGES. 69

both. They are used principally for racing pur-
poses, and are somewhat expensive.

Water bandages are made entirely of linen ; the
best are those which are made of twilled linen.
They are, as their name implies, used wet, for the-
purpose of reducing inflammation, etc.

The twilled linen retains the water longer
than the finer material. When water bandages
are used, they must be kept constantly wetted, as
if they are allowed to get dry they are worse than
no bandages at all. When new they should
always be well soaked for some hours. In every
case before applying a wret bandage to a horse's
leg, it is advisable to rub a little grease (oil or
glycerine) into the hollow of the heel before the
bandage is applied, in order to prevent the heel
becoming1 cracked : and this should be done whether
the bandage is wetted with water only or with any
kind of lotion. The best kind of bandage to use
as a wet bandage is one made of chamois leather.
These remain wet for a very long time, but they
are somewhat expensive, and do not last long.
They are, however, far superior to a linen bandage.
There is a description of bandage which is a com-
bination of a wet and woollen, called a sweat-
ing bandage, which has a very powerful effect in
reducing swellings, etc. It is, in fact, what doctors

7o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

call a wet compress, and is formed by putting on
first a wet — linen or chamois leather — bandage ;
then enveloping this with either a piece of oiled
silk or waterproof, and over all a dry woollen
bandage. Such bandages should not, however,
be used for too many days consecutively, but
should, as a rule, be three days on and two
days off.

It must be borne in mind that whereas, in the
ordinary way of putting on a bandage, it is usual
to commence from the top and finish at the top on
the return folds, and tie either there or in the
middle of the leg, in putting them on in the
manner I have described, it must be commenced
from the bottom and finished there, thus bringing
the tie to the fetlock-joint, the tie being, of course,
on the outside of the leg.

The prices of bandages are as follows :

s. d.
Woollen (per set of 4) . . . .56
Linen (per set of 4), twill . . .50

[ 7i ]

CHAPTER XI.

Stable headstalls. — Prices of headstalls. — Lead-lines. — Logs.
— Fitting of lead-lines. — Prices of lead-lines. — Prices
quoted for articles. — Good and bad articles. — Pack-chains.
Spring-hooks. — New patent hooks — Kneecaps.— Use of
kneecaps. — Evils of kneecaps. — Proper description of
kneecaps. — Kneecaps too tightly fitted. — How to fit on
kneecaps. — Necessity for obtaining good articles. — Price
of kneecaps. — Watering bridles. — Watering snaffles. —
Dirty watering snaffles. — Eeins for watering snaffles. —
Care and condition of watering snaffles. — Accidents from
rotten reins. — Mode of fitting watering-bridle reins. —
Leading -reins. — Useful maxims. — Exercising without
saddles. — Price of watering bridles.

Stable headstalls should be made of broad, strong
leather and double-stitched. Both throat-lash and
nose-band should fit loosely, and the former should
be round, so as to allow the play of the metal ring
which is attached to the leather billet which
connects them. This metal ring is for the purpose
of securing the lead-line to the headstall, the
spring-hook or buckle and strap (as the case may
be) of the former being fastened to it.

Brass mountings look better than any other, and

72 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

set off a horse's head better. The brow-band
may with advantage be made of white buff
leather ; this, if kept pipe-clayed, looks very clean
and smart. Brow - bands of white enamelled
leather do not answer, as they are not strong, and
the enamel soon cracks and looks shabby. Stable
headstalls should be carefully cut so as to fit
easily and well, otherwise they are very apt to
cause head-sores. Some horses have a habit of
slipping their headstalls. Where such is the case
they must be buckled on more tightly ; but such
horses are better in loose-boxes, where the latter
are available. I may as well here remark that
coloured brow-bands are nowhere admissible, and
white only for stable use. Of course I do not
refer to metal harness brow-bands.

The prices of stable headstalls vary from about
5s. to 10s., according to quality ; 7s. 6d. is a good
medium price.

Lead-lines are of leather, chain, or of ordi-
nary rope. Personally, I prefer those made of
all chain. Exception may be taken to the noise
they make as the horse moves them up and down
in the manger-rings, but as they are in general use
in the cavalry, I have got so used to them that I
do not dislike them. They wear for ever, and
horses do not chew at them, as they are so apt to

LEAD-LINES. 73

do with leather ones. Rope lines are the worst of
all, as they soon fray, and are untrustworthy. Apart
from their inducement for horses to play with them,
the leather ones do not last very long, and require
more care than is usually sfiven to such articles.
Where they or rope are used, the log is usually
made of wood, but for chain ones an iron log is
necessary — at all events is best ; and the last link of
the chain is fitted with a flat piece of iron called a
' key,' and this is made so as to turn up into the
last link. The iron log is pierced through witli a
hole, which is extended into a cross of equal length
each way. The key and last link are passed
through this open space, and as the key falls open
out of the link it thus secures the log. The whole
thing has the appearance of a Russian puzzle, but
it is very simple and effective. As in everything
else, so there is a right and wrong way to fit such
an apparently simple arrangement as a lead-line.
It must be a certain length, no more and no less.
If too short, the horse cannot lie down ; if too long,
it is dangerous and apt to cast him. The way
to ascertain the right length is thus : Lead the
horse up to the manger until his throat is over the
manger-ring, his head being held naturally as he
stands thus. The log at the end of the lead-
line should rest fairly on the ground, and no more.

74 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

That will give the proper length for the lead-line,
which, if a chain, can be shortened by passing the
spring-hook down to the proper link in the chain ;
if of leather, by knotting up the leather below the
log ; if of rope, the knot should be what is called a
' blood knot,' the end of the rope being doubled
through the loop of the knot, so as to allow of its
being quickly and easily untied if required.

Where it is of leather and chain (which, next to
chain, is perhaps the best description of lead-line)
it can be shortened by the buckle and strap at the
head end. The prices of lead-lines are as follows :
Leather and chain, about 4s. 6d. ; logs (lignum
vita), Is.

I may as well inform the reader that in giving
the prices of any articles I do not give the very
highest, but I have endeavoured to give what he
can rely on obtaining a really good, well-finished
article for at a really high-class London saddler's.
He can of course please himself as to where he
deals, and could, I know, obtain them very much
cheaper than at the cost I have reckoned them
to be ; but I always prefer to get a second-
quality article from a really good maker rather
than one which an inferior maker would recommend
as his best quality, for the simple reason that the
prices are probably much the same ; and although

RACK-CHAINS. 75

you may get a good article from a second-rate shop,
you will never get a bad one from a really first-rate
one, and the ' cut ' is far superior, and being so, the
article in question must last longer and look better.

Rack-chains are chains fixed to the stable-wall
above the mangers to staples driven in, and are
used to prevent horses from lying down and rolling
during the daytime. These are generally reckoned
as stable fixtures. They cost about 2s. each.
Where they are not fixtures, it is a wise plan to
have spring-hooks at each end of the chain ; but
such hooks should be, as should all spring-hooks
for stable purposes, strong and well made.

There is a new pattern of double hook which I
lately saw, and which was procured from Messrs.
Holtzappfel and Co., in Cockspur Street, which
struck me as beinsf the best tiling of the kind as
yet invented, and which would quite supersede the
spring-hook in general use, and which, having no
spring, could not get out of order. It is very
simple, but requires to be seen to be explained. It
is made in all sizes, and in different kinds of metal.
I saw one small enough for a watch-chain, made
of steel, and some, large enough for any stable
purposes, of galvanized iron. I need not add that
they were very well finished, but I may remark
that they were excessively moderate in price. I

76 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

cannot now remember the name of the patentee,
but the reader can, if he wishes, obtain them at
Messrs. Holtzappfel's. I think, if I remember
aright, that the price of the galvanized iron ones
is Is. each. A spring-hook of the same material
would cost perhaps a little less, but certainly would
wear only half the time of the others.

Knee-caps are what may be called necessary
evils. They are necessary to prevent horses
banging their knees about when travelling by train,
etc. They are also commonly used for exercising
purposes. It is at such times, when they are
ridden by grooms, that the majority of accidents
occur. A careless groom — and such servants are,
generally speaking, bad horsemen — will sooner or
later bring down the best-actioned horse in the
world. For exercising purposes, therefore, they are
useful ; but I myself prefer to dispense with them
when I know my servants to be careful and trust-
worthy, inasmuch as, although it is true that they
may save a horse's knees from being blemished, if
that horse has the misfortune to fall, I consider
that they are in themselves frequently the cause of
their falling, especially if of a bad shape.

It is well to here consider what the shape of a
kneecap ought to be. Very frequently they are
made with nothing further than a round leather

KNEECAPS. 77

cap, which is sewn on to a piece of horsecloth or
some such material. Now, if the shape of a horse's
knee is examined, it will be observed that it is not
round, but oval ; and when the knee is bent up in
action, it very materially increases in size. It is
therefore necessary that the cap of the kneecap
should be sufficiently large to allow of the perfectly
free and unrestrained movement of the knee, and
without strain on the straps which fasten it on
above. If this is not the case, as may be readily
inferred, the horse's action must either be impeded
or the strap of the kneecap must give and burst.
If the former, the horse, being unable to bend his
knee properly, may, in consequence, fall ; if the
latter, the kneecap becomes a useless encumbrance.
A kneecap, therefore, requires to be made
scientifically. The upper strap, or stay, is that
one of the two which kneecaps are provided with,
and which serves to keep the latter up; the lower
strap is intended to keep it down. It is therefore
obvious that the upper strap must be tight enough
for the purpose, and yet, if too tight, it will either
burst or cut into the flesh. It is no uncommon
thinof to see a white rinsr of hair above and below
the knees of a horse. These indicate that at some
time some fool of a groom has buckled the knee-
caps on too tightly, and that they have cut into

7 8 THR O UGH STABLE AND SADDLE-R O OM.

the leg. In order to prevent this, in a great mea-
sure, the best description of kneecaps are provided
with short bands of indiarubber, which give with
the expansion of the leg-muscles when in action.
The lower strap should be fitted on loosely enough
to allow of the breadth of two fino-ers between it
and the lea-.

The reader will, from the above and other
explanations which I have given, see how very
necessary it is to know why and wherefore articles
should, or should not, be of this or that de-
scription, and that there is a reason, and a good
one too, for their adoption or rejection. People
who are uninformed on these matters may probably
go to a shop, purchase an article, and hand it
over to their servants for use, believing that they
have done the best they can regarding its selection ;
yet all the time they are but setting a trap, as it
were, to catch an accident, or cause an evil worse
than the very one which they seek to prevent,
and all for the want of a little knowledge.

A good horse is a treasure, to be preserved in
health as long as possible ; he has probably, too,
cost a large sum of money ; yet, for the sake per-
haps of only an extra shilling or two, or a little
extra trouble in the purchase and selection of the
articles required for his use, etc., he may be ruined

WATERING BRIDLES. 79

in a minute. How often, alas, is such the case !
' The eye of the master is the best servant,' when
that master has the full use of his sight and knows
about what he sees. The price of a good pair
of kneecaps is about 6s. to 7s. 6d. But one
more article remains to be treated of in the present
chapter, viz., the watering bridle, or exercise bridle,
as it is sometimes called.

As a rule, anything is considered good enough
for an exercising bridle. Now, as a majority of the
accidents which happen to horses occur when they
are at exercise (and in the stable), it is surely at
variance with common-sense to incur any further
risk of accident through the use of an inferior
article. I make bold enough to assert that one
half of the exercising" bridles in use are downrio-ht
rotten. The snaffles are generally made of galvan-
ized iron, or covered with rust, and probably a
coating of half-masticated food, showing that from
time to time the horse has been pulled away from
his feed before he has finished it, in order to suit
the groom's convenience, or because, he having
been late that morning, the feed has been hurried
and the exercise-hour also hurried on. Of course,
under good management such a state of things
would not exist ; but, let me ask, how often is such
the case ?

8o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

A watering-bridle snaffle of this description is
truly a nice thing to put into a horse's mouth,
especially when the metal casing with which such
snaffles are covered is flaking off, and the surface is
consequently rough. It is difficult at any time to
find a groom with what are called ' hands.' What,
then, must be the effect of such an instrument in
the mutton-fisted grasp of one without ' hands,' on
a horse whose mouth is delicate and tender? No ;
galvanized iron is a very useful thing in its proper
place, but that place is not in the mouth of a horse.

Again, the reins of exercising bridles are often
made of cheap, common leather, instead of good,
sound material ; and they are very constantly
buckled on to the snaffle, thereby, inasmuch as
there is ever so much more stitching to rot and g-et
out of order, wearing out much sooner than they
would if sewn on to the rinsfs.

I maintain that exercising bridles should be kept
as clean as those for the use of the master, and a
good groom will take care that the}^ are so.

We will supjDOse that the ordinary description of
uncared-for bridle is in use on a horse. It is per-
haps a chilly morning, and the horse is a bit fresh.
Something startles him, and he tries to bolt. The
groom pulls at him — most probably the pull is a
severe 'job' in the mouth; bang goes the rotten

LEADING-REINS.

leather, and away goes the horse ; the groom gets
pitched off, and possibly badly hurt ; and the horse,
after half killing a few people, tries to kill himself,
and not unfrequently succeeds in doing so.

Both ends of the reins of an exercising1 bridle
should be sewn on to the snaffle-rings, and not, as
is sometimes the case, only one end sewn on,
and the other with an iron key to slip through and
hold across the other ring. Such an arrangement
is only fit for a leading-rein.

When it is required to lead a horse with a
snaffle-bridle, throw the reins over his head and
pass a rein through the snaffle-ring its entire length
under the jaw of the horse, on whichever side it
may be wished to lead from.

If it is desired to lead a horse at any time with
an ordinary double rein (bit and bridoon), do so in
the following way : Lay each rein in its order on
the horse's neck ; the snaffle will then, of course,
be that nearest the head. Now lift up the bit-rein
and pass it over the snaffle-rein, and let it lie there.
Again lift up the snaffle-rein, and, passing it over
the bit-rein, carry it over the horse's head ; it will
then hang down from the snaffle-rings between the
bit-reins (the latter are still left on the horse's
neck). Now pass the snaffle-rein through the ring
of the snaffle as described for a single snaffle. To

6

82 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

replace it, reverse the operation. It is very simple,
and can be learned at once if these instructions are
followed. With a snaffle thus treated a leading-
rein is formed which will hold the most fractious
horse, as, by the rein passing under the jaw, the
latter is gagged if the horse tries to get away.

The following maxims should be remembered —
viz. :

Never lead a horse on a bit.

Never tie up a horse on a snaffle if you have a
bit on, as any sudden jerk from a gatepost, railing,
or whatever the rein may be attached to might
cause a snaffle to cut a horse's tongue badly, as the
post or railing is not like the hand in leading, but
dead and unyielding.

Furthermore, on no account ever permit your
horses to be ridden without a saddle, for the fol-
lowino- excellent reasons :

1. The groom wears out his clothes sooner.

2. He is apt to wear out himself. The latter
does not so much matter (?).

3. He is very likely to tumble off, and your
horse run away and get damaged.

4. Such practices are the very common cause of
sore backs to horses.

I can say no more ; there is, perhaps, no neces-
sity for me to do so. But grooms are very fond

LEADING AT EXERCISE. 83

of thus riding, and think it looks smart and in-
dicates fine horsemanship ; and it saves a little
trouble. That is their way of looking at it.

Where horses are in the habit of being led at
exercise, the leading side should be constantly
changed ; otherwise their mouths are liable to
become hard on one side, and thus a ' one-sided '
mouth is formed.

The price of a watering bridle of a good pattern
is about 10s. 6d.

()— 2

PART II.

CO ACHHOUSE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

[ §7 ]

CHAPTER XII.

Coachhouse. — Heating coachhouse. — Watering floor of coach-

house.— Flooring of coachhouse. — Saddle-room. — Doors
of saddle-room. — Stove of saddle-room. — Patent stove. —
Light from window of saddle-room. — Panelling walls of
saddle-room. — Disposal of saddlery in saddle-room. —
Saddle-racks. — -Our patent saddle-racks. — Construction of
saddle-racks. — Advantage of saddle-racks. — Prices of
saddle-racks. — Saddle-room shelves. — Saddle-room cup-
boards.— Order and cleanliness. — Forage store. — Disposal
of forage in store. — Economy of order. — Bedding-sheds.
■ — Economy and construction of bedding-sheds. — Grooms'
chambers. — Communicating window from grooms' cham-
bers to stable. — Comfort of servants' rooms. — Cleanliness
of servants' rooms. — Inspection of servants' rooms by
master.

I have up to the present confined my attention to
the stable itself, and things pertaining to it, alone.
I have done so for the purpose of keeping the
several parts of this work as distinctly separate as
possible. Where there is a stable there is generally
a coachhouse and other rooms ; I think, therefore,
it will be as well to turn to the consideration of
these at the present time. Of course, when a stable
is built, the following are generally constructed,

88 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

either with it or near to it. As a rule, they are
generally under the same roof — viz. :

Coachhouse,

Saddle-room,

Forage-house (or loft),

Grooms' chambers,
and (at times) a shed for the purpose of drying
stable-litter.

The situation of the coachhouse must, of course,
be subservient to that of the stable, and the space
available for the purpose. Although a good roomy
coachhouse is doubtless an advantage, it should not,
as is by no means unfrequently the case, unduly
occupy space which can ill be spared from the
stable ; a somewhat small coachhouse and a roomy
stable beino" more desirable than a laro^e coachhouse
and a cramped stable. But whatever situation or
size may be selected for a coachhouse, it must be
dry. It need not necessarily be kept warm, but
the very slightest damp must be excluded. If it is
desired to heat a coachhouse, hot-water pipes are
undoubtedly the best for the purpose ; but they
should be so arranged that the heat is generally
diffused, and not greater on one side than another.
Where this mode of heating is impracticable, it is
better to have two or three small stoves (oil stoves
are the best) rather than one large one. It is quite

COACHHOUSE. 89

possible that in an exceptionally hot summer a
carriage may become too dry, to the detriment
of the woodwork ; and the best-seasoned wood
will shrink slightly. When such is the case, it is a
good plan to occasionally sprinkle a little water on
the floor of a coachhouse. An ordinary watering-
pot will be found useful for the purpose ; but it
should have a fine rose, and be sparingly used.

The floor of a coachhouse should be of concrete.
No other material is equal to it. A wooden floor
is always a dusty floor ; bricks absorb damp ;
asphalt soon wears out, and either cracks or be-
comes sticky.

The doors should be double, and should be per-
fectly balanced, and made to swing back on to a
self-catch, so as to avoid any slamming-to on a
carriage in high wind, etc. It is as well that there
should not be any direct communication between
the coachhouse and the stable, as the ammonia,
etc., from the stable is not calculated to do other
than harm.

The saddle- room should be situated as conveni-
ently to the stable itself as is practicable, and there
should be communication between the two, so as to
obviate the necessity for having to carry articles of
saddlery or harness from the one to the other,
exposed to rain, etc. Where want of space will

9o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

not allow a passage to intervene between the
stable and saddle-room, if the door of the one
leads direct into the other, there should be a
double door made to fit closely (one covered with
baize will answer the purpose), as it is impossible
to preserve leather or steel work if exposed to the
fumes which must, in a greater or less degree,
exude from a stable. A saddle-room should be
warm and dry, but never too hot. As a rule, the
saddle-room fire is the warmest in the establish-
ment, and is far too good, and the room is far too
hot for the preservation of the leather. A stove is
better adapted for saddle-room use than an open
fire. It diffuses the heat more generally ; it is
safer, equally handy (if not even more so) to cook
such mashes, etc., as may be required, and does not,
perhaps, offer quite the same attractions for grooms
to loaf and waste their time round it, as they are very
apt to do at an open fire. Moreover, it takes up less
wall room, and certainly twice the number of articles
can be aired round a stove as in front of a fire.

There is an excellent pattern of a stove lately
invented which is, I think, far better than any other
which I have as yet seen ; but it can only be used for
warming purposes, and requires gas to heat it,
though I dare say they may also be constructed to
burn oil. This stove consists of a number of coils of

SADDLE-ROOM. 91

iron piping, arranged very much in the form of a fire-
work cracker. These coils contain water, which is
heated by a gas light below. It takes up a very
small space, and gives out a great deal of warmth
in a very short time after being1 lighted. This stove
would serve very well to air clothing, etc., by, but
has no arrangement whereby any cooking could be
performed. There are, however, so many different
kinds of stoves which are suitable for saddle-room
purposes, which are very excellent in their several
ways, that the reader can select for himself; but it
is well to remember that the fumes from some
stoves discolour brasswork very rapidly, and the
use of such, for the sake of the groom, should be
avoided. Brasswork is very easily cleaned, but
very soon discolours. Plated harness is less
liable, perhaps, to soil quickly than brass, but I do
not think it ever looks as smart as brass. This is,
however, a matter of choice. Plated is, moreover,
slightly more expensive than brass.

The best light for a saddle-room is perhaps that
obtained from a skylight, but such lights are
constantly leaking and getting out of order.

Saddle-rooms should be panelled, or lined with
match-boarding, from ceiling to floor. Here, as in
the coachhouse, a concrete floor is the best, as rats
and mice cannot work through it.

92 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

All bridles, etc., should be kept together and hung
up on racks, each one separately, and should be
protected from dust by means of curtains to draw
in front of them. All articles of harness should be
similarly kept.

Spare bits and stirrup-irons should be kept in a
case with glass doors, and lined with cloth, baize, or
some such material. Where this is not practicable,
it is a good plan to keep them in a box filled
with slacked lime, by which means they will remain
bright and free from rust for a number of years
— indeed, will actually improve in condition. Saddle-
racks are usually fixed to the walls of a saddle-
room, and are made of wood or iron ; in either
case they should be painted. I do not altogether
approve of them. By their use saddles are apt to
be put too much out of the way — are not visible
enough ; collect dust very readily ; are too near
the wall ; mice (if there are any) can get at them ;
they run the risk of being neglected if not in
constant use, and so moths get into them ; and they
are not easily got at if required. Moreover, these
racks take up a good deal of room, and very much
obscure the light.

Being somewhat cramped for saddle-room, and
finding that my saddles were suffering from some
or all of the above-mentioned evils, I set myself to

SADDLE-RACKS. 93

work to invent an arrangement which would come
up to my idea of what was required, and T
succeeded in designing a saddle-rack which I con-
sider has done so. This design I handed over to
Messrs. Musgrave, of Belfast, Bond Street, etc.,
the well-known manufacturers of stable fittings, and
they have recently patented it, and carried it out
most admirably, and I trust it may meet with
success. Its description is as follows, viz. : The
saddle-rack itself consists of an open framework of
wood, and this is made sufficiently long to take
some three or four saddles, one behind the other.
It is made of two frames, which are hinged
together on their upper sides. Crossbars are
screwed on, by means of brass pins, to the ends of
the frame, and at each end of these bars there is
a brass ring. There are folding legs at each end of
the rack, which are made to fold up or open, as
may be desired. The whole is strung up to the
ceiling of the saddle-room, and moves up and
down at will by means of pulleys and cords, which
are furnished with hooks to attach to the rings on
the crossbars. Thus, when lowered to the ground,
it stands firmly on four legs, and can then be used,
either as a saddle-stand or a harness-cleaning
horse ; and when slung up to the ceiling it becomes
also a strong, serviceable saddle-rack. I claim for

94 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

it the following advantages, viz. : being near the
ceiling, it is in the dryest part of the room ; when
lowered to the ground saddles can be rapidly
cleaned and dried at the same time, and if desired
to expedite the latter, a pan of hot ashes placed on
the floor below will quickly dry a wet saddle ;
moths are easily seen, and can thereby be better
prevented ; mice cannot get at them ; the condition
of each saddle is seen at once when standing'
underneath them, and if closer inspection is re-
quired, it is a simple matter to draw the rack
down ; they are out of the way, do not obscure
the light, and inasmuch as every saddle is at once
visible, there is less likelihood of their being
neglected or knocked about. I consider them
excellent for either large or small establishments.
In the former several racks may be used and hung
in rows from the ceiling ; in the latter they give
more room, as they do not take up any permanent
ground space.

Each end of the rack is provided with a hook
from which to hang reins, etc., for the purpose of
cleaning. For officers in the army, who never
have any room or place to keep saddles in other
than the stable or an overcrowded officers' kitchen
(which latter is generally shared by two or three
servants), they would prove invaluable, as only

SADDLE- RA CKS. 9 5

those who have experienced what barrack life is
can form any idea of the way saddlery gets knocked
about under the existing arrangements ; and inas-
much as cavalry officers are specially particular as
to their general ' turn out,' both in the hunting-
field as well as on parade, the keeping things up to
mark, when there is so little room for cleaning,
etc., becomes a difficult matter, and a source of
endless trouble and expense.

The prices of these racks is from 60s. to 75s.
for a three saddle rack, according to material. I
can hardly say how great a convenience I have
found the one I have used in my own saddle-
room for some time, although it is but a rough
affair, having been made by myself as an experi-
ment.

A few shelves, movable if possible, and one or
two cupboards, also made so as to be readily taken
out for cleaning, or, at all events, with the shelves
constructed so as to slide in and out, are requisite.
Perhaps an old wardrobe with shelves is as good as
anything, and inasmuch as it can so easily be
moved, so as to allow of the room being readily and
thoroughly cleaned, and stands off the floor, it is
the best arrangement. It is necessary to have
some such convenience for the stowing away of
small articles, but anything in actual daily use,

96 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

such as spare bandages, etc., should be kept on the
open shelves, and never put away out of sight, as
by this means they are preserved in better condition.

Everything which in any way can possibly tend
to encourage dust or dirt should be kept down with
a strong hand, and whenever an article becomes
unserviceable, it should at once be repaired, where
such is possible, or made away with.

It is obvious that where horses are kept there
must be some place wherein to store the food and
the straw, etc., required for their use. Very often
the room which is provided for this purpose is not
only very small, but also unsuitable. A good loft
is as good as anything, inasmuch as such are gene-
rally dry, and it is of the first importance that the
forage-store should be perfectly dry. For present
use, corn-bins are sufficient for the oats, bran, etc.,
but as it is as well to buy oats, hay, and straw in
not too small quantities, it being cheaper consider-
ably to buy them in bulk, a good store is a necessity,
and one in which the forage cannot deteriorate in
quality from damp, etc. ; and it should be roomy, so
as to allow of the forage being neatly arranged,
instead of being thrown in anyhow, and here, too,
there is obviously a right and wrong way of doing it.
To begin with, the trusses of hay should be neatly
stacked in the centre of the store, and not packed

FOR A GE- STORE. 9 7

against the walls, as the air gets access to each
truss, and especially if they are packed with a small
space between each truss. If placed near the wall,
they may, and probably will, suffer from damp, and
will lose condition.

The sacks of oats should be also away from
the walls, and kept in regular rows on their ends,
and should from time to time be turned round, so
that it may be ascertained if they are suffering from
the ravages of mice or rats, or possible damp. The
straw should also be placed ends up in the bundles,
and any other forage should be similarly cared for
and disposed of.

It takes very little more time to do this than it
does to pile the forage in helter-skelter ; indeed, it
saves time in the long-run, and certainly saves
money. Order ever was and ever will be economy
in everything. A well-ordered establishment is
always an economically managed one. There may
be possible extravagance, but there can be but
little waste ; and if this obtains inside the house, it
does so in no less degree inside the stable, and
everything goes on smoothly and mechanically.
But it is absolutely necessary for the maintenance
of good order that every detail should be carefully
overlooked, and no slackness allowed anywhere ; and
a daily visit, if only of five minutes' duration, by

7

98 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

the master, to his stable, etc., will go very far
towards ensuring everything being as it should be,
especially if aided by a quick eye and the knowledge
of what is right and what is wrong. If it can
possibly be managed, a shed (or some covered place)
where soiled litter can be dried, will be found very
useful, and as the cost of such an erection is not
great, it will be, in the long-run, found true
economy, inasmuch as it will save a great deal of
waste in straw. So much litter is thrown away
because it cannot be dried properly, especially in
wet weather, and if there is no other place to dry
it in, it must be either so disposed of, or else dried
as best it can be in the stable ; and there is every
reason why the latter place is unsuitable for such
an operation, since the effluvium arising from it is
by no means desirable.

Straw is in some parts of the country a rather
expensive item, and it is worth while to study
economy in its use. A very simple structure will
suffice for the purpose — a few upright posts and
a roof of corrugated iron being all that is required.
If a concrete or asphalte flooring can be added, it
will be an advantage. If the expense of even such
a shed as the above is objected to, a very fair
substitute can be made by means of a roofing of
hurdles wattled in with straw, or covered over with

GROOMS' CHAMBERS. 99

tarpaulin, or, indeed, any place will do where the
air can get to the bedding and the rain cannot.

The proper place for the chambers of stable
servants would appear to be near to the horses under
their charge. If the saddle-room adjoins the stable, *it
migfht be with advantage over the latter, but that
is and must be dictated bv circumstances. I have
seen it advocated that there should always be a
window into the stable from the groom's chamber,
and such, no doubt, is an excellent plan, as it so
very frequently happens that something goes wrong
in the stable at night, and any noise or disturbance
would be readilv noticed, and a word to a fretful
or fidgety horse will often have the effect of quiet-
ing it. Moreover, if there is anything really wrong,
it can be at once ascertained, and although a lazy
groom would think twice before turning out of his
bed at nig-ht and groins' down into the stable, he
would hardly hesitate to take the trouble to look
througfh a window or shutter which is close at
hand. I would suggest that while the furniture
for servants' rooms should be as simple as possible,
due regard should be paid to their necessary comfort,
as when a man has done a gfood day's work he is
entitled to a good night's rest. But the greatest
cleanliness and tidiness should be insisted upon, and
I would urgre that the master himself should make

7—2

ioo THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

a point of personally inspecting the rooms occupied
by his servants, and not infrequently, and at unex-
pected times, and not consider it beneath his
dignity to condescend to go into them. Such
inspections are due to the servants themselves, and
in his own interest likewise, and I do not think
that any sensible person would, on reflection, think
otherwise than I do on this subject.

[ "I ]

CHAPTER XIII.

