THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS.
As the value of most of the foregoing suggestions as regards a lady
riding to hounds is more or less dependent upon the form and condition
in which the horse destined to carry her in the chase is put, I trust a
few words upon this important subject may be acceptable.
In the first place, then, experience proves that the getting of a horse
into really good condition is a work of considerable time, and that when
once the animal has arrived at the desired point of physical health
which will enable him to make the most of his powers, as a rule, it is
considered to the last degree undesirable that anything should be done
to throw him out of his form.
Many years ago it was considered that a horse that had been hunted
regularly through a season should be turned out to grass throughout the
summer, and that if he was taken up when the crops were off the ground,
there was time enough to get him fit by November; while it was
considered altogether unnecessary to give him more than one feed of corn
a day while turned out. In numerous cases I have known he had none from
April to September.
The present form of treating hunting horses is diametrically the reverse
of the foregoing. A horse once "wound up" (as it is technically called)
for hunting is generally kept up all the year round; his spring and
summer training consisting of long, slow, steady work, principally
walking exercise.
Now, my own opinion, based upon many years of experience and close
observation, does not agree with either of the foregoing practices.
The first evidently was wrong, because a horse, even running in and out
throughout the entire summer, though well kept on corn, will put up an
amount of adipose substance, which cannot be got off in two months,
with due regard to the preservation of proper quality and muscular
fibre. While, on the other hand, I believe that, although by keeping
your horse up all the year round you will bring him out in rare form in
November, yet still he will not last you so long as one that has had
fair play given to his lungs by a few weeks' run when the spring grass
is about; for, however good the sanitary arrangements of our modern
stables and the ventilation of boxes may be, the air breathed in them
cannot be so pure as that of a fresh green meadow. Men and women require
a change of air once a year at least, and everybody who can afford it
looks forward with pleasurable anticipation to their autumn holiday. Why
should the noble animal who has carried us so well and so staunchly
through many a hard run be denied his relaxation and his change of air
in the spring?
As a substitute for turning horses out for a brief run in the spring, it
is customary in some stables to cut grass and give it, varied by vetches
and clover, to the horse in his box. These salutary alteratives are good
in themselves, but there is still wanting the glorious fresh air of the
open paddock, which, when all nature is awakening from the long slumber
of winter, is so renovating to the equine system.
It is best to fetch your horse up at night, because it is in the night
when turned out that he eats the most; but the object of giving the
animal his liberty is not that he may blow himself out with grass, but
that, in addition to the purifying effect to the blood of spring
herbage, he shall also breathe the spring air unadulterated. If this is
carried out, I believe those who practise it will find that their
hunters will last them many years longer than those that are kept at
what may be called "high stable pressure" all the year round.
Prejudice, however, is strong as regards the foregoing matter, as in
others connected with the stable treatment and general handling of
horses. People are far too apt to go into extremes and adopt a line of
treatment because it is in vogue with some neighbour or friend who is
supposed to be well up on the subject, and must therefore be right in
everything he does. The best way, I submit, is to call common sense
into play, and be satisfied that the oracular friend has some good
reason "which will hold water" for what he does.
I respectfully recommend the spring run then, by all means; and, if I
may venture so far to infringe the imperious laws of fashion, I would
venture to suggest that hunters might be allowed just a little bit more
tail, for the purpose for which nature intended it--namely, to keep off
the flies, which in summer will find them out, in or out of the stable.
Extremes in fashion as to the trimming of horses are nearly as absurd as
one sees from time to time in the dress of ladies and gentlemen, and
quite as devoid of sense or reason. Who has not seen the old racing
pictures in which Diamond or Hambletonian figure with a bob tail, and
who has not laughed at the grotesque figure (according to modern notions
of a racehorse) of these "high-mettled ones," all but denuded of their
caudal appendages?
As a matter of taste and good feeling, therefore, I venture to plead for
a trifle more tail for hunters than is at present allowed. To a good
stableman it gives no trouble, and in spring and summer time it is of
great use to the horse. When the latter is brought up from the spring
run, the question of restoring his hunting form (if, indeed, he can be
said to have lost any of it) is simple enough; in fact, there are few
subjects on which more twaddle is talked than about the "conditioning of
hunters," stablemen being particularly oracular and mysterious about it.
Roomy, clean, and well-ventilated boxes, good drainage, four and five
hours' walking exercise every day, the best oats procurable given
_whole, not crushed_, with a moderate allowance to old horses of good
beans, and a fair allowance of good old hay or clover, perfect
regularity in exercise and stable times, the attendance of a thoroughly
good-tempered cheery lad who knows his business, and the total
prohibition of drugging or physicking of any sort, unless by order of a
veterinary surgeon--these are the arcana of the much talked-of
"conditioning." Some tell you that a hunter should have scarcely any
hay. I have yet to learn why not, because I am quite sure that really
good hay assists a horse to put up muscle. Of course he is not supposed
to gorge himself with it, as some ravenous animals would do if allowed.
But the same thing may be said of a carriage horse or a charger. Waste
of forage is one thing, the use of it another; and as there has been
considerable discussion of late as to the cost of feeding a horse, I beg
to say that on a fair average those even in training, requiring the best
food, can be kept, when oats are 32s. or 33s. a quarter, for 15s. a
week. I speak of course of the absolute cost of forage of the best kind.
Where horses are delicate feeders, and this is the case with some who
are rare performers in the field, the appetite should be coaxed, by
giving small quantities of food at short intervals, making the horse, in
fact, an exception to the ordinary stable rule of feeding four times a
day. A really good groom will carefully watch the peculiarities of such
a horse as regards feeding, and come in due course to know what suits
the animal, the result being plenty of good muscle, equal to that of
more hearty "doers." But stimulating drugs, I repeat, should never be
permitted. Carrots as an alterative are good, but they should be given
only when ordered by a veterinary surgeon, in such quantities as he