Requirements of a good saddle. — Parts of a saddle. — Saddle-
trees.—Saddle-seats. — Saddle-fittings. — Saddle-flaps.—
Stuffing of saddles. — Panels. — Sweat-flaps. — Good and
bad trees. — Cut of saddles. — Straight seats.— Argument
in favour of straight seats. — Length of rein obtained by
use of straight seats. — Why horses pull less when ridden
by ladies. — Knee-rolls v. plain flaps. — Field correspond-
ence as to knee-rolls and plain flaps. — Use of the leg in
riding. — Cavalry riding. — Advantage of knee-rolls. — Major
Whyte-Melville on plain flaps. — Girths. — Stirrup-irons. —
Saddle-bar stops. — Fitting of stirrup - leathers. — Good
saddles. — Best saddles. — Materials used for lining saddles.
— Messrs. Whippy's new system of lining saddles. — Saddle-
heads. — Numnahs. — Chambering saddles. — Side - saddles
and sore backs.— Back-stays.- — Cause and prevention of
sore backs in ladies' horses. — Proper position for a lady
on side-saddle. — Improper seat. — Safety stirrups for
ladies.

Before a-oino- into detail as regards saddles, it will
be, perhaps, as well for us to consider what a saddle
really is. As its name implies, it is a seat. It is,
in fact, a seat which is placed on the back of a horse
for a person to sit upon. It should therefore be
(and we will take the feelings of the dumb animal
firstly) comfortable to the horse, and also comfort-

io2 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

able to the rider. Now, it cannot be comfortable
to the horse if it does not fit him ; similarly, it
must also fit the rider. The saddle, therefore,
must be of such a shape that it combines both of
these desiderata.

If the shape of a horse's back and the shape of
a man be compared, it will be observed that the
one is by no means ill-ada2)ted to the other ; that
a horse is evidently made for the purpose of
carrying a man, and a man is made for riding a
horse. With these natural advantages to work on,
it should therefore not be a difficult matter to
interpose a seat between man and horse, which
should in its shape follow the lines of the horse's
back, and allow the man riding thereon to sit in a
perfectly comfortable and unconstrained manner.
Strange to say, however, it is by no means an easy
matter to procure a saddle which fulfils both of
these requirements, the result being that far too
frequently the man, the horse, or both suffer.

The nearer a man can sit to his horse the better
he can ride, and the better the horse can carry him.

When a saddle does not sit close and fit well,
the weight must be necessarily raised, and the
higher it is raised the less steady it must be
when a horse is in motion ; in plain English, the
weight — the man — rocks to and fro on the horse's

SAD DLE-SEA TS. 103

back, very much to his own discomfort and possible
damage to his horse. The friction thus set up wears
out the horse's back, and establishes a sore, and
this effect is in a measure shared by the man. A
really good horseman will, it is true, manage to
ride on almost any saddle somehow. But the
steadiest seat and the greatest care will not prevent
a saddle o'allina- a horse's back if the saddle does
not fit it properly. It becomes therefore a matter
of the greatest importance that a saddle should fit
both horse and man as exactly as possible. A sore
man is easily cared, but a sore back takes a long
time in healing and recovering its proper condition ;
indeed, there are few things more troublesome to
cure, and when a horse's back has once been
'wrung,' it is generally tender in future, and more
liable to suffer again in like manner.

Let us therefore examine a saddle, and dissect it,
as it were, so as the better to understand its several
parts ; and they are these, viz. :
The tree, as it is called.
The seat.
The flaps, panels, etc.

We will take them in the order in which I have
named them.

The tree of an ordinary saddle should be light
and strong. It is made of wood, and may be, for

io4 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

explanation, divided into four separate parts, viz. :
the side-boards, the pommel, or head, and the
cantle. The two first-named are connected by the
two last. The whole, when fitted together and
laid on the back of a horse, should fit and follow
the lines and curves of the back perfectly and
closely, and yet in such a manner that the edges of
the side-boards, or any portion of the tree, cannot
bear unduly on the back. A well-shaped saddle-tree
will fit nearly any ordinary horse, and will remain in
its proper place so perfectly that it would be quite
possible to ride on it without girths. The tree, as
I have said, is made of wood. Now, if it were all
carved out of one piece of wood, it is obvious that,
in order that its shape may follow that of the
horse's back, the grain of the wood would in
several places be across, and not run true, and that
where this cross-onrain existed manifest weakness
must result. It is therefore made in several pieces,
which are so joined and dovetailed into each other
that, whatever the curve required may be, the grain
runs true throughout. This system therefore
requires to be very carefully and scientifically
carried out. The work is also further strengthened
by pieces of metal at both head and cantle, which
are termed the front and back arches, and these, in
a good tree, are closely riveted (the rivets being

SADDLE-TREES. 105

placed about an inch apart) to the wood. The
whole of the wooden portion of the tree is covered
with a coating of canvas and glue. I should also
add that the bars, as they are called, for the
stirrups to be fastened on to, and which are also of
metal, are also riveted on to the side-boards of
the tree. So far, the tree is complete, and it will
be readily seen that there is a very great deal of
skilled labour necessary to make a good tree, and
the material must also be the best of its kind, inas-
much as it is absolutely necessary to combine
strength with lightness. It is therefore impossible
to obtain the best tree in a cheap saddle, and either
one or other of the above essentials must be
wanting.

To ride on a naked tree is, of course, impossible.
It must therefore be covered both on its upper and
lower side. On the former for the rider's sake, on
the latter for that of the horse. It is customary
to cover the tree with strong webbing. Over this,
again, is placed the leather seat, which completely
covers the upper part of the tree from end to end,
and is cut out to fit it. This seat is usually
made of hogskin, and in order to make it less
hard and more comfortable, is lightly padded or
stuffed. The rest of the seat is made of either hoff-
skin or ordinary leather, and has short flaps, or

io6 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

skirts, as they are called, which serve to protect
and cover the stirrup-bars, which would otherwise
be exposed. Behind the stirrup-bars the girthing-
straps are also riveted on to the side-boards.

Over the girthing-straps and under the bar-flaps
the saddle-flaps are fastened. There are two large
leather or hogskin flaps, which are necessary to
protect the legs of the rider from rubbing against
the sides of the horse, and the latter from being
rubbed and galled by the former.

So much for the outside of the saddle.

The inside of the tree (that which is next to the
horse's back) is furnished with a covering of serge
(which is the material most frequently used), or
serge covered with linen, and this is stuffed with
horsehair in such a manner as to form a cushion
between the hard surface of the tree and the back
of the horse, and arranged so as to allow the space
along the inside and upper portion of the tree to
be clear, as also to avoid any pressure of any part
of the tree being possible. More or less than just
exactly thus much is bad, and this stuffing of hair
should exactly correspond with the shape of the
tree.

Underneath the saddle-flaps are what are called
the panels, which are in reality no more than false
flaps of soft leather, which are also slightly stuffed

GOOD AND BAD TREES. 107

with horsehair, and interposed between the flaps
proper and the horse, and serve to absorb sweat,
and also for the further comfort of both man and
horse. The girthing-straps protrude over the
panels, between them and the flaps. A still
further small flap, known as a sweat-flap, is also
fixed between the girthing-straps and the panels.

Now, if a tree fits a horse as it should do, it is a
comparatively easy matter to stuff a saddle so that
it fits the horse exactly. Of course it must be
borne in mind that saddle-trees are made somewhat
larger than the actual bare measurements of the
horse, so as to allow of this intervening stuffing.
A good saddler will easily stuff a saddle with a
(food tree to fit as it should, but the best man in
the world cannot make a bad tree fit well. He
may succeed in so arranging the stuffing that the
saddle will not gall a horse, but such a saddle will
never ride well, and must necessarily be uncomfort-
able to the rider ; neither can he sit down closely
and well ' into ' his horse, as he should do, and
thereby his power over his horse is lessened, as
must of necessity also be his pleasure and comfort.
Material and shape are of the first importance ;
the latter, perhaps, of greater importance than the
former, inasmuch as if the tree is good a cheaper
description of leather for the seat and flaps may be

io8 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

used, and such will last fairly well ; but that is the
only saving of expense which can be entertained in
the construction of a saddle without sacrifice of
efficiency.

Now, the shape of saddles, what may be termed
their ' cut,' may and does vary very considerably.
To my way of thinking, provided that it is large
enough, there should be as little as possible on a
horse, whether in the way of saddle or bridle, etc.
If a horse is of a good shape, the less he is covered
up with leather the better. Some people prefer to
have their saddles cut deep, so as to allow them to
sit down in a hollow, as it were. I cannot say I
like a deep-cut saddle. Where a horse has an un-
usually hollow back, the tree must of course be
made on purpose to fit it ; but for horses whose
backs are of an ordinary shape, I cannot think that
a deep-cut seat can possibly fit as well as one which
follows the line of the back more closely. Doubt-
less a very fat man may require a deeper-cut saddle
than an ordinary individual, and I do not for a
moment wish it to be inferred that there is but
one pattern of saddle, for the contrary is very
much the case ; and I consider that a man should
be measured for his saddle, and that such is quite
as necessary as that he should be measured for his
breeches and boots. But I do think that a saddle-

STRAIGHT SEATS AND LONG REINS. 109

seat should be as straight from pommel to cantle
as the shape of the rider will admit of its being,
inasmuch as his seat will be better, and thereby his
control over his horse greater, and being further
back on his horse will give him a greater length of
rein, which latter will enable him to handle his
horse to greater advantage and with more delicacy.
I did intend to refer to this particular point
later on, but the present seems to me to be so very
suitable that I will here take the opportunity of
ventilating what may be but my own theory after
all, but which is nevertheless one I believe in
myself, and one which I think the reader will agree
with me that I have good reasons for advancing.
I say that a man can handle a horse better, by
reason of having more control over him, and with
greater delicacy, at the end of a long rein, than with
a short one. My reasons for making this assertion
are as follow : A horse, we will suppose, is a hard
puller in single or double harness. Now, put that
horse in the lead of a coach, and he will scarcely
pull at all, probably not at all. Put him into the
' wheel,' and he is as bad as ever. And why ?
Because, I maintain, he is driven with a longer
rein. Now, if this is the case in a coach, why
should it not, as I am convinced it does, obtain
equally in a saddle ? Everybody knows that it is

1 1 o THR O UGH ST A BLE AND SADDLE-R 0 OM.

admitted to be generally the fact that a horse
which is a puller in saddle will pull less if ridden
by a lady than by a man. The reason always given
is that a lady's hands are so much more delicate
and lighter than those of a man. I grant that this
often is and may be so. A woman does not
perhaps pull at a horse as much as a man, and
consequently the horse, feeling that he gets no
fun out of it, gives up the game, and ceases to
pull at her.

But I do not myself consider that this fully
explains the reason. There are men whose hands
are as delicate as anv woman's, and who are less
physically strong than many a woman, and who are
as delicate in their handling as any woman could
be. Yet with all this, horses will pull at them
and overpower them in a way which they would
not do with a lady, and there are many women who
can so manage horses, and whose hands can be and
are brutally severe on a horse's mouth. I have
thought over this subject often and deeply, and I
have formed the conclusion that the reason is to
be found very much in the fact that a woman's seat
on her side-saddle is considerably further bach than
a man's is, and that, having a greater length of
rein thereby, she has very considerably increased
power. It is, perhaps, the combination of this and

KNEE-ROLLS AND PLAIN FLAPS. i 1 1

delicacy of touch, and physical weakness maybe ;
but what I adduce as an additional reason has, I
am sure, very much to do with the fact. There-
fore I maintain that for this, as well as for the
other reasons which I have mentioned, a saddle
should be cut as straight as possible. A man can
sit back, too, so much more easily in a straight
seat than in a hollow one, and this is perhaps one
of the most difficult positions in the art of horse-
manship to acquire. Moreover, by so doing he is
better enabled to use the proper muscles of his legs
— viz., those on the sides of his calves.

And while on the subject of saddles, it will be
well to compare the advantages and the dis-
advantages of what are termed ' knee-rolls ' and
' plain flaps.'

Until a few years ago the majority of saddles
were made with a padding of leather on the front
portion of the flaps to support the knee of the rider.
These knee-rolls were either made by the leather
of the flaps being continued over the padding in
one piece, as it were, or else were sewn on sepa-
rately— ' laid on,' as it is termed. But whichever
system was adopted, their use remained the same ;
and there is not a shadow of a doubt but that they
are of the very greatest use to a horseman, inas-
much as they give an increase of purchase.

ii2 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Latterly, however, the fashion has been to discard
them altogether, and to substitute what I have
said are termed plain flaps — that is to say, flaps
without any such stuffing whatever.

I somewhat shrink from entering upon this
subject at all, for a few years ago, a letter appear-
ing in the Field, which was written by a man who
had then but recently returned home from abroad,
and who was anxious to be in the fashion and to
know which of the two to adopt — viz., knee-rolls
or plain flaps — I was weak enough to reply to his
queries as fully and honestly as I could. My
letter produced such a storm of correspondence,
and my reasons (which I here give) were so twisted
and turned about, and my meaning, which I thought
and hoped I had made so clear and simple, so dis-
torted, that I was very sorry I had taken the
trouble to put pen to paper. Eventually it evoked
a leading article on the subject. I did not make
reply to any of the letters, or I should probably
have caused still further misunderstanding ; but all
the same, my reasons were as simple and matter-of-
fact as I will endeavour to make them in the
present instance, hoping that the reader will be
more lenient to me in his judgment, if he disagrees
with me, than my unknown correspondents were.

As I stated above, the proper leg-muscles for a

USE OF THE LEG IN RIDING. 113

man to use in riding" are those which are situated
on the inside of the calf of the leg, and not those
at the back of the calf. Now, these muscles are, in
the majority of people, latent ; but I do not say
with everyone. If the support given by the use
of a knee-roll is taken away, it is evident that a
greater strain must be laid on the muscles of the
leg ; but anyhow, in all cases, the side-muscles
should be used — in other words, the leg and foot of
the rider should be fiat to his horse's side, and it
should be kept well back in its place, and never
allowed to swing forward. If such is the case, a
horse is very likely to get spurred on the shoulder
when jumping. If these side-muscles are braced,
the muscles above the knee, the thigh-muscles, must
be braced also, though it is not inversely so, as the
thigh-muscles may be braced and yet those in the
lower part of the leg may be comparatively idle ;
but in order to secure a good, firm, and elegant
seat (and the latter will usually follow the former),
the grip of the saddle should be maintained
by the whole of the leg, thereby distributing
the pressure required, and minimizing the fatigue
of any particular set of muscles. Now, if the sup-
port given by the knee-roll be taken away, there
must be a tendency (in most people) for the leg to
go forward ; and in order to prevent this, a greater

8

H4 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

strain is thrown on the W-muscles to retain it in its
proper position. After a time, and with constant
practice, this necessary pressure becomes instinctive,
and the absence of the knee-roll is not felt. Where
boys have been taught so to ride, they can ride
nearly as well without knee-rolls as with. Cavalry
men are trained to ride with the flat of their legs,
as it is with these that their horses are managed,
and not with their heels or spurs. A cavalry
soldier has to carry his sword in one hand and
manage his horse with the other and his legs;
and the latter have to do the greater share of the
work ; and with them he turns, or ' passes,' his
horse, forces him into a trot or gallop, and generally
supports him — that is to say, his bridle-hand, though
aidiner his legs in combination with them, is com-
paratively speaking of second 'a t-y importance.

Such men, therefore, have the muscles I have
referred to brought out, and by constant use
matured, and so can ride just as well without knee-
rolls as with them, as far as their riding-powers are
required ; but take, for example, a man who, having
been used to ride with knee-rolls all his life, and
who, wishing- to be in the fashion, is desirous of
taking to plain flaps. He purchases a saddle with
plain flaps, and, finding that he misses the support
of the knee-rolls to which he has been accustomed,

AD V ANT A GE OF KNEE-ROLLS. i i 5

seeks to obtain as strong a grip in his new saddle
as he had in his old one, and so, in order to secure
it, he turns the bach of his calf into the saddle, so
as to obtain from the fulness of his calf the muscles
which should be sufficient, if they were present, on.
the side of his leg. The hack of his calf being into
his saddle, his toes must turn out, and very ugly and
ungainly his seat becomes. As a consequence to
this, though why I cannot explain, up go his hands
and out go his elbows. Now, this is no exaggera-
tion. I only ask the reader to take notice for him-
self, and if he does so he will see the truth of what
I say.

Personally, I always use plain flaps. I like the
look of them ; they show off a horse's shoulder better.
They last longer, and look more sportsman-like ;
and I can ride in them, having had so many years
of cavalry service ; but if asked if I consider that
my seat is as perfectly strong in them as in a 'knee-
rolled' saddle, I at once reply, ' Certainly not.'
When does one ever see a man ride a steeplechase
in a small saddle without knee-rolls, and why .'
The question, I think, answers itself sufficiently.

That best of good sportsmen and horsemen, the
late Major Whyte - Melville, urges in favour of
plain-flapped saddles that they are easier to get
back into if a man should be thrown at all forward

8—2

n6 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

from his saddle, and so get his legs in front of it.
I respect and admire all he has ever said and
written ; but I would ask this question, or, rather,
I should say, make this remark, viz. : A man has
no right to get into such a position. Probably he
would not have got there if he had a knee-roll on
his saddle to keep him back.

As an accompaniment to saddles are the girths ;
and there are several descriptions of these. The
girths in most general use are double; that is,
simply two girths made of broad webbing, and
furnished with double buckles at each end, which
are sewn on with strong leather ' tabs.' These
webbing- girths are made in various colours — white,
blue, or fawn being those commonly used. If there
is a choice of any particular colour, I should feel
inclined to give the preference to the white, as they
are so easily cleaned and pipeclayed, and always
look clean and smart, and the blue fades very soon,
and consequently has a shabby appearance. The
fawn shows stains which cannot very easily be got
out, and so looks dirty.

Of the various patterns of girths, that called the
Fitzwilliam is by far the best, though rather more
expensive than the others. It consists of one extra-
broad girth of webbing, with two double buckles at
each end ; and over this, again, there is another

GIRTHS. 1 1 7

narrower girth with only one buckle at either end-
There are standing runners (leather loops) sewn on
to the broader girth, to keep the narrower one in
its place. The advantages derived from the use of
these girths are that they are stronger, and that,
there can be no possible chance of nipping or
pinching a horse with them, as there is with the
ordinary double girths. There are, in addition to
the above-named, girths which are made of raw
hide, plaited, and of leather, plaited in the same
way; but I have not found them altogether satis-
factory. It is true that they are very strong, almost
unbreakable, and that a horse cannot get pinched
or girth-galled with them, and that, the plaits
being separate and joined together at wide intervals
by pieces of leather, through the loops of which
they are made to run, they are very cool ; but
they are very troublesome at first, as they stretch
so much ; and until they have been by long use
stretched to their utmost, they require constant
alteration or shortening ; and as this has to be
done by a saddler, it becomes very inconvenient.
When once they are fully stretched (and nothing
but use will thoroughly effect this), I have nothing
but praise to say in their favour. The better
description of the two, the raw hide, continue to
stretch much longer than the leather ones. A

n8 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

girth should be just tight enough to allow a finger's
breadth between it and the horse.

Stirrup-irons are of great variety. I pin my
faith to those which are plain ; but they should
have what are called 'Prussian sides,' viz., should
be made wide where the arch joins the foot-bar,
so as to prevent the foot being bruised by reason of
the round iron pressing against the outside of it,
and a round arch can make itself very uncomfort-
able at the end of a long day's hunting, when the
foot has necessarily been ' home' in the stirrup for
many hours. The term ' home' implies that the
whole foot is thrust into the stirrup as far as it will
go, and that the bar of the stirrup is under the
hollow of the foot therefore, and not under the ball
of it. Such irons as I have described look smarter,
and are workmanlike also.

There are no end of other stirrup-irons which
have been from time to time invented as safety
stirrups. They are all doubtless excellent in their
way, and bear out the good qualities they are
declared to possess ; but I do not care for them,
and, as I have said, I prefer the plain ones,
but these latter must fit the foot of the rider,
and be neither too large nor too small in any
measurement, whether in height of arch or width
of bar. If they are too large in either of these, it

STIRR UP-IR ONS. 1 1 9

is by no means impossible or improbable that the
foot of the rider may, should his horse fall with
him, slip through the stirrup, and so he may get
dragged and sustain serious injury. On the other
hand, a similar result may occur if it is too small,
as his foot may get wedged in, and he may not be
able to extricate it. As stirrup-irons are made in
various sizes, it becomes an easy matter to secure
those which fit properly.

The springs of the stirrup-bars, etc., which are
fixed on the saddle, should never be fastened, but
always be kept down. The reader will easily see
what I refer to if he will take the trouble to look
at any saddle. On lifting up the bar-flaps he will
see that at the end of them there is a spring-catch,
which opens or closes the bar, in order to allow the
stirrup-leathers to be passed in on to the bars. It
is this spring-catch which should be kept open.
The reason for this is obvious, and there is but
little chance of being dragged, if thrown, if this
advice is followed. If the ' stops,' as they are called,
are up, the chances are much in favour of a very
nice and complete accident, with a full amount
of damage, being secured. These stops are really
useless, as the stirrup-leather will remain in its
place fjuite as well as is required without them,
and I would advise the reader never to get into a

i2o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

saddle without first looking under the bar-flap on
each side, and making sure that the stops are down.
It is a great nuisance to most people to have to
alter the length of the stirrups after mounting, and
especially if a horse is at all fractious, and, if I may
be pardoned for saying so, I always think a man
looks such a helpless fool when he is slewed round in
his saddle while the groom is altering the stirrup-
irons or girths for him, the horse, perhaps, mean-
while dodging about all over the place. In order
to prevent this, the following rough guide serves to
show pretty accurately the proper length of stirrup
for ordinary people, according to their height,
length of leg, etc. If a man has long legs, he
generally has long arms, and arms and legs are
much of the same character in each individual.
Now, if it is desired to gauge the length of stirrup
required, adopt the following plan : Stand facing
your saddle, take up the stirrup-iron with one hand,
and, drawing it out to the full length of the leather,
measure it with the other arm ; the fingers of the
hand of the measuring arm should be extended till
they touch the stirrup-bar. The foot-bar of the
stirrup-iron should touch the side of the body
under the armpit. If too long, shorten, if too short,
lengthen, the stirrup-leathers till they are the exact
measurement. They will, on mounting, be found to

BEST SADDLES. 1 2 1

be the required length. The price of a good London
saddle is about six guineas, or perhaps slightly less.

It is better to purchase a second-hand saddle by
a really good maker, if it is in good condition and
Jits, than to obtain a new one for possibly the same
price from an inferior maker.

The best London saddlers are these : Messrs.
Whippy, Merry, Souter, and Wilkinson and Kidd.
I do not think that there is any choice between any
of these : all are as good as they can possibly be.
There are doubtless numerous others also, but these
hold the ' pride of place ' in the trade, and the
reader may be perfectly certain of obtaining from
either of them the very best cut, workmanship, and
material in the whole of the civilized world. They
will, moreover, fit him and his horse too. If they
cannot, no one can.

I have observed that white serge is the material
most generally used for the lining of saddles,
panels, etc., and such is the case. I do not, how-
ever, wish to infer that I consider it the best
material which can be used for the purpose, inasmuch
as they are very frequently covered with linen, and
very advantageously so too, especially where horses
are very sensitive in their backs ; and I therefore
consider the latter better in every case, as if it saves
a tender back it must also be more comfortable,

122 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

generally speaking. It is cool and smooth, wears
quite as well as serge, and, what is more, is not so
attractive to moths, and I should advocate its use.

Within the last few years Messrs. Whippy, of
London, have brought out a new method of lining
saddles. I have never used it myself, but I have
seen it. I hear nothing but the highest praise
respecting it. It is this : All serge or linen lining
is completely done away with ; the tree is covered
with thick felt, and over this there is a covering of
plain, smooth leather ; the seat is also lined with
leather in a similar manner. Beyond this there is
apparently nothing, and apparently nothing further
is required. As may be supposed, the rider is able
by its use to sit very close to his horse, and that
alone is a very great desideratum. Saddles so lined
are comparatively indestructible, and are, of course,
very much lighter, while the lightness obtained is
not in any way at the expense of strength or
durability. I am given to understand that Messrs.
Whippy have not in any way patented or protected
this improvement, and I have recently seen one
which has been made by Mr. Orpwood, of Oxford,
and which is an improvement on the ordinary way
of fixing such lining:. I tried a saddle lined with
leather, as I have described, on a saddler's horse,
and I must say that, although such a method of

NEW SYSTEM OF LINING SADDLES. 123

trying a saddle is by no means as satisfactory as
the actual animal itself, I was fully convinced of
the very great additional grip which must be ob-
tained by using saddles so treated, as also of their
apparent comfort to the rider.

In order to keep the leather lining soft and
supple, nothing further than a little soap is required,
and I should say that they must be charming to
ride on, and should be equally comfortable for even
the most tender-backed horse, and I am assured that
such is the case.

I had almost forgotten to make mention re-
garding the head of a saddle — the ' pommel,' as it
is generally called — but I can do so here as well
as elsewhere. In some provincial, but nowadays
in no well-made London saddles, the head of the
saddle is cut back towards the seat, and is what is
termed ' cow-mouthed.' Now, this is wrong alto-
gether, and positively dangerous, and no hunting-
saddle should ever be so made, and I am inclined to
believe that a g-ood London saddler would refuse to
sell a saddle of such a shape. I will ask the reader
to follow me in supposing that he has the mis-
fortune to be thrown slightly forward in his saddle
against the head of a saddle with a ' cow-mouth.'
Let him but look at such a saddle ; he will be able
to judge for himself what amount of injury he could

i24 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

very easily sustain. On the other hand, let him
examine one with a straight head, and he will see
that the gullet-iron of the saddle being- further
away from him, the danger is lessened, and that the
shape of the latter is also of a less harmful charac-
ter than the former. Either would be bad enough,
but the one would be infinitely worse than the
other.

It is sometimes the custom to use what is called
a ' numnah,' which is a kind of saddle-cloth, for the
purpose of protecting a horse's back when such is
inclined to be tender ; but if a saddle fits a horse
properly and is properly lined, as I have endea-
voured to explain it can and should be, such an
addition is unnecessary. I will, however, explain
that numnahs are made of felt, sheepskin, and
leather. Either of these answers the purpose. The
latter is, however, the most workmanlike, but it
must be kept soft with soap ; and, indeed, care and
the most perfect cleanliness is necessary with all
three descriptions, otherwise they are apt to get
hard and lumpy, and to cause the very evil they
are intended to avert. .

Where a horse's back has been at all galled, and
it is inconvenient to throw him out of work, the
saddle may be ' chambered ' — that is to say, a
hollow formed in that part of it which would other-

SIDE-SADDLES AND SORE BACKS. 125

wise bear on the sore, by removing some of the
stuffing and sewing round the base of the hollow
thus created ; but this must, of course, be done by
a saddler, and carefully done, too. And the saddle
must be girthed very exactly, so as to ensure the
' chambering ' being over the exact spot, and not
shifting ; otherwise the sore will be very consider-
ably increased, and the horse thereby have to be
laid up for some long time. But, to speak plainly,
such a thinof as a sore back should be unknown in
a properly managed stable.

Ladies' horses are more subject to sore backs
than others, and for the following reasons — viz. :
A side-saddle is longer in the seat than a man's
saddle, and being so it is more apt to swing from
side to side and cause a sore. Where such is the
case, the sore is generally on the near side of the
back ; and very often another is also formed at the
same time on the off side of the withers. And in
order to prevent this swaying to and fro it is neces-
sary to use a back-stay, as it is called, which is a
divided strap fastened from the off and outer edge
of the tree and the seat of the saddle, and connected
with the surcinarle. There are various ways of
arranging this back-stay ; but a back-stay is neces-
sary, especially for hunting purposes. Mr. Souter,
of the Haymarket, has invented an arrangement

i26 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

by which the trees of side-saddles are very much
strengthened, by means of an iron or steel band
which is placed transversely across the tree from
the near side of the shoulder to the off-side seat,
and which there terminates in a D for the attach-
ment of the back-stay. If my memory serves me
aright, I think I have described this accurately,
although it is some years since he was kind enough
to explain it to me.

If it is necessary for a man's saddle to fit
well, it is perhaps, if possible, more so, that a
side-saddle should fit, and that the seat should
be as straight as it can be. Naturally, the
straighter the seat the longer the saddle : hence
an additional reason for the use of a back-stay with
a side-saddle, and also because, as a woman's seat
on a horse is very much an artificial one, she is
therefore entirely dependent for her strength of
seat on her saddle alone, as, apart from her balance,
the only hold she can obtain is that which is
afforded by the pommels. A woman should sit
fair and square on her saddle, and not on the side
of it. How many women are there who do so ?
Or, rather, how few there are ! Her shoulders,
when mounted, should be perfectly square to the
front, and her foot should be perfectly flat to the
side of her horse, and at whatever pace she may be

PROPER POSITION FOR A IADY. 127

riding, this position should be maintained. It was
well-nigh impossible in the old deep-cut saddles, in
which the head was so high, for this to be the case
without the very greatest exertion and consequent
fatigue. In a straight-seated saddle, however, the
case is different, and there is no reason why a
proper seat, such as I have described, should not
be acquired. Too often, alas ! is it the case that
as soon as a horse begins to trot, and the lady rises
to it, she does so sideways, and not truly forwards ;
and her foot goes kicking out in a fashion by no
means graceful, although both rider and foot may
be everything which is charming. The result of this
sideways movement is that the saddle receives a
side-twist, and the wretched horse gets the benefit
of it, generally in two places at once — viz., the off
wither and near side of the back. My reason,
therefore, for laying extra stress on the necessity of
side-saddles fitting well, and the use of a back-stay
with them, is, I conclude, very apparent.

As regards stirrups for side-saddles, I say, By
all means use anything which is best calculated to
avoid an accident. A woman is so at the mercy of
her horse, she is necessarily so encumbered with
her habit (no matter how well it may fit, or how
ingeniously it may be arranged, there is still a great
amount of cloth which can catch on pommels, etc.),

128 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

and the sight of a lady being ' dragged ' is so
terrible, that if danger to her can in any way
be lessened, in mercy's name let it be so by all
means !

I love to see good horsewomen, but I am
always anxious for their safety, especially in the
hunting-field. It has been my lot to pilot more
than one brilliant horsewoman to hounds, and
amongst them one very dear to me — no other than
my wife ; but such hunting-days have ever been
the reverse of pleasurable to me, by reason of my
intense anxiety, knowing how little causes an acci-
dent, and how dire such may prove to a lady rider
to hounds.

C I29 1

CHAPTER XIV.

Bridles. — Headstalls. — Buckles. — Browbauds. — Beins. —
Parts of a bridle. — Double-rein snaffles. — Bits. — Shape
of a horse's mouth. — Hard and soft mouths. — Spoiled
mouths. — -How to fit a bit in a horse's mouth. — Curb. —
Throat-lash. — Noseband. — Variety of bits.— The tempta-
tion of a saddler's shop. — Fancy bits. — Useful bits. —
Useless bits. — Snaffles. — Use of two snaffles. — Gag-
snaffles. — Bits and bridoons, — Too severe bits. — The grid-
iron.— Curb-save. — Lip-straps. — Ward-bits. — Bit-mouth-
pieces.— Instrument for measuring a horse's mouth. — The
'Pelham' bit. — 'Ben Morgan' bit.— 'Ben Morgan' bit
for driving. — -Breast-plates. — Fitting of breast-plates. —
Martingales. — Standing-martingales. — Bein-rings. — How
to saddle a horse. — Cleaning of saddlery. — Evils of saddle-
paste. — Care in cleaning saddle-flaps. — Prices of saddlery.

The appearance of a horse is very much improved
or marred according as his bridle is well or ill cut
or put on.

There should not be one scrap of leather on a
horse's head more than is absolutely necessary to
secure the proper amount of strength. I hardly
know which looks the worse, a heavy head-stall
with over -broad, clumsy -looking leathers, or one
which is too much the other way. As in all

9

i3o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

things there is a happy medium, so is there in the

present instance ; and the happy medium is here

as elsewhere — after all but common-sense. Both

headstall and reins should be invariably sewn on

to the bit, for the reasons I have given before when

making mention of watering bridles ; and all buckles

should be of plated metal, and not covered with

leather. The leather should be of its own natural

colour, and not coloured with saffron or any such

stuff, as is often the case with cheap saddlery. As

a rule, only one rein, the snaffle, is made to buckle

in its middle ; but I think it an advantage to have

a buckle on both snaffle and bit reins. As I have

before observed in another part of this book, it is

quite inadmissible to use any coloured browband ;

nothing but plain leather, the same as the reins,

should ever be worn. All reins, excepting those

which are used with a gag-snaffle, should be flat.

One not infrequently sees ladies' bridles made with

round reins, and at times there is also an addition

in the shape of a sort of tassel of leather which

hangs under the horse's throat, and perhaps a

frino-e of leather adorning the horse's nose. Can

bad taste extend further ? One always looks for

the green velvet habit, long white gauntlets, and

spangles of the circus-rider also. Of late years, I

am glad to say, this sort of adornment has very

PARTS OF A BRIDLE. 131

much Qfone out of fashion, and women are more
sensibly attired, both on and off horseback ; and
they turn out better, and, I may add, ride better,
too, than in former days, and such monstrosities in
the way of saddlery as the above are going out of
fashion.

A bridle consists of the following parts, viz. :
headstall, browband, reins, throat-lash, and (at
times) a noseband ; but this latter is only used
where necessary to keep a horse from ' yawing ' his
mouth open, and when used is better fitted on its
own headstall — what is called a headstall nose-
band. Where a snaffle onlv is used the headstall is
single ; but where an ordinary double bit, bit and
bridoon, or curb and snaffle (and it is called by all
three names), is worn, then the headstall is double,
one portion being for the snaffle, and the other for
the bit, and there are, of course, reins attached to
both bit and snaffle.

As a rule, snaffles are, and should be, furnished
with double reins when used alone, as they are, of
course, safer than a single rein could be.

There are nearly as many different kinds of bits as
there are days in the year. I think before I enter
upon the subject of them (and I only intend to refer
to those which are practical, and not fancy bits) it will
be as well if I endeavour, in as few words as possible,

<J— 2

I X2

THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

and as simply as I can, to explain to the reader
what a horse's mouth really is like. Possibly he
has never taken the trouble to look or inquire. It
is furnished with teeth, palate, and a tongue, like
that of all other quadrupeds. The teeth are divided
in both the upper and lower jaws into two dis-
tinct and separate sets, as are our own, only
that in the horse there is a space between the two
sets — the ' gatherers,' or front teeth, and the
' grinders,' or back teeth. As may be inferred,
the duty of the former is to bite off and collect
the grass upon which, in its natural state, a horse
would feed ; that of the latter to grind the food
thus collected. The gatherers, or front teeth, are
six in number — six in the upper and six in the
lower jaw. The grinders are also six in number
on each side of each jaw, thus making in all twelve
gatherers, or, as we may call them, front teeth,
and twenty-four grinders, or back teeth. Between
these front and back teeth there is a space of some
three inches. In the adult mare this space remains
blank. In the horse there is a tusk, or ' tush,' as it
is called, an inch above the corner front tooth, on
either side of each jaw. What its use is I cannot
say, but we may be sure that it is there for some
wise purpose. At times, and by no means infre-
quently, this tusk is found present in the mouth of

HARD AND SOFT MOUTHS. 133

a mare. Whether the presence of this tooth in
the mouth of a mare is a sign of sterility I am
not in a position to state, as I have never taken
the trouble to ascertain, although it has often
occurred to me that such may be the case. With
this preamble I may proceed.

In a young horse the mouth is naturally tender
— in other words, every horse is born with what is
called a good mouth. It rests, therefore, entirely
with the breaker as to whether that mouth is
spoiled (hardened) or not. It is also true that all
horses have not the same temperament ; where one
is quiet and docile and easily broken, another is
equally impatient of control, and fights against the
bit which is placed in his mouth ; and here the
patience and delicacy of touch which a good horse-
breaker should possess is called into play. Every
abrasion of the tender mouth by the steel of the
bit tends to harden a horse's mouth, until, in the
hands of a man who is wanting in either touch or
temper, it becomes callous, and the horse's mouth
is spoiled and he is taught to pull. It may there-
fore be rightly argued that where a horse is a
puller his mouth has been spoiled by bad hand-
ling, though I have fully proved to my own
satisfaction that it is quite possible by a long
course of gentleness and patience to do very much

134 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

towards restoring the tenderness which should exist
in a horse's mouth.

Now it will be well to explain how a bit should
be placed in the mouth of a horse so as to be
least annoying to him, and also give the rider the
greatest control over him. The following simple
rules, as laid down for the bitting of cavalry horses,
will be found sufficient for all practical purposes :

The snaffle should fit the horse's mouth so as to
touch the corners of the mouth lightly, but with-
out creasing or gagging them. The bit should be
placed so that the mouthpiece should rest on the
bars (the gums) one inch above the tusk in a horse,
and two inches above the corner tooth (the last of
the gatherers, or front teeth) in a mare.

The curb-chain should be loose enough to admit
the breadth of at least one finger between it and
the jawbone.

The throat-lash should be loose enough to admit
the breadth of three fingers between it and the
side of the jaw.

The noseband (if one is used) should be j:>laced
so as to be the breadth of two fingers below the
projection on the cheek-bone of the upper jaw,
and loose enough to admit two fingers'-breadth
between it and the lower jaw.

' Circumstances alter cases,' but that is the fitting

VARIE TV OF BITS. 1 3 5

of a bridle for an ordinary bit for an ordinary-
horse, and it cannot be improved upon, whether
for a snaffle or for a double bit.

And now as to the bits themselves. As I said,
their name is legion. Let the reader at once
make up his mind to be content with a few simple
bits ; the fewer he can do with the better, always
provided he has enough for his requirements.
No woman in a milliner's shop is more tempted
to buy what she does not want than is a man
in that of a saddler. Therefore do not 2fo and
buy everything and anything which may be the
latest invention, especially in the way of bits.
They will prove but useless lumber, and are not
worth the expense, or even the trouble, of keeping
in order. Fancy bits are only fit for one purpose,
and that is for the saddler to sell. If a horse will
not go in a simple bit, the chances are that he will
not go any better in a fancy one. For a little time
he may, until he becomes used to its action ; but
after a time he generally learns to dodge the new
arrangement as well as the old one, and he pulls as
hard as ever. Make up your mind to either stick
to him and endeavour to cure him by good handling
and by fair means, or else to get rid of him.

I intend to put only the following bits on my
list, viz. :

1 36 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

The snaffle.

Ordinary bit and bridoon.

' Pelham.'

' Ben Morgan.'

All other bits I set aside as being- more or less
fancy bits, and not adapted for the use of
ordinary people, and also as being either too severe
for any but the most finished horsemen to use, or
utter rubbish.

Snaffles may be classed as follows, viz. : Plain,
twisted, and gag — and whichever of these they
may be, the mouthpiece should be large, so as
not to cut the corners of a horse's mouth. A
plain snaffle is made perfectly plain and smooth
in the mouthpiece, which latter is jointed in the-
middle.

A twisted snaffle has the two pieces forming the
mouthpiece twisted. Either of these may be made
with single or double rings (the latter is the more
powerful and the better pattern), or with check-
pieces, which may be made to fit into a standing
loop on the check-strap of the headstall, in which
case they are generally made flat, or to act in-
dependently. The former is a good plan, and
gives a slightly increased bearing, and keeps the
bit from working through the mouth.

SNAFFLES. 137

A plain snaffle is the very lightest description of
bit there is ; and a horse which will go well, and
Avhat is termed 'wear' himself well, in a snaffle,
must be possessed of a perfect mouth ; and it is the
best and safest bit to use for hunting, especially in
a bank country, where it is essential that a horse
should not have his mouth interfered with unduly,
and be able to extend himself as fully as he finds it
necessary. It has been remarked by one of the
best horsemen the world has known, that but few
horses are well mouthed and mannered enough to
be ridden in a snaffle, and but fewer men possessed
of hands sfood enough to use a bit. If that
were the case, most people would have to give
up riding altogether — but his meaning is of course
apparent.

Where one single snaffle is not sufficient for a
horse, and he is ' dead' on it, two may (what is
termed) advantageously be used. In which case one
of them may be twisted, and the other plain, and,
of course, in this case there would be but a single
rein attached to each. By the use of two snaffles,
as thus described, all ' deadness' of the mouth is
avoided, for if a horse bears on the one, the other
can always be brought into play, and thus a
constant change kept going, and without damaging
his mouth. It is in fact a good movable mouth-

i38 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

ful, and I often wonder that such an arrangement
is not more frequently made use of.

A gag-snaffle, as its name implies, gags the
mouth, and is constructed so as to draw up the
corners of the mouth when the reins (which are made
round at that portion of its length) are drawn tight,
the round part being made to run through two
metal eyes, which are fixed on what are best de-
scribed as cheek -pieces, or shanks. Such a bit is,
however, only used in special cases, and in order to
keep a horse's head up and prevent his boring, and
is never used alone, but in connection with either
another plain snaffle or a bit, and is not a thing to
be used by just anybody with impunity. I very
nearly killed myself when riding a steeplechase
through being forced against my will to use a gag-
snaffle. I lost the race and, as I say, nearty lost
my life. I ought, had I been wise, to have refused
to ride ; moreover, the gag was a bad one of its
kind, and did not run smoothly and properly, as it
should have done. If properly made and fitted,
and used carefully and with discretion, a gag is for
ordinary purposes, at times, exceedingly useful,
but in bad hands exceedingly dangerous. It
is, however, the only bit I know of which will
keep a horse's head up if he is a persistent borer,
but, like the oft-repeated answer to queries in the

THE BIT, SNAFFLE, AND CURB. 139

Field regarding the use of biniodide of mercury,
' it must be used sparingly.'

The ordinary bit, snaffle and curb, or bit and
bridoon, as it is called, consists of a steel mouth-
piece, with what is termed a port in the centre of
it ; in other words, it rises up in the centre in an
arch. This arch or port is made high or low,
according as the bit is more or less severe. The
higher the port, the more severe its action, and
vice verm. The mouthpiece is made with a shank
or cheek at either end of it, and the two are welded
together. At the upper end of the shanks are
round eyes, to which the headstall is sewn on. The
lower ends are furnished with loose rings for the
reins. Two swinging hooks are attached (one on
either side) to the upper eyes, for the purpose of
fastening on the curb-chain, which passes round
under the jaw. The action of the bit is therefore
a double one — viz., that of the port upwards, and
that against the curb-chain downwards, the mouth-
piece forming a powerful lever against the lower
jaw, which is forced upwards by the curb-chain.
This double action may be very much increased by
the use of longer shanks on the bit, by a tighter
curb-chain, and by, as I have already remarked, a
higher port.

I cannot recommend the use of anything ex-

i4o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

cessive in the above. The bit becomes too severe,
and is dangerous for ordinary use. I am aware
that there are people who are gifted with such
perfect hands that they can ride with anything,
and one of our best Gentlemen horsemen habitu-
ally uses a bit with a port like a gridiron, and
such, indeed, it is called, and he can use it ;
but then there are very few men in England
who can ride and handle a horse as he can —
certainly none better — and if I were to mention his
name, the fact would be admitted by all who know
him, or of him. He rides big, well-bred horses,
and strongly objects to being pulled at, and so
tackles them in this way, and can handle them
over the biggest part of Leicestershire in the most
masterly style.

An ordinary bit should be large in the mouth-
piece. The curb-chain should be large in the links,
and what is called a curb-save may be used with
advantage. This latter is a piece of leather which
has loops sewn on to it, and through which the
curb-chain is passed. It is used for the purpose
of protecting the horse's jaw, and preventing its
being cut by the broad steel links of the chain.
In any case where a bit is used, a lip - strap
should be added. It is a very simple arrangement,
and consists of a round leather strap, which is

THE 'WARD' BIT. 141

buckled on to either shank of the bit by means of
two small eyes, with which, I had omitted to
observe, the shanks of bits are provided for the
purpose. This strap passes through a loose ring
in the centre of the curb-chain, and serves to
prevent a horse throwing his bit up over his nose
— a habit which many horses acquire, and which
would constantly occur, were it not for this pre-
caution, with a fidgety horse which tosses his head
about.

I have said that a snaffle is the safest bit to use
for hunting in a bank country, and so it is. There
is, however, a bit which is much used in Ireland,
and which is there called the ' Ward ' bit. It has
a very low port and very short shanks, the latter
almost shorter than the width of the mouthpiece.
There are many people who profess to like them.
I cannot say that I see any advantage in them,
inasmuch as they are useless as bits, and no better
than a good snaffle, and they most certainly do not
look well. They always make me think that those
who use them do so because they may pull at them
with impunity, and that they either dislike the use
of a snaffle or are afraid to use a proper bit. Any-
how, they do no harm, which is more than can be
said of many bits. The mouthpiece of a bit should
be amply wide enough for a horse's mouth, so as

1 42 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

to ensure that the corners of the mouth are not
pinched in by the shanks, and yet not wide enough
to allow of the bit rolling about from side to
side.

I believe that in the German cavalry they use a
gauge to measure the mouths of the horses, so as
to get the exact width. Such a gauge is doubtless
a very useful thing to horses, but as we do not find
it necessary in our own cavalry, its use may be
dispensed with in an ordinary stable, and such very
accurate measurement is by no means imperative.

There is a bit called a ' Pelham,' and it is a bit
which many people run down, because they assert
that it is neither bit nor snaffle — neither the one
thing nor the other — and what they say is quite true ;
and yet its very merit is that it is neither the
one nor the other, inasmuch as where a snaffle is
not quite strong enough for a horse, and a bit is
too much, a ' Pelham ' is the very thing required.
It is, in fact, a bit with the mouthpiece of an
ordinary snaffle, instead of the fixed bar of an
ordinary bit, the mouthpiece being jointed in the
middle like a snaffle, and the shanks made to use
with a curb-chain the same as a bit. For thorough-
bred horses which pull a little bit too much to be
pleasant to ride with a snaffle, it is the very best
bit I know, and a very safe one to use also ; and

THE 'BEN MORGAN' BIT 143

no stable should be without one where more than
two or three horses are kept, as there is sure to be
one horse at least which it would suit.

Ben Morgan, who for many years was huntsman
to the Pytchley (and no better ever carried a horn),
invented a bit which bears his name, and a very
excellent bit it is, especially for horses which pull
or carry their heads too high, or for horses whose
heads are badly or heavily set on. It is, to all
appearances, when on, like an ordinary bit, but the
mouthpiece, instead of having a port in it, is per-
fectly round and smooth, and is made in a slight
curve from cheek to cheek, with the curve lying
downwards towards the horse's teeth — like what is
called a half-moon bit, only reversed. As the
mouthpiece is low in the horse's mouth in the centre
only, it therefore bears on the tongue, and, more-
over, prevents a horse from getting ' dead ' in hand,
as he, trying to reach it, plays on it, and so yields
his head to the hand of the rider. It is perfectly
smooth and simple in its action, and does not cut or
bruise a horse's mouth, inasmuch as it obtains by,
as it were, cajolery what cannot be secured by
force. It is necessary that, in order to obtain the
full advantage of its action, the curb-chain should
be as slack as it reasonably can be. I know but
one thing against it, which is, that if a horse is

i44 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

inclined to bore it is apt to make him bore rather
than prevent his doing so ; but in order to obviate
this, a brother officer of mine, Captain (now Major)
Haynes, contrived a combination of running gag
to use with it instead of the ordinary snaffle, and
he got Mr. Cooper, the saddler in York (who had,
I believe, at one time the monopoly for the sale of
the ' Ben Morgan ' bits, and, indeed, may still have
it, for aught I know to the contrary), to carry it out
for him ; and it is a most excellent arrangement,
inasmuch as the bit acting downwards, and the gag
upwards, the horse's head is thereby kept steady.
Of course, where a horse does not bore this com-
bination is unnecessary, and the ordinary snaffle
can be used. I have used it myself, and can vouch
for its good qualities, and was enabled by its use to
hunt with the most perfect comfort a horse which
I could not hold with any other bit, and whose
mouth was as hard as a paving-stone. I can also
answer for its good qualities as a driving-bit.
I was not aware, for some time after I purchased the
one referred to, that such bits were made for use in
harness. At the time we had, as wheeler in our regi-
mental coach, a horse which, as a puller, I believe
was never beaten. Many a time have I cursed
the day he was foaled, for he was surely the most
inveterate puller which ever looked through a collar ;

THE 'BEN MORGAN' BIT 145

but he was such a rare good-looking horse, and
such a wonderful worker, that we could not afford
to part with him. We bought him as being a
notorious puller, and we bought his bit with him
too — such a bit as it was, with a port like a fire-
shovel, added to which we were obliged to put a
roughed curb-chain inside his mouth, and another
one, also roughed, under his jaw, and this state of
things we endured for a long time.

One St. Leger meeting I chanced to come
across an old schoolfellow who, like myself, was
also driving his regimental coach, and we fell to
talking- over coaching matters. I knew his team
(which, by the way, were as good a lot of horses as
could be got together) were a bit hard-mouthed,
and wondered that he, having met with a severe
accident to his left arm, could hold them ; and then
he told me that he always used ' Ben Morgan ' bits
on the pullers, and advised me to get one for our
headstrong wheeler. I followed his advice, and
discarded all the former instruments of torture,
and from that time forward was able to drive in
comfort. I may also add that I have for some
years past used it on a pony which I have,
and which I bought as being quite impossible
to hold ; and she was quite so, until I ordered a
' Ben Morgan ' bit for her. Since then she has given

10

i46 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

me no trouble, and a child can drive her with
the most perfect ease.

Should it ever be the reader's fortune to be
troubled with a hard-pulling horse, I can most
confidently and strenuously urge him to profit by
these experiences.

A breast-plate is necessary in the hunting-field
alone, and even there its use is being abandoned,
since, as its purpose is to keep a saddle from
slipping back, it is not required save in hilly
countries, and for horses which are light-ribbed,
and whose conformation in this respect favours the
working back of the saddle. It is now the fashion
to discard them in Leicestershire, inasmuch as it is
de rigueur to eschew one particle of unnecessary
saddlery ; and certainly, if there is no use for them,
why retain them ? I must admit, however, that I
am conservative, or old-fashioned enough to like
them, and there must, in my opinion, be times
when they are useful. They always to me seem to
be the badge of a hunter.

For the information of the reader, I will endea-
vour to describe what a breast-plate is. A loose
collar formed of a leather strap about an inch wide,
which, passing over the withers of the horse, is
joined together above the breast-bone, and is there
met by a broader strap, which latter passes between

BREAS T-PLA TE. 1 47

the forelegs and is fastened to the girth — or rather,
I should say, is fastened by the girth — which is
run through a loop at the end of the strap, which
loop is formed by the end being doubled back on
the strap with a buckle, which is made to run
according as it is required to lengthen or shorten
the breast-plate. The shoulder-pieces and this
main-piece are united by means of a ring, to which
they are sewn.

The part which rests on the withers is made
wider than the side-pieces, and is about a foot in
length. This also is connected with the side-pieces
bv means of a ring1 at either end, and thus these
two rings lie on either side of the withers. Two
small straps, one on each side, are also sewn on to
these rings, and are buckled on to D's which are
fixed on the saddle for the purpose. By this
means the saddle is kept steadily forward on the
horse's back, and cannot (unless the breast-plate
breaks) slip back.

It is, however, very necessary that a breast-plate
should be properly put on. The breast-ring should
be two inches above the horse's breast-bone. In
this position it will be neither too high nor too low.
The side-pieces should be loose enough to allow
of the breadth of a hand between them and the
shoulder of the horse. The main-piece should be

10 — 2

148 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

loose enough to admit of the same measurement as
the side-pieces. Strange to say, there is perhaps
no article of saddlery which is more generally badly
put on than a breast-plate. It is either too tight or
too loose. It either cramps the horse (in which
case it is very likely to break), or else it is too
loose to be of any use. And very often the main-
piece is far too long — dangerously so ; for, if such
is the case, it is by no means a difficult matter for
a horse which has fallen over a fence to get his
foreleg- through in his struggles, and such an occur-
rence would be scarcely likely to mend matters.

Where horses carry their heads too high, it is
necessary to adopt some plan to remedy the evil ;
and this may be done by the use of a ' martingale,'
as it is termed, and which is somewhat similar to a
breast-plate, but with the addition of two split
straps of leather provided with rings, through
which the snaffle-reins are passed, and thus the
horse's head is drawn and kept down. If it is
necessary to use such a martingale, the breast-plate
may be utilized by the use of the split straps alone,
which may be made to buckle on to the breast-ring.
Such a martingale as I have described is termed a
' running martingale.' inasmuch as the reins run
through its rings.

There is a description of martingale which is

REIN-RINGS. 149

fixed and does not run, but I cannot advise its use,
and especially for hunting purposes, as it is not
safe.

A far better and simpler plan is to use two
metal rings which are connected by a piece of ,
leather of about six inches in length and one inch
broad. The snaffle-reins run through these rings,
and when the reins are drawn tight the rings are
drawn up under the horse's jaw. This is a great
deal safer, and is far more sightly and work-
manlike, and answers equally well. This arrange-
ment is sometimes made of metal entirely, without
the leather. I must caution the reader against
using it, as I have been constantly informed that
a horse's throat may, in the struo-ales of a fall, o'et
badly cut by the metal bars which connect the
rings ; and this cannot occur with the leather.

And now, before closing this already over-long
chapter, I will add a few words as to the fitting on
of a saddle. It should be placed fairly and truly in
the centre of the horse's back, and so as to allow
the width of a hand to intervene between the front
and the ' play ' of the horse's shoulder. It will
then be in its proper position.

All saddles and bridles should be kept scrupu-
lously clean and soft by the use of the sponge and
soap. White soap should be the only kind allowed

150 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

for the purpose, and it should be well rubbed out
with the stable-rubber after it has been rubbed in.
The seat and panelling of the saddle should be
kept well brushed, and all dust and scurf well
beaten out, and every part of the saddle should re-
ceive proper attention.

No saddle composition, such as ' saddle paste,'
should ever be used or allowed. They give, it is
true, a brilliant polish to the leather, but they are
nasty and sticky preparations, and grooms are ever
apt to overdo it and put on too much. It is a capital
thing for a lazy groom, who is able thereby to
make a dirty saddle appear to be clean, and so it
becomes but a means of glazing dirt. Moreover,
these preparations ruin one's breeches, and it is well-
nigh impossible to get the composition out of them.

I would caution the reader also, if he wears
ridino'-boots of ordinary leather, and which are
cleaned with blacking, to be careful to see that his
servant is particular in removing any of the black-
ing which may rub off the boots on to the saddle-
flaps, inasmuch as, if this is not observed, and he
should use the saddle when wearing top or other
boots, they will suffer very considerably and per-
manently.

With these remarks I will close this chapter ;
and I cannot think of anything which I have

PRICES OF SADDLER Y. 151

omitted to refer to which is likely to be of service
to an ordinary person regarding the articles of
which it treats.

The prices of saddles vary from five to six
guineas ; side-saddles, from eleven guineas ; single
snaffles, from 15s. complete; double bridles, com-
plete, from £1 5s.; girths, from 7s. 6d. to 15s.;
breast-plates, from 12s. 6d. to £1.

[ T52 ]

CHAPTER XV.

Harness. — Parts of harness. — Headstall. — Bit. — Bridoon-
hangers. — Buckles. — Harness furniture. — Metal brow-
bands. — Evils of old-fashioned driving-bit. — ' Liverpool '
bits. — Sliding ports. — Use of bit-bars. — Blinkers. — Crest-
brushes. — Collars. — Hames. — Hames-rings. — Saddle-
terrets. — Danger of bearing-rein hooks. — Back-band —
Tugs. — Belly-band. — 'Tilbury ' tugs. — Crupper.— Breech-
ing.— Traces. — Spare traces. — Kicking-straps. — Reins. —
Billets. — Use and abuse of bearing-reins. — Harness clean-
ing, black and brown. — Brasswork. — How to clean patent
leather. — Harness-cleaning utensils and prices. — How to,
harness a horse to a carriage. — How to unharness a horse
from a carriage. — Double harness. — Roller-bolts. --Uses
of pole. — Pole-chains. — Coupling-reins. — Fitting of
coupling-reins. — Carriages. — Horse and carriage to be
suitably proportioned. — Care of carriages. — Varnish must
be dry. — Abuse of the spoke-brush. — How to clean a
carriage. — Water-hose. — Wheel-lift. — Use and abuse of
wheel-lift. — Care of carriage-poles. — Care of wheels. —
Tramway lines.— Evil effects of sun on a carriage. — List
and prices of carriage-cleaning utensils.

As I devoted the last chapter to the consideration
of saddles and saddlery, I propose to refer to that
of harness in the present, its cleaning and pre-
servation, also to the cleaning and preservation of

HARNESS.

53

carriages, and the utensils which are requisite for
the above purposes.

A set of harness consists of many portions. I
do not intend, neither do I consider it necessary,
to enter into minute details, and it will suffice for
the present purpose to treat only of what may be
called the main portion. A set of harness consists
of the following parts, viz. :

Headstall and bit.

Collar and names ; traces.

Saddle, back-band and tugs.

Crupper and breeching.

Reins.

Bearing-reins.

Kicking-strap.

Harness headstalls are made on the same prin-
ciple as those for use in saddle, with the addition
of blinkers and a nose-band.

The bit consists of a bit and curb-chain only,
unless where a horse is driven in a snaffle, when no
bit is of course necessary. The bit or snaffle is
also made to buckle on, and is not sewn on to the
headstall.

Where a bearing-rein is used, a snaffle is also
used with the bit, and for this purpose the headstall
is provided with two metal rings for the rein of the

154 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

bearinaf-bit to run through. These are called
bridoon hangers, the rein being made round at
this portion of its length for the purpose of allowing
it to run freely and smoothly. A driving headstall
is fitted on the horse in the same manner as that
of an ordinary bridle. All harness buckles should
be of plain metal, and never covered with leather.
As I have before remarked, the metals generally
used for this purpose are either brass or plated, or,
in rare cases, silver. Brass harness, to my way of
thinking, looks smarter and better than plated, is
more easily cleaned, and wears better, but this is a
matter of choice. It is certainly more generally
used, and I may here remark that all harness
furniture should be (save for the crests or mono-
grams on the saddle and blinkers) as plain, light;
and simple as possible, of smooth metal, and not
one bit more of it used than is absolutely necessary.
A metal browband is quite admissible for harness,
but it should not be too elaborate. The metal
browband is often sewn on to patent leather, but I
do not think such an arrangement looks as well as
the plain open links of the metal, and the latter is
cooler, and quite as strong as is necessary. The
old-fashioned driving-bits were made with a bar
which connected the ends of the shanks of the bit,
but these are now discarded, and rioditlv so, since

THE DRIVING-BIT 155

they were dangerous, and horses were apt to get
them under the shaft or pole.

The best pattern of driving-bit is what is known
as the ' Liverpool.' The cheeks or shanks are
separate, and the mouthpiece is made to move up
and down, with a play of about an inch between
its stops, forming what is called a ' sliding port.'
Such sliding ports certainly cause a horse to ' play '
on the bit, but I do not altogether like them, as I
do not think they act quite as they should. They
are all very well when a horse is standing still and
' mouthing ' his bit, but when the rein is drawn
tight, the mouthpiece jumps, as it were, and must
be very much of a shock to the horse, and I prefer
the use of a bit which does not slide.

A driving - bit has usually two slots pierced
through the shank, so as to allow of the reins
being fastened high or low, according as it may be
desired to increase or decrease its power. These
slots are termed the ' middle ' and ' lower ' bars.
A horse may, therefore, be driven either from the
ring which is level with the mouthpiece, and which
is called the ' cheek,' the ' middle,' or the ' lower '
bar ; and it is a by no means uncommon thing to
see a horse, especially in double harness, driven on
the cheek on one side of the mouth, and the middle
or lower bar on the other, but this, of course, is

156 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE- ROOM.

only resorted to where a horse, from either bad
breaking or from being- too constantly driven on
one side of the pole in double harness, has one side
of the mouth harder than the other.

Blinkers are used for the prevention of shying, and
there are many horses which would not go quietly
if thev could see a carriage behind them, vet which
are perfectly tractable in blinkers. Again, many
a horse wTill shy when fresh, and the consequences
of shying in harness are often very serious.
Many people eschew the use of blinkers on the
ground that they are useless. This they most
certainly are not, although there are many horses
which will go without them. Nevertheless, they
may be useful and prevent an accident, and their
appearance is also in their favour. A horse without
blinkers in harness looks very plain and un-English-
like. Blinkers are made either round or square.
The latter have the smartest appearance. Where
crests are worn on harness, it is necessarv to use
proper materials to clean them with, and shields
and brushes are made on purpose, as without these
the powder or brass-paste used to clean the metal
with is very apt to soil the patent leather. The
price of these brushes is about 2s. a pair.

Collars are usually made of patent leather. As
the entire draught of a carriage is from these, it is

COLLARS. 157

necessary that they should fit the horse perfectly.
Nearly every horse requires his own collar. Collar-
making is a trade by itself. A good saddler will
very readily fit a horse for a collar, and as they are
made in many sizes, if he has not the proper size
in stock, he can always obtain it in the course of a
few hours. If a collar is too small or too large, a
horse is sure to suffer. Of the two evils, the latter
is the lesser. What are termed ' pijDed ' collars
should always have the preference.

The hames are two curved pieces of metal which
fit round the collar, and to which the traces are
attached. They are fastened on to the collar by
means of a buckle and strap at the top, and by
either a buckle and strap or a metal chain at the
bottom. They should fit the fluting of the collar
exactly. They should never, for the sake of appear-
ance, be covered with leather. If the rest of the
harness is brass, they should of course be of brass
also, and vice verm.

There are two rings on the hames for the reins
to run through. These rings should never be made
fixed or standing, but should always be folding. If
standing, a rein might get twisted round them, and
the most serious accident occur. Such lias many a
time been the case.

The rings, or terrets, as they are called, on the

158 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

driving saddle, should be round, and of no other
shape. They are at times made square (if rings
can be said to be square), but these are dangerous,
and do not look well or workmanlike. These terrets,
or, as the uninitiated frequently call them, turrets,
are for the purpose of preventing the reins from
falling on to the horse's sides, and catching in any
part of the harness, etc. There is generally, in the
centre of the saddle, an upright terret, to which
the bearing-rein, when such is worn, is fixed. The
upright pattern is better than a hook, as is some-
times used, the latter being very awkward and
likely to damage the groom, as I have known to
be the case, when the latter is fastening- the bearing-
rein, as if by chance a horse suddenly moves his
head down at the time, the groom's finger or thumb'
(being between the hook and the rein) may possibly
be driven on to the hook.

The back-band is made to run through the
saddle, between its upper and lower leathers, i.e.,
underneath its skirts. At either end of this back-
band are the * tugs,' as they are called, and these
serve to support the shafts. The stops on the
shafts also bear against these, and prevent the
carriage running forward on to the horse. From
the tugs is continued a broad, strong leather strap,
called the belly-band, and this is used for the

CRUPPER AND BREECHING. 159

purpose of keeping the tugs and shafts down in
their places, and also, in a two-wheeled carriage, it
prevents the shafts from flying up when, any undue
weight being placed on the hinder part of the
carriage, the latter is thrown out of balance.

The belly-band should be fitted loosely, so as to
allow free play to the shafts.

The ' Tilbury ' tug is a great improvement on the
old-fashioned loop-tug, because whereas in the
latter the shafts require to be pushed through, in
the former they can be at once laid in their places.
The crupper is fastened to a D in the cantle
of the saddle, and there is a loop left between its
leathers for the loin-strap of the breeching to pass
through.

The breeching is used for the purpose of assisting
the horse to keep the carriage back when going
down hill, and is buckled on to the breeching-stops,
which are fixed on the shafts for this purpose.
When a horse is standing still on level ground the
loin-straps of the breeching should hang straight
down on both sides, the quarter-strap being well
clear of the horse's quarters.

I need hardly make mention of the traces further
than to remark that they must be as good of their
kind as possible. It is a wise plan to carry a spare
trace when driving. It may never be required,

160 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

but if it should be it is there. This, perhaps,
savours somewhat of the ' White Knight and his
Mousetrap' in 'Alice in Wonderland '; but a broken
trace may prove very awkward, and a trace may
be broken or have to be cut should an accident
happen.

A kicking-strap denotes its use by its very name,
and is merely a strong broad strap, which, passing-
through the crupper, as does the breeching, is, like
it, buckled to the shafts to stops placed there for
the purpose. Where a horse is at all inclined to
kick it should always be worn, as the breeching is
not sufficient for the purpose.

Reins should be flat, and never round. Whether
they are of brown or half brown and half black
leather is immaterial, provided they are good. The
all-brown perhaps look the better of the two ; but
in anv case constant care is essential, in order that
the ends which buckle on to the bit, the ' billets,' as
they are called, are kept in proper repair, as the
stitching of the billets is very apt to wear out — the
saliva from the horse's mouth constantly wetting it ;
and it is generally at these points, or where the
leather is worn thin by frequent rubbing against
the terrets and collar-rings, that a rein breaks.

Of late years there has been a great deal said and
written on the subject of bearing-reins, and their

BEARING-REINS. 161

use is alleged to be a cruelty. Such doubtless is
the case when they are improperly fitted, but where
the reverse, I must say, I fail to see any more
cruelty than there is in a bit. When a horse
bores in harness they are almost a necessity, and
are the greatest help to a coachman, especially when
driving' in a crowded thorouo-hfare. Of course,
when a horse does not require a bearing-rein, it is
as senseless to use one as it would be to use an
umbrella in fine weather. It is not the use of the
bearing-rein which is cruel, but rather its 'abuse.'
All harness is cruel if it is badly fitted, and I
venture to assert, judging from my own observa-
tion, that horses, as a general rule, suffer far more
by reason of their throat-lashes being too tight than
they would by even a somewhat over-tight bearino--
rein. True, they should not suffer at all, nor can
they from a bearing-rein which is properly fitted.
From many years' experience in coach-driving,
I can vouch for the assistance they offer to an
aching arm at the end of a long stage with a heavy
load and a boring wheeler. It has not been the
fashion to use them in a coach for several years
past ; but I have often regretted the necessity of
being obliged to eschew their use. So long as a
horse can stretch his neck out sufficiently to draw
his load, there can be no cruelty in their use, and

1 1

1 62 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

when he takes to going ' on his shoulders,' at the ex-
j^ense of the muscles of the driver's arm, he is all
the better for a lightly fitted bearing-rein.

Black harness is best cleaned with the harness
composition sold for the purpose.

Brown harness may be cleaned with soap, like an
ordinary saddle. A very little saddle- paste may be
allowed on brown harness.

The brass of harness is best cleaned with the
brillantine sold for the purpose, and it retains its
polish longer than by the use of any other pre-
paration with which I am acquainted.

Patent leather will look better and last longer
if cleaned in the following way, viz. : Sponge it
with warm (not too hot) water and quickly dry it ;
then, while still warm, rub a very little sweet-oil -
into it, rub it out again, and finish with a leather.
This recipe was given me very many years ago by
a first-class coachbuilder, as being the best way to
clean patent leather, and I have since then never
used anything else, whether for the patent leather
on a carriage-harness or for boots. The oil must,
however, be ivell rubbed out again. I only know
one thing against this recipe, and that is its sim-
plicity. Most people prefer to buy a bottle of so-
called polishing cream. The latter is very good in
its way, I have no doubt, and, indeed, I am aware

HARNESSING A HORSE. 163

that it is excellent, but I prefer the recipe I have
given.

The utensils required for cleaning harness are :

s. d.
1 compo-brush, about . . . .16
1 set of crest-brushes . . . .20
1 bit-brush . . . . . .10

4 6

harness-paste, oil, brillantine, chamois leathers,
rubbers, etc.

What I have before remarked regarding the pre-
servation of saddlery applies equally to harness.

HOW TO HARNESS A HORSE TO A CARRIAGE.

Fit the shafts into the tugs.

Fasten the traces.

Fasten the belly-band.

Fasten the breeching-straps.

Untie the reins, and having placed them between
the thumb and forefinger, and the second and
third fingers of the left hand, the near-side rein
being that between the two first-named, you can
mount the box ; but make it a golden rule never to
mount or dismount from the box of a carriage
without your reins, and never allow anyone to get
into a carriage until the driver is mounted on the
box.

11 — 2

1 64 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

To UNHARNESS A HORSE FROM A CARRIAGE.

Double up the reins neatly and pass them
through the terret-rings on the saddle, and tie
them there.

Unfasten the belly-band.

Unfasten the breechino-.

Unfasten the traces,
coiling both the belly-band and the traces neatly
and securely. Remove the shafts from the tugs.

It will be observed that the first operation in
' putting to,' and the last in ' taking out,' is the
fastening and unfastening of the traces, and for this
reason : unless the traces are fastened before any-
thing else in putting to, should the horse start off,
the tugs or breeching would probably be broken.
Inversely, for the same reason, they should be left
on till the last.

Double harness is made on precisely the same
principle as single, with the exception that, there
being no shafts, no shaft-tugs are required, the
steering of the carriage being effected by means
of the pole.

The draught of the carriage is from the splinter-
bar direct, on which are placed roller-bolts, to which
the traces are affixed. As there are no shafts or

DOUBLE HARNESS. 165

tugs, there is, consequently, no breeching which
can serve to keep back the carriage as in single
harness. The carriage is therefore kept back by
the horses drawing against the pole. In order to
effect this, there is connection between the pole and
the horses by means of pole-straps or pole-chains,'
which latter, being fastened to the end of the pole,
are passed through a ring with which the hames
are furnished, and drawn up just tight enough to
allow a fairly backward and forward play of the
horse. The pole also is made so as to play slightly
up and down in its socket. The great point to be
attended to in fastening the pole-chains is to allow
just sufficient play, and no more, as too much or too
little might tend to spring or, worse still, break the
j^ole.

The arrangement of the reins in double harness
is necessarily different from that for single. The
number of reins in the hand of the driver is the
same, but each rein is split or divided at about half
its length. These act as follows : The upper (as it
is held in the hand) rein, or, as it may be called for
simplicity, the near-side or left rein, is buckled to
the near side of the near horse's bit, and the near
side of the off horse's bit ; therefore if that rein
is pulled both horses are made to turn to the left.
The off or right rein is similarly fastened to the

1 66 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

bits of the horses on the off side of their bits, so
that when this is pulled both horses turn to the
right. The two inner reins (the couplers, as they
are called) necessarily, therefore, cross each other
between the horses. Where they cross it is
customary to use a metal or bone ring to connect
them. The reins at the couplings are provided
with a running buckle and strap, so as to admit of
the coupling-reins being lengthened or shortened as
desired.

In harnessing horses for double harness, it is of
consequence that these coupling-reins should be of
such a length that each horse is kept straight to
his work and neither bears away from nor cuddles
the pole, as also that each horse is poled up by
means of the pole-chains, so as to further ensure, .
as far as can be, his being in the best position to do
his fair share of work.

Carriages.

A gentleman's carriage can hardly be too simple
and plain, whether in shape or colour, or too good
as far as its material and workmanship are con-
cerned. If the carriage, therefore, is good of its
kind, the horses should also be good and suitable
for that carriage — suitable in size and class ; their

CARRIAGES. 167

colour is immaterial. Nothing looks worse than a
good carriage and a bad horse ; the good workman-
ship of the former attracts attention to the want of
good quality in the latter. A large carriage drawn
by a small horse is equally out of keeping, as is
also the reverse : the whole affair is out of balance!
But it is a very common occurrence to see horses
harnessed to a carriage which is far too large and
heavy for their powers. Such is not economy,
either, inasmuch as the horse under these con-
ditions must wear out sooner.

A carriage is not kept in good order without
great care and labour. We will consider how this
may be expended to the best advantage.

In the first place, as I have before remarked, the
coach-house must be dry and suitable. The carriage
itself must also be dry. The reader may remark,
' What on earth do you mean by the carriage being
dry V I refer to the painting and varnishing when
a carriage is handed over from the builder, for
carriages are far too often brought into use before
they are fit to be used. All paint and varnish
should be allowed a reasonable time to dry and
harden thoroughly before being exposed to wear.
Where this is not done the lustre of the varnish
soon goes, and then the varnish itself follows suit,
and the result is that the paint, being unprotected,

1 6 8 THR 0 UGH STABLE AND SADDLE-R O OM.

also suffers ; and lastly, in extreme cases, the wood,
being exposed to wet and damp, gets rotten, and
the carriage is ruined. It is therefore necessary
to allow a due period to elapse between the time a
carriage is finished and the time it is brought into use.

A careless servant will in a very short time
knock a carriage about and effect through his
rough handling in cleaning more damage in a
fortnight than should be caused by years of fair
wear. The wheels, being the most difficult portions
to clean, are generally the first to suffer. As a rule,
the spoke -brush is the weapon which inflicts the
most serious wounds ; for as it is worked between
the spokes of the wheel, unless care is exercised in
its use, the back, striking against the opposite spoke,
knocks the paint off it. Who that keeps a carriage .
is not familiar with the ' tap, tap, tapping ' of the
back of the spoke-brush against the wheels ? Of
course, a good servant will not be guilty of this
Castanet accompaniment.

We will suppose that a carriage has just come in
dirty. As soon as possible, if daylight permits, it
should be cleaned. No mud should ever be allowed
to remain on all night if it is possible to remove it ;
the lime, etc., off the roads tend, if left, to destroy
the varnish. All mud, therefore, should be sluiced
off with water, and these sluicings should be re-

CLEANING A CARRIAGE. 169

peated until every speck of mud lias been washed
off. When this has been done, the water may be
removed by the use of a sponge, the greatest care
being exercised that no grit which may be taken
up by the sponge is rubbed over the varnish, as it
will most assuredly scratch it and leave a permanent
mark. When the water has thus been sponged oft',
a leather may be used to finish up with, and when
everything is quite dry, a fresh dry leather may be
lightly passed over. In the washing the under
parts of the carriage must receive as much attention
as the rest. The cushions having been removed
and thoroughly dusted, and the inside lining brushed,
the metal work may be cleaned, and the work is
completed.

The carriage may then be placed in the coach-
house, and should be completely covered with a
linen cover, in order to preserve it from dust, etc.

Where possible, a hose will be found of the
greatest service in cleaning carriages ; but it is
essential, in any case, that the ground whereon the
carriage is placed for washing should be paved, inas-
much as, if this is not observed, the splashings from
the gravel prevent the wheels from being properly
finished. If it is impossible to finish a carriage the
same day that it is used, the washing should never
be omitted.

170 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

I never allow the use of a spoke-brush on the
wheels of a carriage, and would, if I could, abandon
its use altogether ; but there are parts of the under-
carriage which cannot be well reached without its
use, and so I look upon it as a necessary evil.

It is necessary to use what is termed a wheel-
set or wheel-lift for cleaning the wheels. This is
no more than a lever on a stand, which, being
placed under the end of the axle, lifts the wheel off
the ground, so as to allow of its being turned round
while being cleaned ; but the wheel should never
be so lifted one bit more than is absolutely necessary
to allow it to just clear the ground, otherwise the
carriage may be strained.

A carriage - pole when not in use should, if
possible, be kept in an upright position, and a
rack should be provided for this purpose, in order
that it may not get 'set,' or bent out of shape ; for
too often poles are hung up on racks, and the
result is that they acquire a twist, and of course
are then more liable to break.

The wheels of carriages which are much used
require to be kept constantly looked to and oiled,
and the ' washers,' as they are called, renewed as
often as they become worn. A few shillings thus
expended will often save several pounds. Every
carriage should have its wheels examined at least

TRAM WA Y LINES. 1 7 1

once a quarter, and, where the work is constant,
once a month.

Nowadays, when tramways are met with in every
town of any size, the wheels of carriages suffer a
great deal of damage, and care is necessary to
prevent their running in the lines of tramways,
when the horse, pulling in an opposite direction,
must give a severe wrench to them. A good
coachman will be careful to avoid this, and to cross
the lines of rail at such an angle that the wheels of
his carriage cannot o-et into them. A careless one
will twist every wheel and spring every bolt in no
time, much, perhaps, to the benefit of the coach-
builder.

A hot sun is very detrimental to the varnish of
a carriage ; strange to say, a spring sun is the worst
of all. Therefore, a carriage should never be left
standing in the sun if shade is available.

The utensils required for cleaning a carriage,
and their prices, are as follow :

1 wheel-lift (iron)
1 spoke-brush

1 cloth carriage ditto .

2 medium sized sponges

2 chamois leathers

3 rubbers .

1 11 0

£

s.

d.

0

10

6

0

6

0

0

5

0

0

4

0

0

4

0

0

1

6

PART III.

FEEDING AND FARRIERY.

I 175

CHAPTER XVI.

Forage. — Hay. — Average price of hay. — Weight of hay. —
Meadow-hay. — Old v. new hay. — Selection of hay. — Per-
fect hay. — Mow-burnt hay. — How to test quality of hay.

— Eye-grass and clover. — Oats. — English and foreign
oats. — Black, white, and gray oats. — Weight of oats. —
Testing weight of oats. — Price of oats. — Old oats.
— Made-up oats. — How to detect made-up oats. — How
to select oats. — Weighing oats. — Straw. — Varieties of
straw. — Foreign competition. — Price of straw. — Oat-straw.

— Bedding. — Fern. — Sawdust. — Peat-mould. — Moss-
litter. — Bran. — Price of bran.

The subject of forage, which I am now about to
treat of, may, I think, with advantage be divided
into three separate portions, which we will, for the
sake of convenience, classify under the following
headings, viz. : ordinary, extra, and green forage.
These can again be subdivided as required.

Under the head of ordinary forage I include the
following, viz. : hay, oats, straw, and bran, and we
will therefore take them in that order.

Hay, such as is fit for food for horses, is of two
kinds, viz. : natural (or that which grows naturally)

1 7 6 THR O V GH STABLE AND SA DDLE-R O OM.

and artificial (or that which is sown annually).
We will assume that the juices 0f the two kinds
are the same, as such assumption is sufficiently
accurate for our purpose.

The price of hay is dependent on the season, as
may be inferred, a bad season raising the price
very considerably, at times doubling the ordinary
price, a good season having a nearly corresponding
effect. One season taken with another, over a
term of years, gives as a good average price, for
good sound hay, of about £5 a ton.

I will here remark for the benefit of the reader,
as well as to facilitate any farther remarks on the
subject of feeding, etc., that hay, being cut into
trusses, as is the general, if not universal, custom
in England, runs forty trusses to the ton weight,
and each truss is reckoned to weigh 5 6 lb., giving
thereby the full complement of 2,240 lb. to the
ton.

The hay which is the most suitable for riding-
horses, or horses which have to travel fast, is
undoubtedly natural hay. This should be as good
and sound as can be obtained, and no hay should
be used in a gentleman's stable before the close of
the year in which it has been cut. Thus, hay
which has been cut in June should never be used
before the 1st January following. Even then it is

HAY. 177

more advisable to use that of the previous season,
if procurable, and good ; but if not good, then it is
better to use that of a later crop, should it be
superior. Nothing is more harmful to horses, and
nothing more wasteful, than bad hay.

It may be asked, ' But how is good hay distin-
guished from bad ?'

I would strongly advise the reader, if he has the
opportunity, to enlist the services of some friend or
person who is competent to instruct him, and get
him to show him, by a visit to the nearest hay-
market, how to discriminate between the two. It
is a very simple thing to learn, and an hour or two
thus spent will teach him sooner and better than /
can hope to do by means of my pen alone. Never-
theless, I will endeavour to explain as simply and
clearly as I can, and if my explanation should not
prove sufficient, it will at all events be a little
knowledge, and not ' a dangerous thing,' for a little
knowledge of the subject is better than none at all.

1. Hay should be of a good colour, as nearly as
possible of the colour it was when first stacked ;
and this colour should be general all through the
rick.

2. It should have a good mixture of grasses in
it, and be free from thistles and any coarser growths.

3. There should be a fair sprinkling of flowers

12

178 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

in it, and the colour of these flowers, the yellow
ones especially, should be fresh, and but little
different from what they were when growing.

4. It should be sweet and fragrant, and be
absolutely free from any sour or acrid smell.

5. It should be soft and silky in texture, and
fairly long.

6. It should not be too brittle or dusty.

Such is the description of what perfect upland
hay should be, and where such is obtainable a
good price should not be grudged for it ; and if it is
possible to buy a rick of it at a time, it will be
money well spent, as any overplus will always
command a good price.

Coarser hay than that described above is better
adapted for food, if well saved, than a finer quality
which is yellow or sour.

Hay which has been too quickly stacked, or
which has been put up wet, is certain to become
what is termed ' mow-burnt.' A rick of such hay
will, when cut, appear of a very brown colour, and
will probably be here and there blotched with very
dark, almost black, seams running through the rick
in various places, showing how intense the heat
must have been, and how very nearly the rick has
been on fire through its becoming over-heated.
Hay from such ricks always has an over-sweet —

HOW TO TEST QUALITY OF HAY. 179

indeed, sickly — smell, and there are many people
who, knowing no better, are led to suppose that
because of this sweet smell such hay is necessarily
very good. Horses will eat it greedily, and so
their idea gains ground ; but such hay is not fit
for food for horses at all, is most injurious, and
affects their kidneys, and may, if given as food for
any lengthened period, cause disease. A veiy
little common-sense exercised in the selection of
hay will suffice, if not to secure good hay, at all
events to prevent the purchase of very bad.

Let the reader take up a handful of hay and
examine it. He will, at all events, be able to see
for himself if there is a variety of grasses in it, or
if they are all alike, and it is quite possible that he
may be able to recognise some of the grasses, and
if so, he may be still further able to pronounce
whether they are those which grow on good or
poor land. Poor land will not as a rule produce
good hay ; inversely, good grasses will not grow on
poor land. I do not mean to infer, of course, that
poor land may not be made fruitful by manures
and dressings, etc., but by ' poor land ' I mean land
which was in a poor condition when the grass was
growing on it.

So much for natural hay. We will now turn to
the consideration of artificial hay, and we need not

12 — 2

180 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

for our purpose make mention of more than the
two following, viz. : rye-grass and clover. Rye-
grass is often sown alone ; clover, for hay, generally
in conjunction with rye-grass.

Rye-grass will be readily recognised when I
describe it as being the grass with which children
play at soldier, sailor, etc.

Clover everyone knows by sight as well as by
name, and though there are several varieties of it,
it will be enough for us to treat them all as one.

Rye-grass is a strong, nutritious grass, and, when
well saved, a very valuable hay.

It is perhaps, as is clover, somewhat over-strong
for galloping horses (hunters and such-like), except-
ing as a change, for a short time, to ordinary
upland hay. It is, however, a crop which requires
careful making, and should be very good of its
kind. Its colour, when cut from the rick, is often
of a pale yellow ; but in all other respects, as far
as smell and regularity of colour are concerned, the
remarks which I have made with reference to
natural hay hold good in its selection. Clover is
perhaps the most difficult of the three to save well.
Its leaves turn very dark when dried, but the
flowers in the rick should wear a full share of
colours. It necessarily makes a coarse hay, and,
as such, mixes well with rye-grass. I, however,

ENGLISH A ND FOREIGN OA TS. 1 8 1

prefer the use of upland hay for ordinary purposes.
Rye-grass, or rye-grass mixed with clover, is not
ill adapted for carriage work, but, as I before re-
marked, it should not be given for too long a period
without change to the lighter, natural hay.

We may divide oats into two classes — viz.,
English and foreign. Time was when the latter
were well-nigh unknown in the home markets. Of
late years, however, foreign competition has done
its best to drive home produce altogether out of the
field, and foreign oats can now be bought at prices
at which the British farmer cannot grow them,
to obtain anything like a profit. These foreign
oats, too, are, as a rule, very good. They may not
be quite as heavy as some of our best English, but
they are good enough for all ordinary purposes,
and, as I say, their price is also in their favour.

Oats are either white, black, or gray. The
foreign oats are either white or black, more generally
the latter, and whether English or foreign, I must
confess that I am prejudiced in favour of black,
inasmuch as, although they may not have so plum})
and full an appearance as the white, their skins are
generally thinner, and the quantity of actual food
in them is certainly greater, comparatively speaking.
Perhaps the best variety of all is the gray oat ;
but such are more expensive, and not always to be

1 82 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

readily procured. They are, of course, in the
market, but they are, as a rule, grown for home
consumption.

Oats are sold very generally over England by
the ' quarter,' as it is termed. A quarter consists of
two sacks, and a sack consists of four bushels. A
bushel of oats should weigh not less than 3 8 lb.,
exclusive, of course, of the weight of the bushel-
measure. In order to test the weight of oats, adopt
the following plan : First carefully weigh the empty
bushel-measure, then fill it with oats as rapidly as
possible, brush off the oats level with the top of
the measure by means of a flat stick turned edge-
wise (a broom-handle will answer the purpose), and
weigh the measure full. Subtract the weight of
the empty measure from the full weight, and the
result will give you the number of pounds to the
bushel. Oats weighing 3 8 lb. to the bushel may
be considered as fair, 40 lb. as good, and all above
that as very good. There are varieties of oats
which come into the market at weights very con-
siderably in excess of 40 lb. to the bushel, such as
some of the Scotch and Irish varieties ; but these
are not to be bought except at high prices. Of
course, the heavier the oat the better, provided that
the skins are not unduly thick. Good honest oats
of 38 lb. to 39 lb. to the bushel may be bought

BOW TO DETECT MADE-UP OATS. 183

from the dealers for prices varying, according to
the rise and fall of the market, from 14s. to £ L
per quarter. Of course, when a large quantity
is bought at a time, the price will be somewhat
lessened. I myself was able, two years ago, through
a friend, who had bought a large quantity, to buy
some few quarters of good black oats weighing
42 lb. per bushel, at £1 per quarter. Oats, like
hay, should never be used before the end of the
year in which they have been grown, and a second-
year oat is better than a last season one.

Corn-dealers are great adepts in making up oats
for the market, and in bleaching and drying them
if they have become damaged. If any doubt exists
as to their having been dried in the kiln for bleach-
ing purposes, it may be easily set at rest by rubbing
some of the oats quickly between the palms of the
hands, when the smell of the sulphur which is
used in the kiln to bleach them will be notice-
able on the hands. Oats which have been kiln-
dried, even if not bleached, shrink unduly from the
points of the husks, and so can very readily be
detected, and they have a brown appearance at the
points also.

In selecting oats, first smell them to ascertain
if they are musty ; then strip a few and examine
them, and test them by pinching them with the

1 84 THE. O UGH STABLE AND SA DDLE-R O OM.

nails. They should be crisp and floury. Finally,
take some and chew them. They should have
a pure, fresh, milky taste. If such oats are a
proper weight, you may safely buy them, provided
they can stand the above tests.

In weighing oats, insist that the bushel-measure
is filled quickly. A sharp, dishonest dealer will, by
slowly filling and shaking the measure, apparently
accidentally, make oats weigh some two or three
pounds more to the bushel than is their fair, actual
weight. Taking oats of 40 lb. to the bushel as a
fair sample, it will be seen that each sack should
weigh 160 lb. At 38 lb. it would weigh
152 lb.

The use of straw in a stable is restricted prin-
cipally to that for bedding purposes. Good wheat-
straw is the best, and the better it is of its kind
the longer it will last ; consequently, it is true
economy to ever buy the best which can be pro-
cured. Where wheat-straw is not easilv to be
obtained, oat-straw may be substituted for it ; but
it is very inferior, and does not last as long or look
so well as wheat.

The price of straw varies very considerably,
according as the season has been good or bad. Of
late years the price has been generally higher, and
it will, I fear, rise still more, inasmuch as the

FOREIGN COMPETITION. 185

farmers, finding that it does not pay them to grow
wheat to the same extent as formerly, are, as far
as it is possible, giving up very much of their
arable land and turning it into pasture. More-
over, so many farms are now unlet, and there is so
much land in the country absolutely uncultivated,
or at least but imperfectly worked, that our wheat-
growing is at a low ebb at present. Foreign com-
petition is of course the cause. I have read that
the country which has the command of corn is the
strongest Power, and I can readily understand the
writer's meaning- when he asserts such to be the
case. So long as we have the command of the sea,
so long we can retain our power ; the instant we
lose that, we are doomed. * Have we that com-
mand ?' is a question continually put before the
public. It seems by no means too certain that we
have. Goodness only knows what will become of
the country if, losing that command, our foreign
supplies are cut off from us. It is too unpleasant
a thought for us to dwell on here. Taking one
part of the country with another, the present price
of straw appears, as far as I can ascertain, to be
from 5 5s. to 60s. per ton. The latter is the better
price to allow for its cost. There are, of course,
districts where corn is not much grown, in which
this price is considerably exceeded.

1 86 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Oat-straw does very fairly well when used as
chaff, but chaff is more suitable for carriage horses
and such-like work, except in special cases.

It is difficult to know what to use as a sub-
stitute for straw for bedding purposes. Fern is not
good, as it harbours ticks. Still, it is perhaps the
next best substitute. Sawdust is perhaps even
better than fern, but it should be beech, and not
deal or oak, inasmuch as the resin in the one, and
the tannin in the other, is bad for the feet, and is
apt to render them brittle.

Peat-mould, well dried and sifted, will answer
very well for use during the summer, but it requires
constant care and raking over, and looks comfortless.

The moss-litter, which is so much used, has many
advantages and many disadvantages, and I hardly
know whether to praise it or condemn it. It is very
handy, inasmuch as, being sold in compressed
bundles, a large supply occupies but a small
space. It is cheaper than straw. Horses' feet do
well on it, and the horn is kept tough and sound.
This I have proved to be the case. So far, I have
nothing to say against it, but horses do eat it, and
it must be harmful to them ; moreover, it is the
most dreadful stuff to use in a stable, as, without
the greatest care being exercised, it very soon stops
up the drains, and so is a source of constant

BRAN. 187

expense and inconvenience. The smaller particles
get washed down with the water, and, settling in
the drains, swell, and so block them. Apart from
these objections, which may certainly be guarded
against, I have no reason for condemning its use,
or pronouncing it to be otherwise than excellent,
save for its appearance.

There is but little to remark with regard to bran,
further than that it should be fresh, and for this reason
it is always better to purchase only a small quantity
at a time. Musty or dirty bran should never be
used, not even for a poultice ; it is better thrown
away. Its average price is about Is. a bushel.
Where possible, it is better when obtained direct
from the mill, as it is more likely to be fresh.

[i88]

CHAPTER XVII.

Extra forage. — Beans. — Price of beans. — Quantity and effects
of beans. — Peas. — Price of peas. — Maize. — Use of maize.
— Price of maize. — Linseed. — Linseed-mashes. — Merits of
linseed mashes. — Linseed-oil. — Cooked foods. — Advan-
tages of cooked foods. — Effects of cooked foods. — Prepara-
tion of cooked foods. — Green forage. — Quantity of green
forage to be given. — Lucerne. — Carrots. — Price of carrots.
— Quantity of food required for a horse. — Daily scale of
food. — Cost of horse-keep. — Annual cost of horse-keep. —
Feeding horses. — Chaff. — Indigestion. — Hay and straw
for chaff. — Feeding-hours. — Feeding with hay. — Watering.
— Food and work. — Bad feeders. — Instinct. — Coaxing
delicate feeders. — Mice in stable. — Eock-salt. — Bran-
mashes. — How to make bran-mashes.— Bran-poultices. —
Linseed-poultices. — How to make linseed-poultices. —
Gruel. — How to make gruel.— Ale for tired horse. — An
English sportsman.

Under the head of what we have decided to call
' extra forage ' may be reckoned the following —
viz., beans, peas, maize, linseed, oatmeal.

Beans, as given for food for horses, should never
be less than a year old. They are generally used
for the purpose crushed, and it is therefore very
easy to ascertain their condition ; suffice it to say

BEANS AND PEAS. 189

that they should be hard, and not soft. Old beans
in good condition are very hard. Beans are usually
sold by the bushel. The price of good old beans
is about 5s. Gd. per bushel. As food for horses,
they must be used with discretion. They are
stimulating, and are heating, and there are many
horses which cannot stand them. They should at
no time be given for a lengthened period, as they
are apt to induce swelled legs, humours, and
itchiness of the skin. A double-handful is an
ample quantity for an ordinary horse. I may add
that their use is by no means as general as it was
formerly, and I think it is as well, for much harm
was produced from a too liberal diet of them.

Peas possess all the advantageous properties of
beans without their detrimental qualities, and where
such food is required, it is better to use them in
preference to beans ; but these also should be
given in moderation (much the same in quantity
as beans), and their use should not be over-long
continued. The white peas are best suited for
horses. They are somewhat expensive as horse-
food, but they are a good addition at times, and
put heart into, and muscle on, a weakly horse.
Their price is about 5s. 6d. per bushel.

Maize, or Indian corn, is hardly suitable for
horses which are used for fast work. For slow

190 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

carriage work, and for big, heavy draught horses,
it answers very well. I am given to understand
that it is much used in the large tram and omnibus-
stables, and is, I have no doubt, excellent for such
a purpose ; but it is over-strong as food for a
gentleman's stable. I have no doubt but that,
when properly cooked, it would answer well for
carriage-horses. Its price is about 4s. per bushel.

Linseed is a most valuable addition to the stable
menu. It is used for mashes, and is, where a
horse will eat it, a most desirable article of food,
especially after a hard day's work, such as hunting.
It requires long and careful cooking, until it is like
a jelly. Therefore, when a horse leaves the stable
on a hunting day, his linseed-mash may be at once
set on to cook, and it will not be ready any too
soon for him, whatever time he may come in.

The merit of linseed lies chiefly in the fact that,
whereas it is a laxative, gentle and soothing, its
use by no means weakens the strength of a horse,
its laxative powers being more than compensated
for by its nutritious qualities. Used as a meal, it
is invaluable for the purposes of poulticing. In the
form of oil, it is equally useful in other ways as a
tonic and flesh-former ; but I will refer to its use
in these two forms later on.

I think it is Mr. May hew who, in his book on

COOKED FOODS. 191

the horse, advocates the use of cooked foods.
Some years ago I tried them on a mare which
I could not get into as good condition as I
wished, and I can certainly, and with the greatest
confidence, speak to the very excellent results
which followed the adoption of his advice. Never
was a change more rapidly or completely effected
for the better. She at once began putting on
good firm flesh, and certainly no horse could have
possibly been more fit to go, or looked in higher
condition, than she did in the course of a very
few weeks, and she carried me brilliantly through
the rest of the season. Despite this fitness, her
dung was always loose — so much so as to be an
annoyance, especially in the hunting field. I did
not, therefore, continue its use, although con-
vinced of its efficiency. I prepared it in the fol-
lowing way in a very large fish-kettle, which I had
constructed for the purpose, viz. : nearly all her
food for the following day was put into the kettle,
and boiling water poured over it in just sufficient
quantity as to be completely absorbed, and the whole
wrapped round with a couple of rugs. Whatever
was left over was thrown away, so as to prevent
its becoming stale (and such a preparation very
quickly ferments), and fresh substituted. The
reader can of course try this plan for himself if he

192 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

has need of it. I only give him my own expe-
rience, and from its results express my belief in its
use, as I am in honesty bound to do.

Green Forage.

What may be called ' green forage ' may also
include the following — viz., grass crops — carrots,
lucerne, etc.

All kinds of young crops are used for green
forage, and can in the season be bought by the
bundle, varying in price. It is essential that it
should be cut fresh daily, and it should be used in
moderation. It becomes an excellent alterative for
horses, and they eat it all too ravenously. Given
in excess, it is dangerous, being mostly too laxative,
and likely to produce colic, etc. It should be
mixed carefully with the hay, and forked about
well with it. A double-handful (and not too large
a one) is quite enough when mixed with each feed
of hay. It is, when thus properly used, a pleasant
and beneficial change to the ordinary diet of a
horse, and as much so as salad is to mankind.

Lucerne is but little grown in this country. I
could wish it were more generally so than is the
case, as it is most valuable as a green food, especially
for horses. In India everyone who can grows it
for his stable use, and it is a crop which will bear

LUCERNE AND CARROTS. 193

repeated cuttings. I do not mean to assert that
lucerne could be used in this country as freely and
generally as in India, or that its growth could be
exactly similar, but it is nevertheless a valuable
crop anywhere where it can be grown. I believe
that it is an expensive one, and hence perhaps the
reason why one so seldom sees it in this country.
Wherever it is grown, however, it appears to thrive
well.

Carrots are most useful to give to horses — two
or three a day are sufficient. These should always
be cut lengthwise, otherwise a horse may choke.
The white variety are, I think, to be preferred to
the red, when obtainable. They much assist horses
in shedding their coats, but must not be used in
immoderate quantity. The average price of horse
carrots is about 40s. per ton ; but is of course
variable.

The reader will, perhaps, be anxious to learn
what quantity of food is necessary for the well-
doing of an ordinary horse, and I propose therefore
to give him a scale to go by, which he can increase
or diminish according as he may find necessary, and
I think that I can hardly make use of a better one
than that which is used in our cavalry. I have
myself always found it sufficient for a horse of
ordinary size.

13

i94 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

I suppose that 15 hands 2 inches is the average
height of our horses, and we shall do well, therefore,
in the present instance to take that as our standard.
I will here remark, for the benefit of the unlearned
in such matters, that the height of a horse is reckoned
by hands, and that each hand measures four inches ;
a horse, therefore, of 15.2 will be 62 inches high,
or, in other words, 5 feet 2 inches.

The cavalry allowance for a horse of this height
is reckoned as follows : Hay, 12 lb., oats, 10 lb.,
straw, 8 lb., per diem.

At first this allowance of straw is not sufficient,
but after a few days, a fair bed having been made
up, it will be found enough, especially if care is
taken that only the worst of the soiled litter is
thrown on to the manure-heap, and the rest is well
dried daily. For horses doing hard, fast work the
allowance of oats may be increased, the hay being
decreased — the one very much balancing the other ;
and on this allowance, if the hay and corn are good
of their kinds, a horse should do remarkably well.
If he does not, it will be either because he is amiss
or the groom is dishonest.

From the above scale the actual cost of keeping
a horse can be arrived at, so that the reader can tell
exactly what his stable expenses for ordinary forage
ought not to exceed.

ANNUAL COST OF HORSE-KEEP. 195

At the rate of 1 2 lb. per diem, a horse consumes
some 79 trusses of hay per annum. As 40 trusses
go to the ton, we will call it 8 0 trusses for simplicity
of calculation. He therefore consumes two tons of
hay annually, and this, being reckoned at £5 per
ton, will give a total for hay of £1 0 annually.

Allowing oats to weio-h 40 lb. to the bushel, each
sack, therefore, weighing 160 lb., he will, at the rate
of 10 lb. per diem, consume about 1 1-^ quarters (i.e.,
2 3 sacks) per annum. Reckoning the price of oats
to be £1 per quarter, the annual cost will be £11 1 0s.
With straw at £3 per ton, and an allowance of 8 lb.
per diem, he will consume about one and a third
tons annually, which will give a cost of £4.

Allowing a bushel of bran every month, which is

a very good allowance, and the price of it to be 1 s.

per bushel, one gets the following figures, which

represent the annual cost for ordinary forage, viz. :

£ s. d.

Hay 10 0 0

Oats 11 10 0

Straw 4 0 0

Bran 0 12 0

26 2 0

It will be seen, therefore, that the cost of the
actual food for a horse is not very great, or nearly
as heavy as people are apt to imagine, and this, set
against the cost of hiring, would probably show a

13 — 2

196 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

balance the right way, and with good management
it ought to do so, and a very good balance too, in-
asmuch as every horse should at least earn his keep.
If he were not to do so, it would, indeed, be a poor
look-out for livery-stable-keepers, and these latter
invariably feed their horses well.

Ordinary horses are fed three times a day, viz. :
in the morning, at mid-day, and in the evening ; but
those which are delicate feeders may have their
food divided into four, or even six, different feeds.
No food which is left should ever be permitted to
remain, but be taken away as soon as possible.
Hay and corn are generally used as food, and
these are given se])arately, of course. It is a good
plan where a horse is a gross feeder and bolts his
food, or where it is difficult to put flesh on a horse,
to give chaff instead of hay alone.

Chaff is merely hay and straw mixed together
and chopped up in a chaff-cutter, into lengths of
about an inch. The corn and chaff may then be
mixed together in a sieve and given to the horse,
but it is necessary that they should be well mixed
together, and well for the master to examine the
manger now and again and see this is done ; for
slight as the trouble is, grooms are very apt to
neglect this mixing, and the entire object for which
the chaff is given is defeated. As many horses are

HA Y AND STRA IV FOR CHAFF. 1 97

thin from indigestion as from other causes, especi-
ally in gentlemen's stables, where horses are apt
to be overfed ; and the result of indigestion is very
often broken -wind, and all sorts of other ailments.
The giving of chaff very much prevents this, and
a greedy feeder — and such horses are very liable to
get indigestion and become broken- winded — can-
not bolt his corn if it is properly mixed with chaff.
About one-third of straw to two of hay is a good
proportion for chaff, but it must be borne in mind
that both hay and straw must be good of their
kind, and no refuse of either ever allowed to go
into the chaff-cutter. I fear that the latter is very
often used for cutting up rubbish which should
never be given tit all, and it is, indeed, an unfair
and dirty trick to cheat the animal which works
well and honestly of his well-earned food.

The hours for feeding horses in this country are
generally as follows. It will be seen that watering
invariably precedes feeding. The reason for this
routine being observed I will give further on.

6 a.m. : Water and feed with a little hay.

7 a.m. : Feed with corn.

12 mid-day : Water and hay as before.
1 p.m. : Feed with corn.
5.30 p.m. : Water and hay.
6.30 p.m. : Feed with corn.

198 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

The hay should be divided so that the greater
portion remains for the night's feed. It is better,
if a horse is going out for work, that he should
have the lesser quantity of hay, inasmuch as his
wind will be the clearer for it. He may have
as much corn as he will eat, in moderation ; but
his hay should be somewhat stinted. Indeed, for
hunters, very little hay is required compared with
other horses, and so their corn may be well
increased. It is, however, always a good plan to
let a horse have a lock or two of hay when fasting,
as the stomach, being empty, is thereby better pre-
pared for the feed of corn which is to follow. The
greater quantity of hay may be well given at night,
inasmuch as there are several hours which must
necessarily elapse between the last feed at night
and the first in the morning ; and it is not natural
for a horse to fast for many hours.

As regards the watering of horses before feeding,
the reason is a very simple one, and it is this : A
horse has two stomachs, or, I should say, what is
equivalent to two stomachs. All fluid is carried
through the first, or food stomach, into the second,
or what answers the purpose of a second, viz., the
caecum, or blind gut. Now, if the corn is given
first, before watering, the water must necessarily
pass through the corn in its passage to the caecum.

WATERING. 199

As is well known, the effeet of water on corn is to
swell the latter. Therefore, whether chewed or
not, the result of water passing through the corn
must be to swell it, and if the water is given after
the corn, the latter, being swollen, may possibly
cause colic — indeed, very frequently does so. If,
however, the reverse system is adopted, the water,
which at once passes on, is out of the way and can
do no harm. A horse may be fed almost imme-
diately after being watered with impunity ; but
at least an hour should elapse before watering if
he has first been fed. It is a good plan, where
a horse is kept in a loose-box, to let a bucket of
water stand in the corner of the box, care being
taken that the water is constantly changed. A
horse will then drink when he requires it, and in
smaller quantities at a time. A horse suffers very
much from being kept unduly long without water
— far more so than if kept without food. I have
heard it stated that a forty-eight hours' abstinence
from water will tame the most vicious horse.
Therefore it especially behoves grooms, whose
horses are in stalls where they cannot drink as
they desire, to be early risers, and punctual to
their time, in order that their horses may re-
ceive their allowance of water at the proper hour.
In feeding horses the great thing to be observed is

2oo THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

that their food and work are proportionate. A
horse doing a great deal of hard work requires a
proper proportion of hard food. Some horses,
hunters especially, are very frequently so nervously
constituted that they will not feed well, and the
worst of it is that it is at the very times when
they should get the food inside them, they refuse to
eat. Such horses will often refuse their corn after
the excitement of a day's hunting, and, what is
almost as bad, will not feed before starting. They
seem to know by instinct that they are going
out. It is well-nigh impossible to cheat them.
Animals are endowed with an instinct which is
beyond our reasoning powers. Cavalry horses
know the time better than the barrack clock,
thousfh I am free to admit that it is small blame to
them if they do, since a barrack clock is generally
about as bad a timekeeper as can be found. But
even if the clock be wrong, they are not. When
their feeding-time approaches, although there may
have been no indication of it given, there is such a
neighing, and screaming, and kicking, as if they
were all mad. I could, of course, quote ever so
many instances in proof of the sagacity of horses,
but I will refrain from doing so, and return to what
I was saying. It is, as I observed, very often a
difficult matter to o-et an excitable horse to feed.

ROCK-SALT. 20 1

When such is the case, he must be coaxed into feed-
ing. Some such horses will feed from the hand
a little at a time. Most horses can be tempted by
sugar, and a little brown sugar sprinkled over the
corn will often have the desired effect. If not, the
food must be taken away and offered again and
again till the last thing at night, and then if still
refused, it may be left in the manger in hopes that
it may be taken in the night. I may here mention
that mice in the stable are often the cause of
horses not feeding. They get into the mangers and
frighten the horses. The remedy is, of course, a
simple one, viz. : a good stable cat.

Rock-salt should be kept in every manger. It
has a most beneficial effect on the tone of a horse's
stomach, and horses are very fond of it. It is very
cheap (about Id. per lb.), and a lump lasts a long
time, as the horse only licks it and rolls it about.

I have known horses in India eat away at the
stable walls and mangers, which are generally made
of mud bricks dried in the sun, to get the saltpetre
which is universally present in an Indian soil.

Where a horse is not doing much work, his food,
as I have remarked, must be proportionate ; he
must have less hard food. Therefore, from one-
third to one-half of his food may be made up of
bran.

202 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

It is a wise plan to give every horse a bran-
mash once a week ; Saturday night seems the best,
and is the general time for giving: it. It is a laxa-
tive, and saves many a dose of physic. It is a plan
always adopted in cavalry regiments. A bran-
mash may be either made cold or hot. The latter
is best made thus : Put the required quantity of
bran into a stable-rubber and tie it up, and then let
it steep for a short time in a bucket filled with
enough boiling water to be absorbed by the bran.
Wring the water out of the mash by twisting the
neck of the rubber. Open the rubber and spread
it out, so as to allow the mash to cool a little before
giving.

A bran poultice may be made in the same way.
I have described how to cook linseed as a mash.
Bran-mash may be, if desired, mixed up with the
linseed -mash.

Linseed-meal is used for poultices, and requires to
be mixed with hot water. To make it properly,
the boiling water should be poured into a vessel, as
much of it as may be considered requisite for the
purpose, and the linseed-meal gradually added to
the water, and stirred round and round the same
way until the poultice is of the required con-
sistency.

Many horses will eat a linseed-mash and will not

GRUEL. 203

touch gruel, and vice versa, while others will take
either.

Gruel is a capital thing to give to a tired horse,
especially after hunting or on the way home. The
reader should know how to make it for himself.
Take a good double handful or more of oatmeal, and,
having put it into a bucket, pour some boiling
water over it and stir it round till it is like a thick
cream ; add a little more boiling water to it, and
then pour in sufficient cold water to reduce it to a
blood-heat, when a horse will drink it ; and if he is
very exhausted a wineglassful of gin or a bottle of
warm ale may be added, but not many horses will
take these stimulants.

When oatmeal is not procurable, flour may be
substituted, and if neither is to be got, a bottle of
beer may be poured down the throat by inserting
the mouth of the bottle (the latter being wrapped
round with a rubber) in the space between the tusk
and grinders. I have often done this on cold or
wet nights when camped out, and after a time my
horses got to like it, and I am sure it did them good.

That ' a merciful man is merciful to his beast ' is
a saying well known enough, and surely the com-
fort of the animal which has so well and generously
worked all day for you is worth a thought. Ay,
and if you are an English gentleman and an

2o4 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

English sportsman, it will be your first thought,
even before your own comfort. You will be well
repaid in feeling that you have clone the best you
can for the dumb animal which is yours and depen-
dent on your care. He will himself repay you also
for that care, in that he will be none the less able
to carry you well the next time — nay, perhaps all
the better for it ; and you will not lose the respect
of your servants thereby, believe me.

[ 2°5 ]

CHAPTER XVIII.

Personal supervision by master. — Such personal supervision
not lowering. — Evidences of a good groom. — Amount of
work for one servant. — Overworked grooms. — Good ser-
vants procurable. — A fair day's work and a fair day's
wage. — Hours for grooming. — Time required to clean a
horse.- — Blind horses, and summer coats. — ' Wolf-teeth '
and shying. — Hour for 'morning' stables. — Hours for, and
routine of, grooming. — Morning. — Mid-day.- — Evening. —
Grooming a tired hunter. — Extra rules for grooming
hunters. — Eefusing corn. — Points to be specially attended
to in grooming. — How to test good grooming. — How to
groom. — The use of the curry-comb. — Clipping. — Time for
clippiug. — Singeing.- — Naphtha and gas singeing-lamps. —
Undipped legs. — Treatment after singeing. — Mane-pulling.
— How to pull a mane. — Hogging manes. — Tail-cutting.—
Docking.

If the eye of the master is to be over the servant,
it is certainly essential that he should not only
know what the work of that servant consists of,
but also how it should be performed. Neither will
it in any way detract from the master's dignity, or
lessen his servant's respect for him, if the latter is
aware that his master can himself show him with
his own hands how his work should bv done.

206 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Many a time have T myself, being in uniform, taken
the brush out of the hand of a recruit and shown
him how to use it to the best advantage to his horse,
and with the least necessary expenditure of force.
I have more than once seen generals of cavalry,
with their own hands, saddle and bridle a horse in
order to better explain the meanino- of some svstem
which they were anxious to adopt, or to try, and on
one occasion I distinctly remember seeing General
Sir F. Fitzwygram seated on the top of a troop
horse and busily employed in hauling away at
baggage and wallet-straps, so as to explain to an
officer how he wished these articles put on. I
think after these remarks I need say no more.
Such work is elevating, but I am well aware that
there are plenty of men to be found, not the gentle-
men of England though, who would think it utterly
beneath them to do any such thing.

Rest assured that a little occasional supervision
by the master, during the grooming-hour, will do
no harm to those who know how grooming ought to
be done. It is very apparent whether a groom
knows and does his work properly, or is ignorant, or
slurs it. The result of his labour will show if the
latter is the case, and the very way he handles his
grooming utensils the former ; and when engaging a
groom I like to see him at work myself for a few

AMOUNT OF WORK FOR ONE SERVANT. 207

minutes if I can so arrange it. The way he sets
about it will at once show me whether he is a groom
or an impostor. I think that it will be an advan-
tage to some of my readers if I endeavour to explain
how a horse should be groomed.

First of all I must inform him that in a single-
handed stable two horses are, if he has to exercise
them or go out with a carriage, quite as much as a
man can manage properly. Where a great many
horses are kept one man to every three will suffice,
or should do so. Two men can do a stable of five
horses, provided that they are not both of them
taken out with carriages, etc. To exercise and
groom two horses and clean a carriage, and do the
work well, is a hard day's work for any man, and
he should never be taken away for other purposes.
Of course, there are heaps of cases where a single
man has to do a great deal more than this, but then
the work is not, and cannot, be done as it should.
The horses are not properly groomed ; the carriage
and harness are not kept up to the mark, and the
man, being jjressed for time, is never clean or well
dressed, and instead of being able to turn out with
his breeches and boots well cleaned and put on,
they are very much the reverse, and probably he
is compelled from press of work to cover his
trousered legs and ill-cleaned boots with an apron

2o8 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

or rug. Such a state of affairs is to me so very un-
lovely, that I would far sooner keep but one pony
and turn it out well, than three horses, and have to
put up with dirt and slovenliness. Let a man
have a fair day's work to do, by all means, but let him
have a fair day to do it in. If matters are thus
arranged, insist upon every little detail being kept
up to the highest possible pitch. Excuse nothing;
allow of no excuse, unless it be through ignorance,
and a groom is supposed to knoiv his work. A
good servant costs no more than a bad. People are
for ever bemoaning the scarcity of good servants.
It's all rubbish. There are heaps to be got — plenty
of good, honest men, who both know their work
and do it ; but every man is not like this, and it is
necessary to exercise due precaution, and perhaps to
take some little trouble in the matter. People get
bad servants very often because they won't take the
trouble to get good ones.

' A fair day's work and a fair day's wage.' Let
the master be just and considerate, and, above all,
courteous to his servants, and let him in return exact
to the full the duty they should give to him, insisting
upon a willing and ready compliance with his orders ;
failing this, dismissal. If a difficulty is experienced
in obtaining a good servant, it is, believe me, a far
better plan to train a man who is steady, respect-

HOURS FOR GROOMING. 209

able, and anxious to learn. He will do far less
harm than a bad servant who knows his work and
does not do it, for every day he will be gaining
knowledge and experience; and if the master is able
to train him, or to overlook his work, he will know
that no neglect of duty is likely to pass unnoticed.

A horse should be groomed three times daily, viz. :
In the morning, at mid-day, and in the evening.
The following stable hours are as good as any, viz. :
6 a.m. to 7 a.m.
1 1 a.m. to 1 p.m.
5.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m.
No matter how dirty a horse may be, if he is in
good condition, and his coat is not very heavy, an
hour at most should be sufficient time for his being
thoroughly dried and cleaned.

Of course, where horses have louo" winter coats
on, and come in sweating profusely, they will very
often ' break out,' as it is called, after they have
been dried, and so have to be dried again ; but
this is a special, and not an ordinary case, inasmuch
as most horses are, with a view to prevent this,
clipped during the winter, when their coats are
long. It may, perhaps, interest the reader to know
that horses which are blind do not get a proper
summer coat, and I am informed, and indeed can
quote cases in proof of the statement, that this

14

210 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

is also equally so with horses who are blind in one
eye onry. No one seems, as yet, to have been able
to assign any satisfactory reason for this being the
case. If I may be permitted to hark back to
a previous chapter, I should like to mention another
almost equally curious fact, and one of which I was
not aware till a few years ago. I have never
experienced a case in my own stable, but I have
been so assured by so many people that it most
undoubtedly is true, that I am bound to believe it,
inasmuch as my informants were all practical, and,
I may further add, essentially truthful. It is this.
Some horses have what are called ' wolf-teeth.'
These teeth are situated just in front of the first
grinders. It is by no means uncommon to find
them in horses, but it is asserted that these teeth
are very often the cause of a horse shying, and that
they very much affect the sight at times. On their
removal the habit of shying; ceases. With an ordi-
nary tooth I can quite understand that this may be
the case, but since these ' wolf-teeth' have no fang,
and are merely rudimentary, I am quite at a loss
to tell how the sight can be affected by their
presence. I have known cases in which horses
have suffered from these teeth to an extent which
has left no doubt in my mind that their sight is
undoubtedly impaired by the irritation caused by

HOURS FOR 'MORNING' STABLES. 211

them, and their eyes have become cloudy and dull.
But as soon as the ' wolf-teeth ' have been removed
(and it is a very simple operation) the eyes have
regained their natural colour and lustre. These facts,
therefore,, speak for themselves, but they somewhat
puzzle me. But I must return to my subject, from
which I have very much strayed. The following

scale of work for a groom will be found useful.

©

have given 6 a.m. for the hour at which the day's
duties should commence. Some people make their
hours 5.30 in summer and 6.30 in winter. I con-
sider that the same hour throughout the year is a
better rule, and it is better to keep one regular
hour, and insist on that hour being adhered to,
than to change it.

6 a.m. : Water and feed with hay ; rearrange any
clothing which may have got wrong; pick out feet;
sponge nostrils and dock ; remove dung and the
soiled part of the litter, and place bedding in the
air (or, if raining, in the bedding-sheds) to dry ;
sweep out stall ; remove clothing and bandages,
and place them in the air; thoroughly clean body,
legs, head, mane, and tail ; clean headstall and re-
place it ; put on fresh day clothing.

6.45 a.m. : Feed with corn ; tidy up stable ;
arrange ventilators.

7 a.m. : Go to breakfast.

14 — 2

2i2 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

8 a.m. : Saddle and bridle for exercise ; remove
horse to spare stall (where possible) and thoroughly
wash down stable and scrub out manger, once or
twice a week, using a little salt for the latter

8.30 a.m. : Open all doors and windows (where
such can be left open with safety), and go to
exercise, which should be almost entirely walking,
except in very cold weather, when a hood should be
worn.

1 0 a.m. : Close windows (unless in warm weather) ;
remove bridle, and put on headstall, and rack up
horse ; clean watering bridle, stirrup-leathers, irons.

11.15 a.m.: Remove saddle-clothino- bandages,
etc., and thoroughly groom as before, finishing up
with a damp (not over-wet) wisp and dry rubber ;
replace clothing, and (if necessary) handrub legs,
and put on fresh bandages ; litter down with fresh
clean straw.

1 2 mid-day : Water, and feed with hay, and arrange
stable thoroughly ; clean saddle, brush and clean
night clothing and bandages, and fold them up ;
turn and fork over-night bedding to assist its dry-
ing ; clean up harness-room and rub over saddles,
bridles, etc.

12.45 p.m. : Feed with corn.

1 p.m. : Go to dinner.

5.30 p.m. : Water and feed with hay ; remove

GROOMING A TIRED HUNTER.

dang, etc., and change clothing, etc., and give a third
good grooming ; replace day-clothing and bandages
by night ditto ; bring in night-bedding, and make
up with that used during the day ; brush out and
clean stable.

6.15 p.m. : Feed with corn, and give remainder
of hay ; tidy up stable, etc. ; lock up.

9.30 or 10 p.m. : Visit stable again, removing
dung, picking out feet, replacing hay which may
have fallen ; offer water again ; see that everything
is correct ; arrange ventilators ; lock up stable.

In the foregoing I have assumed that the horse
has not been out hunting, or done any real work,
during the day. Since a tired hunter is a good
example to take for the purpose, we will suppose
that such is the case, and that he has just come in,
say, at the ordinary stable hour, 5.30 p.m. The
following should be the routine of grooming" ob-
served : Remove bit, and put on headstall ; slacken
girths and remove stirrup-leathers ; take off breast-
plate ; give a bucket of gruel or chilled water and
hay ; rub and dry ears ; brush dirt off legs and
feet ; put on bandages loosely ; dry neck, head,
shoulders ; sponge dock and nostrils ; throw a rug-
over the horse and feed with linseed-mash or some
corn. When this is finished, groom as much of the
body as can be managed ivitltout removing the

2i4 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

saddle, which should be left on till the last tiling.
Then remove saddle (this should never be taken off
until at least half an hour has elapsed), thoroughly-
dry back, belly, and loins ; give a good brisk groom-
ing with a dry wisp, to assist in restoring the circu-
lation ; put on night-clothing ; remove bandages,
and finish drying and cleaning the legs ; handrub
them well; put on fresh bandages, and feed with
corn again, and also hay ; fork up and finish bed-
ding" ; unrack so that the horse may roll if he
will.

All this grooming should be done as quickly as
it can be, and as thoroughly ; for remember that
your horse has had a hard day, and is longing to
roll and rest. The stall should be ready for him
on his return, and the bed made up, or nearly .so.
His mash, or whatever you may give him, should
be ready for him directly he comes in, and his
clothing and bandages should be warm and
dry.

It will be observed that I have not said
anything about washing either the legs or body.
Such practices should never be permitted on such
occasions, no matter how elaborate a system of
douches, etc., may be provided in a stable. My
reasons for this I will give later on, and they will,
I think, be found sufficient. Any injury which a

REFUSING CORN. 215

horse may have sustained after a day's hunting,
etc., should be at once reported by the groom
and be at once attended to, and all thorns, etc.,
should be carefully looked for and removed. The
morning after a day's hunting the horse should be
carefully examined and led out for a few minutes
to see if he is sound. Later on in the day he
may be led about for half an hour in as sheltered a
spot as can be obtained.

If a horse refuses his corn at any time, the cause
should be ascertained and proper treatment resorted
to. Horses (other than excitable ones) do not
refuse their corn except for some good reason.
The sooner, therefore, that reason is known, the
better for both horse and owner.

The above system of treatment for a tired
hunter will serve equally well in the case of an
ordinary horse, whether saddle or harness, under
similar conditions.

In grooming a horse the following points should
be particularly attended to : The ears, throat, inside
the forearm, hocks, thighs, and heels should receive
special care. It is in these places that it is perhaps
more difficult to dry a horse and clean him, and it
is there that a master will do well to examine his
groom's work. If these are clean, the chances are
that the rest of the horse is clean.

216 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

The throat is a place which is very often
neglected and allowed to dry itself, hence, perhaps,
the reason why so many horses become roarers.

Manes and tails, again, often do not receive the
attention they should. Such take time and
patience, especially where the hair is thick. A
horse's mane and tail require to be carefully parted
and well brushed at each parting.

If a horse is clean, no scurf or grease of any
kind should ever adhere to the hand when rubbed
over the skin. If your groom assures you to the
contrary, and says that you must expect a little,
he lies, and knows it too. Perhaps in the spring
and autumn, when coats are rising and falling, such
an excuse may be more permissible, but even then,
if a groom works hard, he can prevent grease and
scurf being present.

In grooming, a groom should stand somewhat
away from his horse, and by means of a straight
arm he will gain additional jjower from the weight
of his body. When a horse is sweating, much hard
grooming and rubbing will not dry him as quickly
as light, brisk wisjjing with straw. Until a horse is
quite dry he cannot be cleaned.

The scurf cohected in the body-brush should be
removed by the curry-comb, and the latter from
time to time cleared out by being tapped on the

CLIPPING. 2 t 7

floor of the stable, and not into the manger or
against the stall partitions.

In the cavalry the men are taught to tap out
their curry-combs at the edge of the stall-posts.
Their work is then apparent, as, if they have been
doing their duty, there will be a heap of scurf to
prove it.

Since it is necessary to remove a horse's coat
during the winter, it is as well to consider how this
is to be best done.

In the old days horses were clijjped with a pair
of scissors, or else shaved. Both of these operations
were necessarily somewhat laborious, and the latter
dangerous as well. Of late }^ears the clipping
machine has rendered these old-fashioned practices
obsolete. The machine answers the purpose for
which it is intended admirably, and the man who
can cut a horse with it must indeed be a clumsy
hand. Of course, as may be supposed, it leaves the
marks of its teeth, however skilfully it may be used,
and, moreover, does not take off the hair quite as
closely as is desirable, so it is necessary when a
horse has been clipped to level the coat still further
by singeing it.

No horse's coat should ever be clipped until it is
set. This is known by the appearance of long hairs,
known as 'cat-hairs,' and when these show the coat

2 1 8 THR O UGH ST A BLE AND SADDLE-R O OM.

may fairly be assumed to be ready for clipping. If
a horse is clipj)ed too soon, he will never have the
same appearance as if the proper time is waited for,
and it will be a source of trouble all the winter
through.

It is a custom in some stables, and a good one
too, never to clip horses, but to begin singeing
them down early in the autumn directly they begin
to show any signs of thickening, and to keep on
doing this constantly through the winter. By such
means, though joerhaps more troublesome, a horse's
coat is kept in as perfect a state as it can well be
under the circumstances, and I am convinced that
it is the best way of keeping a winter coat
down.

As I have remarked in a former chapter, there
are two kinds of singeing-lamps — that for use with
gas and that for naphtha — and I there stated my
reasons for preferring the use of the latter, as it is
less likely to burn a horse, and burns the hair more
steadily and thoroughly than the fiercer flame of
the gas ; but whichever description of lamp may
be used, either of them requires to be constantly
attended to and cleared. The naphtha is more
troublesome in this respect than the gas, and the
wick requires to be shifted now and again. It is,
moreover, necessary that when a groom is singeing

CLIPPING. 219

he should keep a damp rag in his left hand, ever
ready to quench the coat should it catch fire, as
also to avoid singeing too close to the roots of the
mane and tail.

For saddle horses, the part of the back where
the saddle goes should never be clipped or singed,
but the saddle having been carefully fitted on the
back, the hair should be neatly clipped round in its
shape.

It has of late years been very much the custom
to leave the legs of horses undipped. It was a
fashion which was brought over from Ireland, and
was supposed to be a protection to the legs, and to
prevent thorns and stone walls, etc., damaging them.
I never did agree with it, simply because I thought
it looked horrid, and because I do not consider that
it is a protection. If all the hair off a horse's legs
were to be collected together, the whole of it could
be held in one hand, and I do not see that it is any
advantage, and am quite sure that many a blow,
and many a thorn which would be seen at once
were the legs clipped, is often left undiscovered
until lameness or the existence of matter makes
the injury apparent. Some people assert that it
is a protection against mud -fever. I will, how-
ever, endeavour in another place to show that
mud-fever can be very easily prevented by other

220 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

means. Anyhow, I am glad to say the fashion has
gone out, and in the shires undipped legs are rarely
to be seen.

After a horse is clipped and singed he requires
to be thoroughly well groomed, and then galloped
in clothing till he sweats well ; after which he may
be washed quickly with warm water, and should be
thoroughly dried, and clothed up and bandaged
until he has got perfectly cool and there is no
danger of his suffering from chill, when he should
be again groomed and well wisped, and his ordinary
clothing replaced. If a horse is clipped at the
right time, he should not require more than one, or
at most two subsequent clippings during the season.
His coat must then be left to grow for the spring,
and must not be again touched, or his summer coat
will be spoiled.

It is by no means an easy matter to pull a mane
properly, but it is necessary, where the growth of
hair is thick and long, to get rid of a good deal of
it. There is a sort of infernal machine, called a
mane-drag, a thing like a bent fork, which is used to
drag the hair out of a mane. It is very aptly
named. Drag it it does, and to a cruel extent, and
inasmuch as it takes up a good lot at a time, it
must be an unpleasant sensation to a horse. Dealers
use them a good deal. I have noticed that some

HOW TO PULL A MANE. 221

horses will not stand their manes being pulled ever
so gently. The remembrance of the mane-drag
has probably not faded from their minds. Of course,
to cut a mane is but a tom-fool's work (I do not
refer to what is called hogging a mane). If a mane
is cut, as may be supposed, the hairs, when growing
again, stand up through the longer hairs like a sort
of chevaux-de-frise, and are hardry ornamental,
if peculiar. Only dealers' grooms seem to thoroughly
understand the art of pulling a mane properly.
True that they do it in a rough, cruel fashion, as I
have remarked, but that is rather because they
have to smarten up a horse all at once for sale, and
are pressed for time. A mane should not be pulled
from the underneath side ; and most certainly not
from the upj^er. Therefore it must be pulled from
the middle. In order to do this properly, the mane
should be parted evenly, and the longer hairs, not
more than two or three at a time, being held
in the finders of one hand, the remaining hairs
should be run back clear of them, and a sharp,
quick twitch being given, they are removed. It
is impossible without cruelty to remove very
much at a time ; a little each day will soon
thin a mane properly, and if thus carried out the
hair will fall in light, thin locks, and give an
appearance of style and breeding, which a thick,

222 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

long, heavy mane cannot. A mane should never
be palled so that its edge is in a straight line.
Clumsy grooms are very apt to do this, as it is
easier and less tedious than to pull it as I have
described.

For ponies, and anything under 14 hands, I
consider hogging a mane is decidedly an improve-
ment. Anything over that height should never
be hoofg-ed. When a mane is hogo-ed, the hair
should be cut quite close down, and finished in a
low, level ridge, but cut as short as it can be. A
mane hogged after the fashion of the Parthenon
horses is not smart. It is the fashion, in all but
racehorses, to cut horses' tails short, and it has a
smart appearance, and improves the appearance of
a horse considerably ; but it is a difficult matter to
cut a tail well, and it must be remembered that it
must be cut so that when the horse is going, and
carrying it out, the cut edge is parallel to the
around. Nothing- looks worse than to see the
stump of the tail, when the latter has been docked,
sticking up in the air end on, as it were. When a
horse's tail is handled, he generally tries to tuck it
in, and so the right angle for cutting must be judged
when it is carried naturally. Docking horses after
they are a certain age is cruel. It is, I fear, cruel
at any time, and should never be done except by a

DOCKING. 22

j

skilful veterinary surgeon. It should be done as
quickly and carefully as possible. It requires a
cool operator to do it well. I have known the
most distressing scenes occur when docking has
been attempted by a nervous bungler.

[ 224 ]

CHAPTER XIX.

Shoeing. — Odd feet indicative of previous unsoundness. — Con-
struction of foot. — Shape and structure of crust and sole.
— The frog. — Thickness of crust and sole. — Alae of coffin-
bone. — Circular action of foot. — Use of shoes. — Iron
suitable for shoes. — Sole not to be pared. — Ignorance of
farriers. — Evils of chopping out the heels.— Lowering the
feet. — Shoe to rest on the crust. — Shape and thickness of
shoe. — Clinches. — Position of nails. — Concave shoes. —
' Fitzwygram ' shoes. — The 'Charlier' system. — Tips. —
Koughing. — Patent hoof-pads. — Calkins. — Over-reaching.
— Cause of cutting and prevention. — Bevelled shoes. —
Inconvenience caused by neglect of servants. — Inspection
by farrier.— Shoeing-pricks. — Price of shoeing. — Hot feet
and remedy. — Stopping. — Eecipe for stopping. — Thrush
and treatment. — Corns and treatment.- — Shoeing with
leather. — Lameness. — Shoulder lameness. — Lameness in
hock ; from splint ; of fetlock-joint.- — Sandcrack and treat-
ment. — Hoof-ointment.

We now have to consider one of the most im-
2)ortant, if not the most important, subjects with
which we have to deal in the present work, viz. :
that of shoeing.

No matter how good in every other respect a
horse may be, if his feet are not good and sound he
is useless. We cannot utilize him, Pegasus-like,

GOOD AND EVEN FEET. 225

and make him fly. His feet have to sustain him,
and any additional weight he may have to carry.
If, therefore, he cannot carry himself, it is hardly to
be expected that he can cany anything else.

One of the first lessons I ever received in the
selection of horses was given me by one of the
best judges I have ever known. His advice to me
was as follows, viz. : Let your inspection begin at
the feet. If they are not good, and are not exactly
the same shape and size (the forefeet, of course),
have nothing whatever to do with the horse. Make
any excuse you like, but make up your mind not to
buy him, and, if you can, turn resolutely away from
him. No advice could have been better. It was a
beginning1 at the right end — the beginning" itself.
The feet of a horse are naturally exactly alike, and
invariably so. If there is the slightest difference in
their shape, it may be at once assumed, no matter
how much you may be assured to the contrary,
that that horse has been lame either in the foot,
leg, or shoulder at some time or other, and probably
lame for some long time. According- as the
difference is little or great, and from disuse, the
structure of the foot has become more or less
altered. Now, before entering any further upon
the subject of shoeing, it will be well for us to
briefly consider what a horse's foot really is like.

15

226 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

As may be seen on examining any well-preserved
specimen, it consists of bones and horn. There are
three bones, viz. : (l) The foot, pedal, or coffin bone,
as it is termed. This is the principal bone, and is
made to fit the horn covering (as seen in the speci-
men). (2) The navicular bone, which is at the back
of the coffin-bone — this latter a small bone of
peculiar shape. (3) The shorter pastern -bone, which
is made to articulate on the top of the coffin-bone.
This bone is, again, met by the longer pastern-bone,
but as this latter is somewhat above the foot, we
will omit further reference to it here.

Now, all these bones fit into each other, and are
bound and knit together bv ligaments, etc. If the
horny portion of the foot is now examined, it will
be seen to consist of two parts, viz. : the crust or
wall, and the sole.

In the perfect foot the crust is nearly round.
The inner side is slightly less so than the outer.

The top of the crust is smaller in diameter than
the bottom ; a line drawn from the top (which is
where the hair and hoof meet, and which is called
the 'coronet') to the toe would form, in a perfect
foot, an anode of 4 5 ° with the sole.

If the crust and sole are placed under a magnify-
ing glass, it will be seen that, whereas the horn of
both consists of a number of fine tubes which are

CRUST AND SOLE OF FOOT. 227

filled with a moist oily substance — which is really
the lubricating oil, and supplied for the purpose of
keeping the horn tough and moist — the fibres of
the crust run in a vertical direction, whilst those
of the sole run laterally, and are interwoven with
the fibres of the crust.

If the foot be now placed with the toe down-
wards, the sole being towards the observer, a sharp
V-shaped growth will be noticed, which extends
from the heel to about two-thirds of the distance
between the heel and the toe. It is, as I have
said, shaped like a V, but like a V whose ends
have been looped round. This is what is called
the 'frog,' and its looped ends are termed the 'bars.'
These latter, doubling back as I have endeavoured
to describe, meet the crust some little distance from
the heels.

The use of the frog is to prevent a horse from
slipping ; and it is admirably adapted for the pur-
pose, needless to remark, as is anything in Nature.
The provisions made by Nature fail only when man's
ignorance mars her handiwork. Now examine the
inside of the foot, and it will be seen that the fibres
are very apparent, and present the appearance
of a species of coral, which I know well enough
by sight, but I do not know its correct name. It
is composed of a number of fan-like blades, radiating

15 — 2

228 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

from the centre — laminated, in fact. The inside of
the foot of a horse is thus laminated ; and these
are called the ' sensitive laminae,' in contradis-
tinction to the outer portion, which is formed of
'insensitive laminae' — answering to the quick in the
human nail and the growth from it.

I trust I may have been able to make my meaning
clear enough ; but it is a somewhat difficult matter
to be explicit on such a subject without the aid of
either specimen or illustration. A more gifted
writer than I am could, doubtless, make a better
business of it, but then he might perhaps use long
words, and I wish to avoid their use as much as
possible, so that even a groom can understand what
I may treat of herein.

We have examined the foot of a horse inside and
out, and its shape to a certain extent. If it is still
further inspected, it may be observed that while
the thickness of the sole, except where the frog
is situated, is pretty much the same throughout,
that of the crust varies very considerably, and that
it is very much thicker at the toe than at the heel,
and gradually becomes thinner (narrower) as it
approaches the heel ; that the inner side of the
foot is also slightly thinner than the outside, and
that where it is thick at the sole it is very thin at
the coronet.

ALsE OF COFFIN-BONE. 229

It will be well perhaps to again take up the
coffin-bone, and it will be noticed that at its ends
(the heel ends) it branches out into two thin, wing-
shaped formations. These are, indeed, termed the
ala3, or wings. Attached to these wings are two
gristly formations. As I have to say something
regarding these later on, I think the present a good
opportunity for drawing attention to them, as it is
the ossification of these which causes what are
termed ' side-bones.'

I will now ask the reader to take note of the
action of a horse, at any pace he may select, and to
observe the wav the foot is brought down to, and re-
moved from, the ground, and he will see that, though
the foot comes flat down, the action of the leg is
circular, and he will easily follow me when I endea-
vour to explain to him that, by this circular motion
of the leg, the toe of a horse's foot would become
very much worn, more so than any other part.
Such is the case ; and if a worn-out shoe is
examined, it will be seen that the iron, while worn
nearly through at the toe, is but little the worse
for wear at the heel or elsewhere.

I think I have now made mention of all that is
necessary for me to impress on the reader with
regard to the structure of the foot, and I trust I
have not been over-verbose; but it has been neces-

23o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

sary to study the conformation of the foot before
we can determine what sort of shoe will fit it.

Were horses required to work on soft ground
only, they wTould not require any shoes at all.
Indeed, there are some horses whose feet are so hard
and flinty, and the horn of such wonderful texture,
and its growth so rapid, that they can work on any
ground unshod ; but these cases are few and far
between, and though several people have written
on the subject of using horses without shoes, and
have tried to abandon their use, it has never been
adopted generally; and except here and there, as a
sort of craze, it is not likely to obtain favour, since
there are so few horses which can stand the wear
and tear of our roads without shoes.

Now let us inquire what the use of a shoe is.

The answer, of course, is this, viz. : To protect
a horse's foot from breaking or sustaining too much
wear, thereby becoming sore, when ridden or driven
on hard ground, such as our macadamized roads of
the present day, etc.

Nothing further than this is required ; yet it is
most difficult to effect this in a simple and sensible
manner. One thing is certain, and that is, that
there is no substance which we know of, as yet
discovered, which will answer the purpose as well as
iron. The edge of the crust is what it is necessary

' CHARLIER' SHOES. 231

to protect ; nothing further. How best to do this
is another question.

We have agreed that the protection given must
be an iron one, and that it must be of a certain
thickness, in order that it may wear a reasonable
time.

There are some dozens of different patterns of
shoes — scores, I may say. I myself have ever so
many ; and of all the people who have invented
them, hut one only seems to me to have arrived at
what a shoe should be, and that pattern is what
is called the ' Charlier,' named after its inventor.
But as this shoe necessitates a system entirely its
own, and the latter requires a careful and skilled
workman to carry out, it is not in as general use
as it should be. The foot requires careful prepara-
tion, and tools specially made for such. Moreover,
we English people are dreadful bigots, and are very
slow to adopt a new system. I myself have tried
all sorts, kinds, and descriptions of shoes on my
horses — the ' Charlier' amongst them — and I can
therefore speak from experience ; and I say most
truthfully when I declare this to be not only by far
the best / know of, but to be the one and only shoe
which has ever yet been invented fit to use ; and I
have not a single word of anything but praise to
say for it. I do not know M. Charlier, nor have

232 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

I ever seen him ; so I have , no interest in the
success of his shoe financially. I only p raise it
because it is worthy of all praise ; and were I able
to find a farrier within reach of my home to whom
I could entrust the shoeing of my horses by the
' Charlier ' system, I should most certainly not use
any other kind of shoe in my stable.

After this eulogy, the reader will probably wish
to know what manner of shoe the ' Charlier ' shoe
is. Before I proceed to explain, it is necessary for
me to state that, inasmuch as Nature did not intend
a horse to travel on macadamized roads, so she
equally did intend that the sole of a horse's foot
should come in contact with the ground ; and if such
is prevented, the sole, from disuse, must necessarily
become shrunken and lose vitality, as would any
one of our own members become weak and feeble
if we were to forbear using it. Thus, if we
were to always carry one arm in a sling, and
never use it, it would waste. Therefore, for the
sole of a horse's foot to be kept in a healthy state,
and for the horn to grow well and strong, it must
be used.

Again, if it were necessary for a person to walk
over a rough or hard road for several miles, he
would hardly be likely to elect to do so in pumps ;
rather would he don his thickest shooting-boots —

IGNORANCE OF FARRIERS. 233

1 . — - — — , — , fc

and why ? Of course, to protect his feet from being
bruised by stones, etc. Nature has provided that
the sole of a horse's foot should be thick, and
sufficiently so to protect the foot from possible
bruises, nor could any substance have been better
devised for the purpose than horn. Yet the wilful
pigheadedness, the crass ignorance, of farriers, persists
in cutting away the very protection which Nature
has given the horse, and paring and hollowing out
the sole. You may ask why. / can't tell you ;
nor can they. ' It has been the custom,' they say ;
they can give no other reason. They pare away
the sole ; they cut away the crust ; they rasp the
delicate fibres so as to encourage the horn, so
exquisitely designed by Nature to be tough, to
become brittle ; every stroke of the hateful rasp
tears open and destroys numberless conduits of
lubricating oil — and why ? again I may repeat.
Simply and solely because, it being their trade to
fit a shoe to a horse's foot, they, being too clumsy
to do so, fit the horse's foot to the shoe. Horn is
such a pleasant, easy material to cut and carve at,
and looks so nice when smeared over with some
filthy black oil — and iron is so hard; it takes such
a lot of labour, and it is so very difficult to make
the shoe fit as it should. That is the reason, and
if they were honest, that is what they would answer.

234 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Such men are not workmen ; they are bunglers :
they are not farriers ; they should have been
carpenters.

It makes me feel hot and angry as I write this,
and feel inclined to dig my pen into the very paper,
wishing all the time that the paper were but one
of such so-called farriers.

Another malpractice is also common amongst
farriers. They chop out the heel, so that when a
horse's foot is viewed from behind, after they have
been at work, it has the appearance of a very neatly
carved W. Of course that is also the custom.
Therein they speak the truth, sadly truthfully.
]STow, since a circle is the perfection of form, and
perfection of form is perfection of strength, it well
accords with the rest of the work to destroy that
form. Take for example a wooden ring. So long
as it is intact, it is strong ; cut half an inch out of
it, and its strength is gone : it bends in and breaks.
This is precisely the effect which chopping out the
heel has upon the horse's foot. It bends in.

Horn will grow, it is true ; we wish it to do so.
Its growth is the very life and soul of a sound,
good foot.

If, however, a horse's foot is prevented from
wearing by means of a shoe, it is obvious that in
time it will grow too long, and it must therefore

LOWERING THE FEET. 235

be shortened. This growth requires removing once
a month, as a general rule, and, as a general rule
also, shoes require renewing, under ordinary con-
ditions, once a month. Therefore it is not requisite
that a shoe should be any thicker than is necessary
to last that time.

As the sole of the foot is, for the purpose of
strength, constructed so as to be somewhat concave,
it does not require to be cut down, and should never
be touched further than to trim off any ragged
growths from the frog. All superfluous horn will
flake out, and in a healthy foot will preserve its
concavity sufficiently to obviate any necessity for
its being lowered.

The crust, on the contrary, must be lowered, and
the month's growth removed ; but no more than this
amount should be taken off; and in this lowering
care must be taken that both feet are left of exactly
the same length, and that each foot is 'perfectly
level and true to the ground. That is all that
should be done ; nothing more is required ; anything
further than that is not only unnecessary, but
harmful. The foot is now ready for the shoe to be
fitted on. I have shown that the crust is thicker
at the toe than at the heel. The crust is the
portion of the foot on which the shoe must rest —
on it, and it alone, and not on the sole. The shoe,

236 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE ROOM.

therefore, must so fit the foot that it bears only on
the crust, and it should therefore, in order to do
this, follow in its shape that of the crust, and
inasmuch as the greatest amount of wear is at the
toe, that portion of the shoe should be thicker than
elsewhere, so as to withstand the wear and tear.
Inversely, as but little wear takes jolace at the heel,
there is no need for the iron to be as thick there
as at the toe.

It will be seen, therefore, that the shoe should
be both narrower and thinner as it approaches the
heel. Thick, wide metal becomes useless lumber.
A shoe, also, should not project beyond the edges
of the crust, especially on the inside, as the latter
would very probably interfere with the action, and
the horse be badly cut and damaged ; and if it
projects on the outer side, it is not only useless,
but likely to pull off in deep ground.

A shoe should be plenty long enough at the
heels, but not too long. If too short, it will sink
into the heel and cause corns and other evils ; if
too long, it will pull off, and also be in the
way.

The only plan I know of which really answers,
by which to fasten the shoe to the foot, is by nailing
it on, through holes in the shoe, obliquely through
the crust. The ends of the projecting nails are

SHOE-NAILS. 237

then turned down (' clinched,' as it is termed),
any superfluous length being broken off. These
clinches are made with a hammer. Their ends
may be rasped slightly, but in doing this care
must be exercised to prevent the rasp touching the
crust.

The toe and fore-quarters of the crust being the
thicker — i.e., the wider — parts, they are the best
suited for the purpose of nailing the shoe on to.
Four, or at most Jive, nails are sufficient to fasten a
shoe. If five are used, three will be on one side and
two on the other ; and since the outer side of the
crust is somewhat thicker than the inner, the three
should be placed on the outside. The two inner
nails should not be opposite to the outer ones, but
divide the two spaces between the three.

The heads of the nails should not project above
the nail-holes, since it is evident that if they do
so they wear first of all, and the shoe must
drop off. They should therefore be countersunk,
and fit the nail-holes exactly — the punch which
is used for making the nail -holes corresponding
exactly with the size and shape of the heads of
the nails.

Now, it is very possible that if a shoe is
perfectly flat on the side next to the ground, a
stone may lodge between it and the frog, and

238 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

possibly cause a horse to fall or bruise the foot. It
is therefore advisable that it should be made con-
cave on its inner edge, from where the line of the
crust would come — hollowed out, as it were — and
rounded so as to prevent the possibility of a stone
lodging against it.

A horse invariably travels (if his feet are not
overgrown) better on old shoes than on new, inas-
much as, the toe being worn by the circular motion
of the foot which I have above referred to, he is
saved the extra exertion of having to raise his foot
somewhat higher than necessary in order to clear
the ground.

General Sir F. Fitzwygram — of whom I have
before made mention, and who has done very much
towards improving the shoeing of horses, and has
written more common-sense on the subject than
anyone else — invented a form of shoe which was
made at the toe after the fashion of a worn shoe,
only that the toe was made thick enough to stand
the month's wear. The toe being turned up, neces-
sitates the crust being slightly cut away at the toe
to receive it.

Next to the ' Charlier,' this pattern of shoe is
the very best ever produced, and it has been with
this pattern and his system in my mind that I have
written the above ; indeed, the shoe I have just

THE ' CHARLIE R' SYSTEM. 239

described is, as near as I can make it, what is
termed a ' Fitzwygram ' shoe.

I will now proceed to explain the ' Charlier '
system, which I can the more easily do after the
foregoing.

The preparation of the foot for shoeing on the
' Charlier ' system is as follows : The crust of the
foot is lowered to the extent of about one-third of
an inch the whole way round by means of a gauge-
The shoe, which is made from a bar of soft iron,
rectangular in shape, and of equal width and thick-
ness (about one-third of an inch each way), is fitted
into this groove or rebate which has been formed
by the gauge, and which it exactly corresponds
with. Thus the sole of the foot is brought on to
the ground, and the edge of the crust is prevented
from wearing by the shoe. By this system the foot
is used as it should be, and yet sufficiently protected.
The shoe is light, and wears well, and never comes
off. Every part of the foot is kept healthy by its use.
The frog is able to perform its work, and its growth
is therefore vigorous, and it is less likely to suffer
from thrush, etc. The very lightness, too, of the
shoe tends to diminish the concussion which is
caused by the use of a greater amount of metal.

The first time I made use of the ' Charlier ' shoe
I did so bv the advice of a friend. T had at the

240 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

time a very good-looking, well-bred mare, whose
feet were somewhat contracted. I had bought her
cheap, otherwise I should not have taken her into
my stable. After she had been shod on the
' Charlier ' system for some four months her feet
had nearly recovered their normal size, having ex-
panded to the extent of about one-sixteenth of an
inch. Had I persevered with her, I doubtless
could have brought them back to their proper size ;
but I sold her to a friend, and I regret to say she
had to be shot very soon afterwards, her leg having
been broken by a kick from another horse. This
is only one of several instances which I could
adduce to prove the advantage of the system.

I should not, however, advise that a horse should
be at once put fully on to ' Charlier ' shoes, but
rather that they should be adopted gradually, the
depth of the groove being made deeper at each
successive shoeing, until the full depth is reached.
My reason for saying this is that, as a rule, horses'
feet have been so pared and tinkered about, and the
sole, from disuse, become so weak and shrunken,
that they are not in a fit condition to be at once put
on to the ground and to do their proper work. In
three months, however, they should be quite ready

for it.

The legs and feet of a horse which is properly

REMEDYING DEFECTIVE ACTION 241

shaped are straight, and consequently the action of
the foot is true to the front. Some horses — indeed,
many — whose conformation in this respect is defec-
tive, do not move their feet truly to the front.
They may turn in ; they may turn out — ' winding
and ' dishing,' as it is termed. Again, horses which
are what is called ' calf-kneed ' throw their feet
about in the most peculiar fashion, and are very
apt to ' box ' their ankles and to knock themselves
about very much. If such horses were unshod,
they could not hit themselves. In these cases the
' Charlier ' system is very advantageous, but where
an ordinary shoe is used, it often becomes a very
difficult matter to prevent their hitting them-
selves.

It may be necessary to shoe the horse so that
one side of the foot is lower than the other. Our
friend the farrier suggests that the shoe should be
made thicker or thinner on one side. For a short
time this may answer, but as soon as the shoe gets
worn (and such horses wear their shoes very irregu-
larly), the evil again occurs. A 'three-quarter' shoe,
as it is termed, is then tried. That answers, per-
haps, until the end of the shoe (being only half its
proper length on one side of the foot), sinking into
the foot, probably causes lameness. Of course there
is a right and a wrong way, and we have been

16

242 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

supposing the wrong. The right way is not to
alter the shoe, but to lower the foot more on one
side than the other, and thus the required level is
obtained. Such lowering must be, however, but
slight and carefully done.

The use of tips is often recommended. They
are nothing but very short shoes. A horse cannot
work long on them on hard ground ; the heels get
worn and sore, as they wear sooner than the iron,
and, as may be supposed, there is then undue strain
placed on the tendons at the back of the leg. The
ends of the tips, moreover, sink into the foot and
cause corns, etc.

It is the custom in frosty weather to have the
shoes roughed or turned up. This consists in the
heels being turned so as to present the ends of the
shoes to the ground, and so prevent slipping.
Nothing else seems to quite answer the purpose,
yet this system is far from being a satisfactory one,
inasmuch as the shoes are thus too short, and the
heels being unduly raised, the proper position of the
foot is altered, and if used for any length of time
corns and enlarged joints are the result.

There is a very good description of foot-pad
made of indiarubber, and which is constructed so as
to be readily fitted to the foot of a horse without
removing the shoe, and it is as easily taken off

PATENT FOOT-PAD. 243

when not required. A pair of pincers are made
for the purpose of fitting the springs to which the
indiarubber is attached, and sold with them. The
pad is also split, to allow of the frog coming through.
I have never used them, but from what I have
been told by those who have, I believe them to be
excellent, and to fulfil the purpose for which they
are intended — viz., to prevent horses slipping in
frosty weather, etc. — very thoroughly, and I should
advise their adoption in preference to the system of
turning up. They are sold in various sizes. I
think their price is about half a guinea and upwards,
for a set of four.

Calkins are lumps of metal which are welded on
to the heels of the hind-shoes for harness work, to
keep horses from slipping. Their use is chiefly
confined to cart and heavy horses, and horses which
work on roads which are heavily paved. They may
be styled ' necessary evils.'

Horses — hunters especially — are very apt to cut
themselves when galloping through deep ground,
or in jumping. This is called overreaching, and is
produced by bad shoeing. It is very commonly,
and mistakenly, supposed that the injury is inflicted
by the toe of the hind-shoe striking the heel or
back of the foreleg. If such a cut is examined, it
will be seen to be of a crescent shape, and not that

10 — 2

244 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

which would be inflicted by the toe of the hind-
shoe. The injury is really done by the inside edge
of the toe of the hind-shoe. Where a hind-shoe is
made flat, if its edge is felt it will be at once seen
how sharp the latter is ; and it becomes more so the
more the shoe is worn. It will be observed, too,
that the shape of the cut exactly corresponds in
shape with this edge. The edge, therefore, must
be removed, and all hind-shoes should be made
quite round on their inner edges, as round as it is
possible to make them. If roughly done, they will
soon wear to a sharp edge ; but if this is properly
carried out, even should a horse hit himself, he will
not cut. An overreach is a nasty and troublesome
thing to cure, and I have seen horses whose heels
have been completely cut off by reason of their hind-
shoes having been improperly made. ' Clicking ' or
' forging,' as it is termed, viz., the hind shoe striking
against the edge of the fore, is also prevented by
the use of bevelled shoes, such as I have described.
Grooms should be tauo-ht to be careful to
examine the shoes of their horses, both before and
after work, and to see that they are on firmly, and
that they have not shifted, and also that the
clinches have not risen. Anything which is wrong
should be immediately rectified. Can anything be
more provoking than to discover, just as a horse is

INSPECTION B Y FARRIER. 245

wanted, that a visit to the farrier's shop is necessary,
because the groom has been too careless to examine
the shoes in proper time ? It may be a matter
of almost life and death to catch a train at a par-
ticular time, and the horse is useless. The station
may be a long way off and the farrier's shop not
within easy reach. Again, a day's hunting may be
lost because of such carelessness. Such lost days
are sure, too, to be ' good scenting days.' Where
practicable, let me advise the reader, if a hunting
man, to arrange with the farrier to always visit his
stable at such an hour on a hunting morning, that, if
anything is wrong, there may be time to have it put
right before starting. If the morning visit cannot
be arranged, let him come the day before ; but the
morning is the best time, as it is quite possible that
a fidgety or nervous horse may, in kicking at night,
as such horses are very apt to do, displace or break
a shoe, and it is as well to be on the safe side.

A good and careful farrier should never prick a
horse in shoeing, i.e., should never drive a nail into
the quick. I fear that but few horses escape this
at some time or other during the year. Whenever
a horse's foot is hot, and it has been recently shod,
it may be generally assumed that it has been
pricked. The shoe must be at once removed, and
the suspected nail-hole searched and poulticed with

246 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

a linseed-meal poultice. As a rule, the horse is
sound again in a few days, if thus promptly treated.
If you can persuade your farrier to do so, let him
sign an agreement with you to pay a fine of five
shillings for every time he pricks your horse, and
in order to further induce care on his part, promise
him a substantial Christmas-box if he does not prick
any of your horses during the year.

The usual price paid for shoeing is Is. per foot.
In order to secure extra good work, it will be wise
to offer 5 s. a shoeing'.

When horses have been working on very hard
ground and in hot weather, their feet are apt at
times to get hot from the concussion, and it is well
to cool them with a wet swab made of felt, and
which can be loosely buckled round the fetlock.
Some horses are very subject to hot feet. It is
evidence of weakness of constitution, and should be
alleviated as much as possible.

If it is required at any time to soften the feet of
a horse by reason of the horn having become brittle,
which, by the way, it will not become in a healthy
foot, the feet may be ' stopped,' as it is called.
Clay and cow-dung mixed together are generally
used for this purpose, and the latter is very cooling.
Horse-dung is as heating to the foot as cow-dung is
cooling ; hence the necessity for never allowing dung

TREATMENT OF THRUSH. 247

to remain in a stable, and for keeping" a horse's feet
constantly cleared of it. Stopping may be well
used the night before shoeing.

A very good and more cleanly stopping than the
above is made by mixing Stockholm tar, soft soap,
and linseed-meal together in equal quantities. It
may be kept in a jar to be used as required.

Good feet well cared for do not require the use of
any stopping.

Thrush is a diseased frog. It is caused by
dirt and neglect, by a horse being allowed to stand
in dung, and also by bad shoeing, the frog being
not properly used. It is a disgrace to any stable.
Its presence is generally patent to anyone who
enters the stable. No need to ask if it is there ;
your nostrils inform you of the fact soon enough.
The first thing to be done towards curing it
is to thoroughly clean and wash the foot, and to
remove any decayed edges ; and to dress the parts
affected with the following, which may be used
by inserting pledgets of tow saturated with it
between the clefts of the frog, viz. : one part carbolic
acid, eight parts oil. This should be used daily.
Bedding of beech-sawdust will help to hasten a
cure. The horse should, as soon as possible, be
shod so that his frogs bear on the ground. Tips
will do for this purpose for a time. Any means

248 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

which will ensure dryness and pressure on the frog
will tend to effect a cure. If thrush is neglected
worse evil in the form of canker may ensue.

Corns in a horse are caused by too short shoes ;
the heels not being sufficiently long, their ends
pressing on the foot bruise it. and inflammation
is soon set up. Corns are generally to be found in
the inner side of the foot. What is called the
' seat of corn ' is just at the point where the bars
and crust meet. They cause considerable lameness,
and may, if neglected, become very serious, and a
sinus being established, the matter lodged forces
its way upward and out through the coronet, and
forms what is called a ' quittor,' which is a fistulous
sore. The remedy for corns consists of the follow-
ing treatment, viz. : Remove the shoe at once ;
have the corn pared out so far as it extends
(this should be done by a competent person) ;
poultice, if necessary, with a linseed or bran
poultice ; shoe with a tip until the foot has grown
sufficiently to bear an ordinary shoe. It is better
to abstain from working a horse suffering from bad
corns until it is cured. Corns are most difficult
and troublesome to cure, and they require thorough
treatment to prevent any tendency to recur. It is
a most inexcusable thing for a horse to suffer from
corns, and is entirely due to bad shoeing. Some

SHOEING WITH LEATHER. 249

horses are more liable to them than others, especi-
ally horses with short, straight pasterns. It is at
times advisable to shoe a horse with leather — that
is to say, with leather between the foot and the shoe.
The way this is done is thus : A piece of thick
leather, large enough to cover the whole foot, is
laid over the sole of the foot, and is then fastened
on when the nails are driven. The outside super-
fluous leather is then trimmed off, and it is essential
that the whole of the leather which covers the sole
should also be removed. This method of shoeing
is resorted to in order to lessen the concussion
arising from hard roads, etc.

When a horse is lame, the first step towards
curing him of his lameness is to discover where he
is lame — on which leg ; whether the lameness is
above or below the knee, and if below, whether it is
in the foot or leg. If a man is lame, anybody short
of a fool can tell which is the lame leg, because
when he walks he limps ; in other words, he uses the
lame leg less than the sound one. He stands,
dwells on the sound one, and puts no more strain
on the lame one than he is forced to do. This
is precisely what a lame horse does. He dwells on
the sound leg, and ' dots ' on the lame (me. Yet,
simple as it may appear to be from the above to
determine which leg a horse is lame upon, I can

250 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

assure the reader that there are, comparatively
speaking, but very few people who are able to tell.
I have known even a veterinary surgeon mistaken
— more than once, too — though, of course, it
was inexcusable on his part to be unable to
say with certainty at once. A man has but
two legs, a horse has four. If the reader will
take the trouble to first of all note the action
of the forelegs, and carefully mark the cadence
as each foot comes to the ground, he will, if
the horse is lame in front, see at once that the
foot of the lame leg (except in cases of shoulder
lameness, when the toe is dragged along the
ground) is a shorter time on the ground than the
sound one. If the horse is not lame in front, he
must be lame behind. To detect which leg" is
equally easy with the hind legs as with the front.
Standing straight behind the horse, as he is trotted
away from you, watch the hocks as they are brought
up in succession, and the lame leg can at once be
detected. In cases where the lameness is verv
slight and difficult to catch, it is a good plan to
hold a stick horizontally in both hands, looking
under its under edge, bringing" the latter down to
such a level that, as the hocks are brought up, they,
as it were, touch it ; any difference in action can then
more readily be observed. The lame leg having been

LAMENESS. 251

discovered, it is necessary to decide whether the
lameness is above or below the knee or hock.
This is not always an easy matter, unless there is
anything very apparent to warrant a conclusion. If
in the shoulder, it is generally accompanied by a
dragging of the toe. If in the hock, the way the
hock of the lame leg is flexed will generally indicate
it. If the horse is lame from splint, he generally
bobs his head as the lame foot touches the ground,
and the splint can be felt. If in the fetlock joint,
it will probably be swollen. If in the foot, there
is (except in one instance — navicular disease) sure
to be heat in the seat of lameness.

There are cases where a really experienced
veterinary surgeon is very often puzzled to diagnose
the exact ailment at once. But whenever the lame-
ness is supposed to be in the foot, it is a good and
safe plan to have the shoe at once removed care-
fully and gently, and if possible let the master stand
by while the removal is being effected, in order to
prevent the farrier knocking the foot about un-
necessarily. In such a case the veterinary surgeon
ought to be consulted, and the shoe having been
already removed will save time. When sending for
a veterinary surgeon it is always better to write,
and to state in the letter, as nearly as possible,
the circumstances of the case, instructing him,

252 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

should no reliable farrier be within reach, to bring
one with him ; and see that anything he may
require in the way of hot water, etc., is ready
against his arrival.

It is curious that where horses have one or more
of their feet white, the white is always more liable
to disease than the darker-coloured ones. The
horn of a white foot is never as tough and good
as that of a dark foot, and yet a white or gray
horse is generally a good one. I may here remark
that if there are any two colours which bespeak
hardiness and general goodness more than another,
black-brown and gray are those colours. I think,
for choice, the former, especially when accompanied,
as it often is, with a tan muzzle.

But to return to what I was saying. If a horse
is lame and he has a white leg or foot, the chances
are that the lame leg or foot is the white one.
Chestnut horses are very apt to go in the feet, more
so than those of any other colour, and they are
more subject to sandcracks. A sandcrack is a
nasty, troublesome thing to cure. It is a crack
which runs down the foot. It may not be neces-
sarily the entire length of the foot, but inasmuch
as such cracks usually commence from the coronet,
which is the base of the horn growth, it must
necessarily take a long time before it grows out.

SANDCRACK. 253

As sandcracks are indicative of a weak foot, the
growth of horn will probably be somewhat slower
than in a healthy one, and it may be probably four
or five months before it grows out. Where a sand-
crack is a bad one, veterinarv assistance must be
procured ; where but slight, a weak ointment of
iodine, or some such preparation, occasionally rubbed
into the coronet, will help to stimulate and promote
the more rapid growth of horn. There are many
horses which, when ridden, invariably suffer from
sandcracks, but which will go in harness and keep
sound.

Sandcrack may be caused by an injury to the
coronet, such as a cut or tread. In such cases,
though the same care and treatment is necessary,
still the same anxiety need not be felt, since it by
no means follows, unless the injury be very severe,
that the horse will be likely to suffer from another,
as would be the case if it had arisen from weakness
of feet. Where a horse is naturally predisposed to
suffer from them, the best plan is to sell him, unless
he can be utilized for harness work alone, and will
stand sound under such work.

Hoof-ointment may be used with advantage
where horses suffer from weak or brittle feet.
Glycerine is good, but it is rather expensive for
stable use. What is called ' veterinary vaseline '

254 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

is good and cheap enough. The mixture sold under
the dreadfully long name of ' Hoplemuroma ' is ex-
cellent, but it is by no means inexpensive ; yet I
think, where it is necessary, it is worth the price
asked for it.

Prevention is better than cure. Horses are
subject to many ailments, but considering the risks
they run, and the gross neglect and mismanagement
they often undergo, it becomes a matter for surprise,
not how many these ailments are, but rather how
few. Much can be prevented by the exercise of
ordinary care and common-sense. Cleanliness in
every detail connected with a stable will go very
far towards the prevention of disease ; without it,
all other efforts are unavailing:.

PART IV.

AILMENTS AND THEIR TREATMENT.

[ 257 ]

CHAPTER XX.

Mud fever. — Cold and cough. — Treatment. — Strangles. — Treat-
ment.— Glanders and farcy. — Eoaring and broken wind.—
Eoaring and whistling. — New cure for roaring. — Broken
wind. — Treatment. — Wind-sucking and crib-biting. —
Weaving. — String-halt. — Worms. — Bots. — Muzzles. —
Tearing clothing. — Kicking in stable. — Capped hock.—
Capped elbow. — Cracked heels. — Windgalls. — Spavin.- —
Thoroughpin. — Curb. — Eing-bone. — Side-bones. — Splint.
— ' Periosteotomy.' — Speedy-cut. — Navicular disease. —
Sore backs and galls. — Sitfast. — Lampas.- — Toothache. —
' High-blowing.' — Eingworm. — Preparation for physic. —
How to give a ball. — Physic after grass. — Purging. —
Diseases of the eye. — Causes of blindness. — Blind coach-
horses.

The last chapter was devoted specially to shoeing
and to the feet generally. I propose now to refer
to some of the evils which horseflesh is liable to.

What is termed ' mud fever ' is a comparatively
modern ailment, and I can remember the time when
such a thing was never heard of. Of late years it
has become so common that I suppose there is not
a huntino; stable in the kinofdom which has not at
one time or other suffered from it in a greater or

17

258 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

less degree. It is a somewhat troublesome thing
to cure when contracted. However, I trust I may
be able to show what is the cause of mud fever, or
at least to explain how it may be prevented. I
wonder how many miles of correspondence have
been written on this subject ? Certainly a great
deal of nonsense and some little sense. All sorts
of preparations have been made to cure it, but very
few people appear to know how to prevent it. I
did not until I was told, and since I found that the
advice given me was good, I will give the reader
the benefit of it.

The winter of 1872 was about as wet as any I
can remember either before or since. Every day
it rained more or less, generally more. Hunting
was rather a misery than a pleasure. If hounds
found and ' got away,' the ' going ' was so heavy
that horses were pulled to pieces, and nearly every
stable I knew was more or less hors de combat from
mud fever. I was at the time quartered at the
cavalry depot at Canterbury. One day, when con-
versing with our veterinary surgeon, the — I regret
to say — late Mr. Longman, as good a sportsman,
companion, and practitioner as ever lived, he re-
marked to me, ' What a number of horses have got
mud fever ! Yours have got it, I see, also. Now
look at mine ; they have not got it, and never do

HO IV TO PRE VENT MUD FE VER. 259

get it.' On my inquiring further on the subject,
he gave me the following advice : ' Never wash a
horse's legs when he comes in from hunting. Dry
them as well as you can, and brush every particle
of dirt you can off them ; then bandage them. An
hour or so afterwards remove the bandages, and
again brush and clean them. Put on fresh bandages,
and the next day, after another good grooming, you
may, if you like, then wash them. Should a horse
come in very early from hunting, his legs may be
washed, but not for several hours after, and after
they have been dried and bandaged, as I have
described ; and even under these circumstances it is
better not to wash them the same day.'

I followed his advice, and have never but once
since then ever had the slightest touch of mud fever
in my stable, and that once was when my groom
confessed to me that he had disregarded my orders,
and had washed the legs after hunting, and he
added, ' I will never do it again ' — a promise he
very faithfully kept.

Whatever mud fever may be said to proceed
from — and all sorts of causes have, as I have said,
been assigned for it — the above is the way to
prevent it, and it is simple enough. I could say a
^great deal more regarding it, but I do not think
anything further than this is necessary, nor do I

17 — 2

26o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

wish to bore the reader with a lonff-winded treatise
on the subject. I only counsel him to follow the
advice I had given to me, and to insist upon its
being carried out. If so, he, at all events, will not
be troubled with it in his stable.

Cold and cough is another great trouble. When
it gets into a stable it is almost sure to run through
it, and the result is that all the horses are down at
once. They lose their condition, and the owner
loses his sport or the use of them. A cold with a
horse is by no means an ailment to be lightly
treated. It may be very serious. A horse suffers
infinitely more with a cold than we do, far more
than people are apt to suppose ; and it takes weeks,
and often months, for a horse to completely recover
from the effects of a cold which has been neglected
at first, and very often when he does recover, he is
unsound.

Generally speaking, a horse does not catch cold
from exposure ; it is rather from want of fresh, pure
air, as I endeavoured to show at the commencement
of this book. True it is that it does not do to let
a horse which is clipped or sweating stand about in
cold weather. He will very probably get chilled,
and a cold be the result. With mankind a cold
generally (at all events very often) is followed by a
cough ; with a horse the cough generally precedes

COLD AND COUGH. 261

the cold. A horse coughs, and the groom declares
it to be ' nothing: but a little stable cousfh.' A
stable cough S The description would be better
rendered as a hot stable, cough. In such a case it
is more than probable that, there being an utter
absence of proper ventilation in the stable, the
impure, vitiated air had irritated the mucous mem-
brane, and so caused the cough. The irritation,
unless treated promptly, spreads, and a cold is the
result. The horse gets dull and listless, refuses his
corn, and all the several stages of a bad cold ensue.
The nostrils discharge ; the poor horse is perfectly
wretched. The owner is obliged to walk, and has
to pay a veterinary surgeon a probably long bill,
and all for the want of a little attention to proper
ventilation.

It is, however, quite possible to stop a cold, if it
is promptly treated. At the first symptom of a
cough, if mustard is rubbed well into the throat,
any further evil will probably be averted. The
horse should also be put on laxative diet for a day
or two, such as bran or linseed mashes. Should the
cough run on into a settled cold, the horse should
be at once removed to a large airy loose-box.

Steaming the head will relieve the animal. The
best way of doing this is by half filling a bucket
with hay, and pouring boiling water on it, in

262 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

sufficient quantity to be nearly all absorbed by the
hay, and the bucket should be held under the
horse's head. This should be done two or three
times a day. The diet should be laxative. Such
corn (and it should be but little) as is given
should be scalded, and everything done to prevent
the increase of any feverish symptoms ; a few
carrots, or anything of the kind, may also be ad-
vantageously used.

Almost every young horse has what is called
' strangles,' and the sooner they have it and get
over it the better. It may be termed an infantile
complaint, although it is by no means uncommon
for horses of mature age to have it, and horses may
have it more than once, though it is somewhat
exceptional for them to do so.

The treatment for strangles is much the same as
for colds.

In strangles the glands of the throat, under
the jaw, become very much enlarged. It is satis-
factory when they burst outwardly, and suppurate
well. If so, a horse is less liable to contract the
complaint at any future time. As I have before
remarked, young horses, on first coming into stables
from grass, are almost certain to get it — and it is
better not to check it. Where it is possible, a
horse so affected should always be put into a box

STRANGLES. 263

by himself, and away from other horses. Plenty
of warm clothing and plenty of fresh, pure air is
the best remedy. The disease must run its course.

Where strangles has been very severe, or where
proper suppuration has not taken place, it is
possible that a horse may turn a ' roarer ;' but
this is not, luckily, a very common termination of
the disease, and under ordinary circumstances,
and with the exercise of ordinary care, should be
avoided.

I will not refer to the subject of glanders or
farcy, further than to express my very earnest
hope that the reader may never be unfortunate
enough to have a horse afflicted with either. But
should such be his ill-luck, I would urge him, as
soon as it is pronounced beyond doubt, not to
hesitate for an instant in giving orders for the
destruction of his horse, even if the latter were
'worth a king's ransom' — and this in the interests
of his neighbours as well as his own. Where such
disease has been in a stable, that stable is never
again really safe for a horse — to speak plainly, I do
not believe that anything short of razing it to
the ground, and replacing the soil whereon the
stable has stood with entirely fresh, can be relied
upon as being a thoroughly certain preventive
against its recurrence at some future time. I do

264 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

not think that I have at all over-estimated the
extreme malignity of the disease. Every stitch of
clothing, rug, brush, bucket, sponge— in fact, every
article which has been used for or near to a
glandered horse— should be burnt, as, I may also
add, the very clothing of the groom who attended
upon the horse. Attendance upon a glandered
horse is fraught with extreme risk, and should a
man unhappily contract it, there is little or no
hope of saving him from a painful and horrible
death. I have not, therefore, I think, over-
estimated its danger.

I would impress upon the reader that what is
called ' roaring ' and what is termed < broken-wind '
are not one and the same thing, although number-
less people cannot, apparently, distinguish between
them.

Eoaring is caused by paralysis of the cords of
the throat. The nerve being paralyzed, the muscle
is useless, and, ceasing to act, becomes an impedi-
ment, and is therefore incapable of expansion and
contraction. The noise is produced during the
process of inhalation, and not that of exhalation.
The muscle gets in the way, as it were. The
disease increases as time goes on.

: Whistling ' is none other than incipient roaring.

All kinds of treatment have been tried from time

ROARING AND WHISTLING. 265

to time, such as blistering, firing, galvanism, etc.,
but without any good and satisfactory results. I am
informed that there is a doctor living at Bicester
who has discovered an operation by which a cure
can be effected, and I am assured that the cure is
complete. If this is the case — and I have every
reason to credit my informant — it will prove a boon
to many a horse-owner.

Since writing the foregoing I have, through a
friend, been placed in communication with the
gentleman referred to : viz., Dr. Cotterell, living
at Bicester, and in answer to my queries on the
subject, he replied most kindly and fully, and gave
me, at my request, his sanction to make any use of
his letters which I might desire. Amd as it may
interest some of my readers, I will quote such
portions as may be necessary. He writes :

' Regarding my operation for roaring, after a
large and varied experience, I find that one can
certainly improve by my operation (not do away
with the noise), and thus increase the sta}dng
powers of a horse up to six years old ; but after
that age, owing to calcification of the arytenoid
cartilages, the removal of the left cartilage, together
with the corresponding false and true vocal cords,
gives the best result.

1 My operation consists essentially in removing

266 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

the whole of the anterior process and vocal process
of the left arytenoid cartilage, together with true
and false vocal cords, the laryngeal sinus and the
cartilage of Santorini on the same side. All this
must be done through an opening in the inter-thyroid
membrane, and the cricoid cartilage should not be
divided. If done in old horses, there is a large
mass of granulation material formed where the
anterior process is separated from the body of the
arytenoid cartilage, due to calcification of the
cartilage ; hence removal of entire cartilage is best
in these cases.

' The principal advantages of my operation over
the total extirpation of the cartilage, as practised
by Moller, Fleming, and others, are :

' 1. The posterior wall of the larynx is left
intact with a resistant cartilage, as in health,
giving rise to less likelihood of food, water, etc.,
getting into the lungs, and thus causing inflamma-
tion and death.

' 2. The insertion of the left lateral crico-thyroid
muscle is not interfered with, and it is only in
very advanced and old cases of roaring that this
muscle ceases entirely to act, consequently the
muscle still retains a certain power of swinging
open the left side of the larynx.'

Too tight reining or neglected cold will produce

BROKEN-WIND. 267

roaring-. I have observed that horses whose necks
are very long, and those which are over- thick and
coarse in the neck, are more subject to contract
the disease. In the latter case, tight-reining and
being forced to carry their heads in a manner for
which their shape is not adapted is probably the
cause.

Broken- wind is brought on sometimes by a neg-
lected cold ; at others, by a horse being galloped too
soon after feeding- or watering. It is caused from
the covering of the air-cells becoming ruptured, and
the air thereby entering into other cells, cannot be
expelled from them without very great exertion of
the muscles. The air-cells may also themselves
become run into each other. There is absolutely
no cure, but careful and moderate feeding will very
much help to relieve it. Feeding little and often
with good and digestible food, and care in watering,
is also necessary (but little water being allowed at a
time). A horse so affected should never be worked
soon after feeding or watering.

Wind-sucking and crib-biting may be called
first-cousins. The latter leads to the former. A
disordered stomach is usually the cause, produced
generally by idleness and over-feeding.

They may be prevented by the use of a crib-
biting strap, which has an iron tongue covered

268 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

with leather and padded, which is strapped
round the throat. The tongue, being at right
angles to the strap, and under the throat and
jaw, prevents a horse from getting his head down.
In this position he can neither suck wind nor crib-
bite.

They are said to be infectious — that horses catch
the habit from each other. This I do not believe ;
and, indeed, my own personal experience points to
the contrary. In every troop of cavalry in the
service there is sure to be at least one horse which
is either a wind-sucker or a crib-biter. The other
horses do not contract the habit, so that it cannot
be catching. I can, however, quite understand how
the idea has arisen that it is so.

As I have recently remarked, both habits are
the result of a disordered state of stomach, and
indigestion, etc. Now, it is quite possible that in
a stable where one horse is suffering from the com-
bined ill effects of over-feeding and under-working,
the others may be suffering in like manner in a
greater or less degree. The horse which is most
delicately constituted is the first victim, and is
therefore the first to acquire the habit. The others,
being more or less in a similar condition, very
readily catch it from him. If this were not so,
how could troop-horses, which are separated from

WEA VING.— STRING-HALT. 269

each other by ' bails ' only, fail to acquire the habit
from one or more of their comrades which may be
confirmed in it ? If over-feeding and idleness will
produce it in one horse, it is surely but reasonable
only to presume that they will do so in the case of
another.

1 Weaving ' has nothing to do with either of the
two former vices, and is simply a nervous affection.
A horse rarely ' weaves ' when he is not sensible of
being observed. It is a sort of St. Vitus' dance.
It does no harm to the horse. Some of the best
horses will ' weave.' It is annoying to an observer.
It is no more than an unceasing swinging to and fro
of the head from side to side. It appears to be
more common in well-bred horses than in others.
Horses which ' weave ' rarely carry high condition.
They are generally of a highly-strung nervous tem-
perament, and their very nervousness prevents their
putting on much flesh.

String-halt, a peculiar catching up of the leg
(generally the hind-leg), is another nervous disease,
if disease it may be termed. It is no detriment to
a horse unless it is very bad. It seems to be con-
fined chiefly to horses of the same temperament and
class as those which I have described as ' weavers.'
It generally ceases directly a horse gets into his
work, and in no way affects his galloping or jumping.

27o THROUGH SIZABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

There is no knoivn cure for it. If I were buying a
horse and he were but slightly string-halt, I should
not any the less buy him if I were otherwise
satisfied with him. On the contrary, I often think
that string-halt is indicative of good quality and
pluck, and certainly some of the best horses I have
ever known across country have been string-halt.
I think, however, that it does not decrease, but
rather increases, with age. Nobody has as yet
been able to assign the exact cause which produces
it, though there must, of course, be a cause.

Worms are a trouble which can easily be got rid
of, and the sooner they are the better. It is an
easy matter to tell when a horse has worms. His
skin is dry, his coat stares, he rubs his tail, loses
condition, and looks altogether thriftless and rusty.
Such conditions indicate the presence of worms.

The cure is one I quote from the best authority,
viz. : Two drachms of sulphate of iron mixed up
in a little wet bran, and given, fasting, the first
thing every morning for a fortnight. This may be
followed by a mild dose of physic.

I have read, and I believe the statement, that
worms, being bloodless animals, cannot thrive in
the stomach of a healthy horse — that their very
presence indicates a lack of blood in the system,
and the latter is still further weakened by their

WORMS. 271

presence. The sulphate of iron is a blood-forming
tonic. As the stomach recovers its proper tone
the worms die. The physic clears them out.

There are two or three different kinds of worms
to which horses are subject. As the treatment is
the same for all, I need not go further into the
matter here than to remark that those which are
termed 'bots ' (and which come from the gadfly), are
the most troublesome, inasmuch as they fix them-
selves into the coats of the stomach.

It is possible that horses take them in when at
grass, or that they may come with the use of green
forage. The coats of horses at grass are often
covered with little yellow lumps. These are
supposed to be the eggs of the gadfly, and it is
asserted that horses, in licking their coats, swallow
these eggs, and that they hatch inside their
stomachs, and so they suffer from bots. This may
or may not be the case. I only mention it as being
an accepted theory by many persons, and I have no
reason to doubt it.

Some horses have an unfortunate habit of
eating their bedding, and blow themselves out to
an extent which militates very much against their
being kept in condition for work. There are
only two ways of preventing this : the one, by
putting them on bedding which they cannot eat,

2 72 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

such as sawdust, etc. ; the other, by the use of
a muzzle. The former is, in my opinion, the better
plan, as I dislike muzzling a horse if it can possibly
be avoided.

As I omitted to make mention of muzzles in the
chapter on saddlery, I may here state that they are
made both of leather and wire. If the former, they
should be lined with tin. Their price is about
10s. 6d.

There are, again, horses which persistently tear
their clothing ; and a very expensive and annoying
habit it is. It proceeds from itchiness of skin,
or worms. They may be prevented doing any
damage by means of a shield of stout leather,
which is made to buckle on to the back strap of the
noseband of the headstall, and long enough to
reach to the bottom of the under-jaw. It is a very
simple arrangement, which any saddler can con-
struct. Horses which kick in the stable (and some
horses are most inveterate kickers, often damaging
themselves very seriously) generally suffer from
capped hocks ; that is to say, the point of the hock
gets thickened and enlarged, and is very un-
sightly ; in extremely bad cases matter will form,
and a running1 sore ensue. It is a difficult matter
to prevent this habit at times. Such kicking
generally takes place at night, and is, besides being

CAPPED HOCK. 273

very damaging to the horse, an intolerable nuisance
to the inhabitants of any houses which may be near.
Shackles may prevent it, but as a rule, if a horse
means kicking, he will manage it somehow or other,
and kick shackles and all. Being much troubled in
this way b\r one of my own horses, my groom very
ingeniously contrived the following arrangement,
which answered so admirably that I will give the
reader the benefit of it : He fastened two buckets
of water every night to the pillar-rein of the stall,
just at such a height that when the horse kicked
the water splashed over him. He very soon gave
up the trick, and never kicked so long as the
buckets were there.

Capped hock of any standing cannot be quite
got rid of. The best plan is frequent hand-rubbing.
A very mild solution of bichloride of mercury is,
I have been told, efficacious, but it must be very
mild, and should be applied with a cork, the same
way as the hair, i.e., with the hair, and not rubbed
against it. Pressure may also serve to reduce it,
but no very great results must be expected if the
cartilage has become much thickened.

Capped elbow, which is a thickening of the cap
of the elbow, is also as troublesome, if not as
unsightly, as capped hock. I have seen horses
whose elbows have been so enlarged as to be of the

18

274 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

size of a large orange, and dripping with matter.
In such cases there is nothing for it but to have
them removed by excision. It is commonly and
ignorantly supposed that capped elbow is caused by
the toe of the hind-foot rubbing against the elbow
when a horse is lying down. This is altogether
wrong. It is really caused by the heel of the shoe
which is on the foot of the leg itself of which the
elbow is capped. It is true it is done when the
horse is lying down, but the shoe of the hind foot
has nothing whatever to do with it. Capped elbow
is rarely found in other than big, heavy horses,
whose feet are large and whose shoes are heavy,
especially amongst cart and big carriage horses.

It is very easily prevented by the use of a
leather bolster stuffed well with horsehair, and pro-
vided with a buckle at one end and a strap at the
other, and made lono- enough to fit round the fet-
lock. It should be made circular, and should be
sufficiently large in diameter, so that when a horse
is lying down it is thick enough to keep the heel of
the shoe well away from the elbow. It answers
most perfectly. If prevention is better than cure,
in the present instance it is most certainly half
way to it, and when once you have stopped the evil,
it is possible to reduce the enlargement.

I have before made mention of cracked heels,

WIND-GALLS. 275

their cause and their prevention, and I now give
the following recipe for their cure, viz. : Wash
thoroughly with soft-soap and lukewarm water, and
then apply the following lotion, viz. : One part of
chloride of zinc, twenty parts of water.

Wind-galls are more of a blemish than an actual
unsoundness. Their presence is rather indicative
of an excess of lubricating oil. They appear above
and around the fetlock-joints, and are round, puffy-
looking lumps. They are soft, and yield to the
pressure of the hand. Hand-rubbing and bandag-
ing and blistering will help to reduce them, but
they generally recur with hard work. I was told
by a farrier, who was serving at the forge of the
cavalry depot at Canterbury, that he, acting under
instructions, endeavoured to effect a cure on a horse
which was very much wind-galled by daily hand-
rubbing, and kneading the wind-galls until they
were gradually forced into one. A seton was then
applied, and the oily deposit allowed to exude.
He informed me that it answered very well for a
time ; but that when the horse was again put to
work they formed as before. I cannot but think
myself that it is best to leave them alone, and to
endeavour to keep them down by hand-rubbing and
bandaging only. Probably, if a horse subject to
them had not got them, he would not last as long.

18—2

276 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Spavins are of three kinds, viz. : bog, blood, and
bone spavins. The first is due to enlargement of
the mucous sacs between the tendons of the hock
on its inside. The second is caused by the former,
which, being excessive, distends the vein which
passes over it. Such spavins do not always cause
lameness ; but when they do, blistering or firing
must be resorted to. The latter is the more effica-
cious. Bone spavin is a deposit of bony matter
on the joint of the hock. It almost invariably
occurs on its inner and lower side. At times the
deposit may take place between the smaller bones
of the hock ; but in either case a horse is generally
more or less lame, and I regret to add that there is
no cure but firing.

Horses with very straight hocks are more liable
to bog and blood spavins than those whose hocks
are more bent.

Thoroughpin may be described as a wind-gall in
the hock, between the muscle and tendon. It can
be reduced by means of a truss, which clasps it on
both sides of the hock. Thoroughpin does not
necessarily cause lameness — indeed, but compara-
tively seldom.

Curb occurs at the back of the hock, and is
recognised by a swelling caused by the strain of
the tendon, or the sheath of the tendon or of its

RING-BONE AND SIDE-BONE. 277

enveloping ligament. Slight curbs clo not neces-
sarily cause lameness, but, as a rule, all curbs do
so more or less. The firing-iron is the only per-
manent cure. Blistering may reduce them and
help to strengthen the hocks, but the effect is not
equal to that of firing. Horses with overbent and
weak hocks are most subject to them. In Ireland
it is a common practice to fire young horses whose
hocks are at all faulty, whether they are sound or
not, merely as a preventive. It may be a wise
thing to do, but it always seems to me very much
like pulling out a sound tooth for fear it should
decay.

Ring-bone is a deposit of bony matter on the
cartilage surrounding the coronet. The formation
is the result of concussion, and is attended with
considerable heat and lameness. When taken in
the early stage, blistering may cure it, but, as a
rule, firing is necessary. Good shoeing and light
shoes will help to prevent its recurrence.

As I observed in the chapter on shoeing, side-
bone is the ossification of the cartilage attached
to the winces of the coffin-bone. Horses with
short, stumpy pasterns are more liable to side-
bones than those with longer and more springy
pasterns. Side-bones do not cause lameness as a
rule, but the elasticity of a horse's action — the

278 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

tread — is reduced. They may be successfully
treated, if taken in time, by blistering or firing.
A horse subject to them may be reasonably sus-
pected of being disposed to contract ring-bone,
and careful shoeing, as for ring-bone, is therefore
advisable.

Splint is of very common occurrence. There
are, in fact, but very few horses which have been
subjected to hard work, especially roadwork,
which are perfectly free from it. It is a de-
posit of bony matter on the bone of the leg,
invariably on the fore-leg, and nearly always on
its inner side. It is generally caused by the
irritation set up by concussion. As in the case of
a broken limb, a certain amount of inflammation is
necessary, in order that fresh bone, or what answers
to bone (viz., callus), may be thrown out for the
purpose of uniting the fractured bone ; so undue
irritation, causing inflammation, brings about a super-
fluous deposit on the sound limb, and thereby renders
it unsound. This deposit being lodged between the
bone itself and the skin, or, as it is termed, the
periosteum which covers it, causes severe pain and
lameness. If the deposit is lodged well forward on
the leg so as not to implicate what are termed the
' splint-bones ' themselves, or to interfere with the
action of the tendons, or so placed as not to be

SPLINT. 279

struck by the foot of the other leg, it does not
much matter, and is only a blemish ; but where
either the splint-bones or tendons are interfered
with the case is different, and the offending deposit
must be removed. Rest, light food, and cold-water
bandaging is the first step necessary, in order to
reduce the inflammation as speedily as possible,
and this must be followed by blistering. Where
a splint is not badly placed, I would advise the
reader to leave it alone; the very remedy itself might
make matters worse. There is an operation for splint
which I have known and proved to be very success-
ful. It is termed periosteotomy. I will explain
it. Although the distension of the periosteum is
excessively painful, it (the periosteum) may be cut
without any very great pain being inflicted. The
operation is thus performed : The skin of the leg
is moved round by the hand from the back of the
leg, as far as it can be so done, until it is over the
splint. A downward incision is then made through
the skin and periosteum on to the very splint itself.
The splint is thus at once freed, and so is the
periosteum from any distension. The pain is
relieved, and the slit which has been made in the
skin soon heals, as it is not over the lunrp formed
by the splint. By the time the periosteum has
grown again it has adapted itself to the form of

28o THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

the splint. Young horses, whose bones are not
fully matured and are soft, are very liable to S2)lmt.
Big, heavy horses also are always more subject to
it than lighter horses.

Splint may be also caused by a blow, or anything
which may cause inflammation. Horses whose toes
turn in, who are what is termed ' pigeon-toed,' are
apt to get them on the outer side of the leg, inas-
much as the weight comes more on that side than
on the inner, as is the case with properly formed
horses. The better the quality of the bone, and
the more matured it is, the less liable it is to
throw out splint.

Speedy-cut is caused by the foot of one leg
striking against the other leg. It occurs under
the knee-joint. High-stepping horses whose action
is not perfectly true are liable to it. It may be
caused by bad shoeing, but proper shoeing will
prevent it. I have in my possession at the
present time one of the very best ponies in
England. When I bought her some five years
ago she had the marks of being very badly speedy-
cut. Doubtless it wras caused by bad shoeing, as
her action is, though very high, as true and just
as it could be, and she has never once touched
herself since I bought her. I have always had her
shod with ordinary shoes, very much of the Fitz-

NAVICULAR DISEASE. 28 1

wygram pattern. The treatment for speedy-cut is
the same as for splint.

Navicular may be termed an incurable disease,
for there is no cure for it. I say so sadly, for I
have known some of the very best of good horses
fall victims to it. When speaking of the bones of
the foot, at the commencement of the chapter on
shoeing, I remarked on a small, curiously-shaped
bone which is situated at the back of the coffin
and smaller pastern bones. This is the navicular
bone. Over this bone the ligament which connects
the bones of the fore-leg and foot passes. It is
between this ligament and the navicular bone that
the seat of this disease lies. The latter may be
caused by either a strain of the ligament, which,
becoming inflamed, sets up ulceration of the bone ;
or it may be that a sudden jerk or wrench may
cause the ulceration. I believe that it is very much
a matter of doubt which of the two is the cause —
that is to say, whether the bone is ulcerated by
contact with the affected ligament or not. Be that
as it may, the bone becomes diseased, and there is
no known treatment which will arrest it. The
pain may be got rid of by a painful operation — viz.,
'nerving' or 'unnerving,' as it is sometimes called —
but it does not stop the disease, and sooner or later
there is nothing for it but to destroy the animal. It

282 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

is beyond doubt very much hereditary, as there
are some strains of blood which are more predis-
posed to it than others, and it has been traced back
for generations of the same blood.

In ordinary diseases of the foot, the diseased
foot is generally the hottest of the two ; with navi-
cular disease this is not the case. It is a peculiarity
of this disease that the affected foot is generally
the coldest — indeed, at times icily cold — but the
temperature very seldom remains constant for any
length of time, and a foot so affected mav be at one
time icy cold, and within a few minutes equally hot.
The presence of navicular disease is generally
indicated by a horse pointing his leg out in the
stable, for the purpose, it may be presumed, of
relaxing the pressure of the ligament on the bone.
Whenever a horse so stands in the stable it is to
be regarded with great suspicion.

Whenever doubt may arise as to which is the
diseased foot, if both feet are wetted simultaneously,
and one is seen to dry more rapidly than the other,
it may be assumed that the one which remains wet
the longest is the one affected. When a horse con-
tracts the disease in one foot, the other foot gener-
ally follows suit, probably from sympathy. It is
better to continue to work a horse in the first stages
of the ailment, as work promotes the circulation,

SADDLE-FITTING. 283

and a horse will often work perfectly sound though
suffering from navicular disease, and for a con-
siderable period at times, according as it is slow
or rapid in its progress. However, as I have
remarked, there is nothing for it for either horse
or owner but to grin and bear it. Navicular
disease does not seem to confine itself to any one
class of horse more than another. PerhajDS well-
bred horses are more subject to it; if so, it may be
assumed that the nature of their work is more
likely to produce it, especially if predisposed
to it.

As I have observed in my remarks on saddle-
fitting, a sore back is a thing to be avoided, and
this it may be by the use of a well-fitting saddle
and good riding. A sore back not only takes a
long time to heal properly, but it is very liable
to recur unless thoroughly treated, and due time
allowed to elapse before any pressure is put upon it.
The same applies to a shoulder which has been
wrung by the collar.

After work a horse's back should be always care-
fully examined, and any damp-looking or tender
spots should be at once taken notice of. If the
skin has only ' risen,' the application of what is
called by laundresses a ' blue-bag ' will be found
very beneficial. The place only requires to be

284 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

well dabbed with it for a day or two. After that
it should be well sponged with salt and water twice
a day; but care should be taken that when this
is done all the salt should be well brushed out
of the hair before a saddle is again used, or other-
wise the crystals of the salt will establish a raw
very rapidly. The salt water is used only for the
purpose of hardening the skin. If the skin is
broken, it should be first bathed with warm water,
and then one of the following applied, viz. : Glycer-
ine and tannin, spermaceti ointment, or Holloway's
ointment. I pin my faith on the latter. The
glycerine and tannin is, perhaps, more speedy, but
not so good, if proper time for cure can be given.
Of course a horse must not be worked with a sore
back, unless the saddle is ' chambered,' as I have
before described. When the skin has quite healed,
and the hair begins to grow again, the salt and
water may be used.

It is by no means an uncommon occurrence to
find wThat is called a ' sitfast ' on the back of a horse.
It has been caused by the horse's back having been
sore, and not properly treated. It is, in fact, a
corn in the back. Needless to say, when a horse
has a sitfast, his back is very prone to gall on the
slightest provocation. May I urge the reader, if
he should ever possess a horse with a sitfast, to

SITFAST—LAMPAS. 285

adopt the following plan, viz. : sponge the back with
warm water daily, and rub on some Holloway's
ointment, and also, having placed some of it on a
piece of brown paper or rag, fasten it, as best he
can, so as to keep it on the sitfast ? Repeat
the washing and the ointment daily for several
days. It may be necessary to do so for a week or
ten days, according to the depth of the corn. At
the end of that time the sitfast can be pulled out
with a pair of forceps, and if the above treatment
has been properly adhered to, every root will come
away with it. As these roots are at times of
considerable length, it is necessarv to foment and
apply the ointment well round the sitfast for
some two or three inches. The place will heal
very rapidly, and will not easily become sore again.
This is a mode of treating a sitfast which is always
successful, and one, simple as it is, which is not
generally known.

Lampas is a swelling of the roof of the mouth,
and very much interferes with a horse's feeding.
It is more general with young horses during the
period of their teething, but is by no means confined
to them alone, as those of mature age are subject
to it at times. A dose of physic, or even a few
days' laxative diet, will generally cure it, if slight,
but in extreme cases it may be necessary to lance

286 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

the edges of the palate. As soon as this is done,
the horse will at once be able to feed.

Whenever a horse is off his feed, it is well to
examine the roof of his mouth to see if lampas is
the cause. It is a very simple and easy thing to
cure.

Toothache may produce lampas ; horses suffer
more from toothache than is supposed. There is
no cure for it but removal of the tooth, which is a
somewhat difficult business, and very often not by
any means performed as gently as it might be.

High-blowing is often mistaken for defective
wind. It is, on the contrary, indicative of extra
good wind. The noise made by a high-blower
proceeds from the nostrils only, which latter flap,
as it were, during the process of exhalation. A
high-blower is really more valuable than a horse
which is not.

Ringworm at times gets into a stable. It is
contagious, but is easily cured by the application of
some strong astringent. A solution of copperas,
rubbed on, will answer. Common ink will do if
nothing" else is at hand.

Whenever it is required to give a horse physic,
it is necessary that he should be ' prepared,' as it is
termed, to receive it. Without due preparation,
not only is the proper action of the medicine very

HOW TO GIVE A BALL. 287

much weakened, but instead of doing good, it is
quite possible to do harm. The preparing a horse
for physic consists in keeping him on sloppy bran-
mashes for twenty-four hours previously. It might
at first sight, perhaps, be considered a waste of
time, this twenty-four hours' preparation. Such is
not the case, however, inasmuch as the medicine,
acting more thoroughly, acts also more quickly, and
recovery is therefore more speedy.

Every groom should know how. and be able, to
give a physic ball ; but if he does not, it is better
to leave it to a competent person. The way to
give a ball is this : The horse's head must be
raised, and for this purpose it is necessary for the
person giving the ball to stand on a stool or on a
stable-bucket. Having wetted or greased the
ball, which latter should be held between the tips
of the fingers of the left hand by its end, the
horse's mouth having been opened, his tongue
should be seized firmly by the right hand and
brought round on the near side of his mouth as far
back as can be. The hand holding1 the ball is then
thrust down the horse's throat as far as it can
reach, the ball being placed lengthwise in the
throat. The hand being1 withdrawn as soon as the
ball is properly lodged, the tongue is released, and
the horse's head kept still raised, until the passage

288 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

of the ball down the throat can be seen, as can
easily be done if the outside of the throat is care-
fully watched. A drink of chilled water should be
then given. The following morning the horse may
be gently walked about for a short time to encourage
the action of the physic. It is a good plan to
physic horses mildly when first coming up from
grass, etc., and I am convinced that by so doing
they are more easily and quickly got into condition.

Excessive purging may be stopped by giving a
little oatmeal gruel, or, if that fails, gruel made of
wheaten flour or a little dry bran. If these fail,
the advice of a veterinary surgeon had better be
procured ; but it is unwise to interfere with purging
unless it is excessive.

Horses are subject to diseases of the eye, such
as ophthalmia, cataract, etc. I will only, however,
remark on the latter of these — cataract — as it is the
one most frequently met with, and is far more
common than it should be, since I am convinced
that more than half of the horses which suffer from
cataract are victims to the carelessness of servants.
Seven times out of ten it is the result of a blow or
some gross carelessness. I may as well at once
state that cataract is well-nigh incurable. A horse's
eye cannot be operated on easily. It can be done,
but it is a matter of extreme difficulty to do so.

DISEASES OF THE EYE. 289

Horses which are hard driven are subject to the
disease. I have been told that in the old coaching-
days nearly half the coach-horses were blind,
evidently from the pressure of the collar and being-
forced to travel at a high rate of speed to keep
time. Hence, perhaps, the old coaching phrase,
' Three blind 'uns and a bolter.' Within half a
mile of the place where I am sitting as I write
this is a field in which in those days the horses
belonging to a then well-known coach proprietor
were turned out to grass. I have been told, by
the most unquestionable authority, that more than
half of them were partially or totally blind.

Blind horses rarely stumble or fall. I suppose
that their other senses are sharpened by their loss
of sight, and they are careful also to raise their
feet clear of the ground. A horse's eye is very
easily knocked out. I often wonder that their eyes
are not more frequently damaged than they are,
from the rough and ruthless manner in which
grooms thrust the collars over their heads.

It is very difficult for an amateur to detect a
cataract in its primary stages, and it requires the
skill of a practical veterinary surgeon to do so.
The best way to examine the sight of a horse is
to put him into a darkened stable, and inspect it
by the light of a candle.

19

[ 290 ]

CHAPTER XXI.

Eecipe for physic-balls. — Eecipe for cleaning leather breeches.
— Eecipe for cleaning white cords. — Eecipe for cleaning
brown cords. — Eecipe for cleaning top-boots. — Eecipe for
cleaning scarlet coats. — Eecipe for cleaning drab-coats.—
Eecipe for cleaning hunting-hats.

The following recipes may be of use to the
reader :

Physic Ball fob a 15.2 Horse.

Best Barbadoes aloes
Calomel ....
Tartar emetic .
' Ground ginger .

21 drs.
10 grs.
15 „

1 dr.

For a 16-Hand Horse.

Aloes 3 drs.

Calomel . . . . . .12 grs.

Tartar emetic . . . . . 16 „

Ground ginger ]i drs.

To Clean Leather Breeches.

Scour the breeches with a brush dipped in clean, soft water,
but do not make them too wet. Then apply some of the follow-
ing mixture :

Prepared chalk . . . . . 8 oz.

Alum . . . . . . . -i ,,

RECIPES. 291

Isinglass . . . . . \ oz.

Powdered pumice-stone

White soap .

Pipeclay

Starch

Sweet oil .

1 „

2 „

3 cakes.

1 tablespoonful.
6

Mix with boiling water to the consistency of thick cream,
and apply lightly with a brush. Let the leathers dry slowly
and thoroughly, and then dust them well with a cane ; next,
stretch them to their proper size on the trees, and then iron
with a box-iron, taking care not to scorch them.

I may add that, when cleaning the breeches, should any stain
of mud not readily come out, the use of a little lemon-juice will
be found useful; but it should be washed out again with water.

To Clean White Cotton Cords.

Wash the breeches in very hot soapy water (soft water is
best), and then rinse them in clean water. Dry before the fire,
and when dry rub them well with a towel, in order to raise
the pile again.

To Clean Brown Cotton Cords.

Peel and scrape 5 or 6 raw potatoes to a pulp into a basin,
and then cover the pulp with rainwater, and let it stand for
nearly an hour.

Strain off the pulp, and scour the cords well with a water-
brush dipped in the liquid, and dry them before the fire, and
not in the sun. When dry, rub well with a rough towel to
raise the pile.

I took the above recipe from the Fie hi many years ago, and
have invariably used it ever since, as it is so thoroughly good.
Brown cords when washed in the ordinary way lose their
colour, but treated as above their colour never changes.

To Clean White Toi's.

Dissolve 1 oz. of white copperas in a bottleful of rainwater,
and add to it 1 oz. of oxalic acid. Apply this solution to the
tops with a sponge ; brush up and down.

1 9 — 2

292 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

For any other coloured tops, Propert's Powder is the best
preparation.

To Clean Scarlet Coats.

A preparation for this purpose is, or used to be, sold by
Messrs. Truefitt, in the Burlington Arcade. It is applied with
a short, stiff brush (a toothbrush answers the purpose), and
dabbed on the coat, not scrubbed. Mr. Cooper the saddler,
in York, used to sell a similar preparation. I have no doubt
but that it can be obtained elsewhere. It is a very useful
preparation to have by one, as it so often happens that a new
hunting coat gets stained with black mud, etc., and the stain
will not come out properly.

A solution made of the following will be found also useful
for the purpose of ordinary cleaning, whether of red or black
coats, viz. :

Liquor ammonige fortis, diluted with five times
its quantity of water.

The coat should be well sponged with the above.

To Clean Drab Coats.

Coachmen's drab driving coats, and such coloured cloth,
may be cleaned by using bran, rubbed well into the cloth.
The cloth should be well brushed previously. If very dirty,
the bran may be wetted, and the cloth finished up with plenty
of dry bran.

To Clean a Hunting-Hat.

Brush it well with a hard brush, dipped in clean cold water,
and then use a soft brush to finish with when dry. If the hat
is very dull, about 2 drops of sweet oil placed on a silk hand-
kerchief, and passed round the hat several times, will restore
its appearance ; but if more oil than this is used, it will give a
sticky and over-shiny look.

I may as well caution the reader not to give his hat to a
hatter to iron if it has been oiled. The hatter will scarcely
feel grateful if he finds his irons and brushes spoiled by the oil
on the hat.

[ 293 ]

CHAPTER XXII.

livery. — Vulgar liveries. — Leather waist-belts. — Pad-grooms.
— Equipment for pad-grooms. — Kiding-clothes. — Advice as
to the purchase of a horse. — Engagement-form for men-
servants. —Finale.

I presume here to offer a few remarks on the sub-
ject of livery. As I observed at the commence-
ment of this book, my intention in writing it is to
benefit those who have little or no knowledge of the
subjects of which I have treated. Hence advice
which would perhaps be deemed an impertinence
under other circumstances will, I trust, be accepted
in the spirit in which it is intended.

In selecting livery for his servants, may I urge
the reader to make choice of a colour, or combina-
tion of colours, which is unobtrusive and free from
any appearance of flashiness ? I am sure that his
natural instincts as a gentleman will insure this
being so ; but one does at times see such truly
fearful things in the way of livery, that it is well to

294 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

avoid any possibility of being laughed at or thought
vulgar.

If your means and establishment, generally,
warrant it, special livery may and should be worn,
otherwise a plain black or dark-blue coat is the most
suitable, and without facings or fancy collars of any
kind. For the country or on any but a full dress
occasion, what can possibly look worse than servants
with gold lace on their hats ? It bespeaks either
ignorance or vulgarity, or both. Nothing further
should be worn than a plain black hat with a cockade,
if the owner is entitled to wear it by reason of actual
military or naval rank, or civil official position, and in
these cases only. Why try to ape a rank which you
have no right to ? I have before me now the
spectacle presented by the servants of a nouveau
riche in a certain county, dressed up in all the
magnificence of drab coats, magenta facings, and
silver lace wherever lace can be put ; and this is
sported on all occasions.

Very frequently a gold-lace band, too often
adorning a hat fit only for a scarecrow, is but the
crowning glory to an ill-fitting and badly cleaned
pair of breeches and gaiters, and the harness, horses,
and whole turn-out generally are of a similar descrip-
tion. A carriage servant, i.e., a coachman, should
always be dressed in breeches and top-boots, and

RIDING-CLOTHES. 295

both should be made to fit him, and kept scrupu-
lously clean. If top-boots are not worn, then
plain black or very dark gray trousers should be
used ; but gaiters are not de rigueur. They
savour of the market gardener, or of the man who
cleans the pigs and pony, and does the odd jobs "
generally.

Let everything be in keeping. If the harness is
of brass, the buttons of your livery must be gilt ;
if plated, they, too, must be plated. The metal
fittings of your carriage and those of your harness
and livery must all correspond.

It is attention to these little details which marks
the well turned-out equipage. If it is but a pony-
trap, let everything be as good, well fitting, and
well cleaned as it can possibly be. I have many a
time seen grooms wearing leather waist-belts when
sitting at the back of a dog-cart. Such is absurd.
The use of the belt arose from the old custom of
the groom wearing a spare stirrup-leather when
riding behind his master. What on earth, there-
fore, can be the use of a stirrup-leather in a dog-cart?

Grooms when riding behind a lady should be
made to keep their proper distance of fifty yards,
and should always be on the watch to be ready
if required. Nothing can possibly look more dis-
respectful than to see a groom riding nearly along-

296 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

side his mistress, and if he keeps too close behind
his horse very frequently upsets the one she is
riding.

I do not think that grooms should ever be allowed
to wear spurs on horseback. They do not require
them, and if they have not got them on they can-
not misuse them. A pad-groom should carry a
hunting-crop without a lash, as it is useful to open
gates with.

And now may I venture to say a few words
regarding the riding dress of the reader himself ?
Let it be plain and simple — severely so, if you
will ; but let breeches and boots, or trousers, or
whatever may be worn, be made by a man who can
make them. Do not let an otherwise smart and
creditable turn-out be marred for the sake of a little
extra trouble and expense. Messrs. Tautz and Sons
or Messrs. Hammond will make you a pair of riding
breeches or trousers as they should be made, and
Messrs. Bartley or Peel, or other well-known
London makers, will make your boots, etc. Thus
attired, you need not fear criticism anywhere, go
where you will. To be suitably attired is half-way
to riding well and with comfort.

And now, ere I bring my little book to a close, I
would add a few words of advice regarding the
purchase of a horse :

PURCHASING A HORSE. 297

Make up your mind exactly as to what kind of a
horse you require — age, height, colour, etc. Go to
a good dealer. If he shows you a horse which you
like and which answers to what you require, see
him tried in every way you can before you try him
yourself. Do not listen too much to what the
dealer says, and never contradict him. If you like
the horse, and you think he will suit you, try him
yourself. Inquire the price, and if that is also
suitable, have him examined by the very best
veterinary surgeon you can procure. A good
dealer will not sell you a bad horse. He may be
plain, he may be slow, he may be lots of things ;
but the chances are that he is sound, as far as he
knows, and if not worth all the money he asks for
him, he is, at all events, worth some of it. Never
allow a dealer to talk you into buying a horse you
do not like. If you do not like him, say so at
once, and, if you can help it, do not assign any
reason for saying so. Always talk as little as you
can about horses when you are purchasing them.
Talk of the weather, anything else you like ; but if
you don't know much about horses be as silent as
you can. The dealer may probably imagine you
know more than you really do. Remember the old
adao-e, ' A still tongue makes a wise head.' When
riding the horse before the dealer or grooms, try to

298 THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

forget their presence, and to think of nothing but
the horse you are trying, and instantly check any
attempts on their part, whether you are riding or
not, to crack whips or rattle hats at the horse you
are inspecting. If you purchase a horse, do not
be disappointed when he comes home if he does not
look as smart and big in your stable as he did in
the dealer's, for it is part of a dealer's trade to make
his horses look their very best, and your own groom
will never succeed in making him look the same.

The following list of questions and form of
engagement for servants may be found useful,
especially in a large establishment. I have copied
it from one in use. It contains columns for the
following questions, and is printed :

Application for

In the employment of

situation.

Name of Applicant

Present

Address

Age.

Height.

Weight.

If

married.

Wife living.

No. of children.

Boys,
with ages.

Girls,

with ages.

General appearan

ce

ENGA GEMENT-FORM.

299

Last situation, with employer's name

Address

Capacity.

Length of service.

Eeasons for leaving

Previous situations.
1.
2.

Capacity.
1.
2.

Length of service.
1.
2.

3.

3.

3.

Application for character t
Address

0

How long out of employ.

When at liberty.

Keligion.

1

Wages paid in last situation,
£ per annum.
[ Wages to be paid if engaged,
( £ per annum,
f Whether paid weekly, fort-
X nightly, monthly or quar-
( terly

Board wages paid in last situa-
tion, £ per week.

Board wages to be paid if en-
gaged, £ per week.

Whether paid weekly, fort-
nightly, monthly or quar-
terly

j" Beer allowance per week,

( 2s. or 2s. 6d.

/Travelling expenses for
journeys of 6 to 8 hours,
2s. 6d. ; exceeding 8 hours,
maximum charge, 5s. per
diem.

Indoor Servants.
Hair-powder, per quarter, 10s.
Plate-powder, per quarter, 20s.
Washing white waistcoats, per

quarter, 20s.
Pumps (if not supplied), per

annum, 20s.
Extras, if any

3oo THROUGH STABLE AND SADDLE-ROOM.

Liveries will be supplied when considered to be necessary,
and belong to the employer. Servants leaving the employ
are not at liberty to remove any portion of their livery or
working suit without special permission.

Working suits are provided for indoor servants in livery once
a year.

Working suits are provided for stablemen in livery twice a
year.

Notice to quit to be one calendar month on either side,
except in cases of misconduct, when the wages will only be
paid up to the day of dismissal, and no railway or other
expenses will be allowed.

Tradesmen's accounts are not to be contracted without
orders. All orders to be sent through the order-book, and to
receive the signature of the employer or his agent, before the
goods can be delivered, and no perquisite can be allowed.

Eemarks.

Signature of applicant

i

I Signature of employer, or his agent
Where interviewed

Date , 18

ENGAGEMENT-FORM. 301

On the back of the form :
Number

Men-servants' Engagement-Form.

Name.

Capacity.

Date of Engagement.

Date of Leaving.

Kemarks.

In Whose Employ.

Where.

And now I will close my labour, which has been
very much one of love. I trust that the foregoing;
may prove of some slight service to someone or
other. If so, I shall have the satisfaction of
feeling that, while the compilation of my little
book has been a source of great pleasure and
amusement to me, during the long hours of the
winter evenings, I shall also have not been utterly
without some use in the world.

If at any time a possible reader of the fore-
going pages may wish for further information

3o2 CONCLUSION.

which it is in my power to give him (and I have
purposely kept as free as I could from any long-
winded dissertations on any of the subjects of which
I have treated, for the sake of simplicity), I shall,
if he will confer with me through the address of
my publisher, be only too pleased to correspond
with him.

THE END.

BILLING AND SONS, PRINTERS. ni'II.I)FOHP.

&., C. A. (0.

Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Cummings School of Veterinary Medicine at
Tufts'

North G 36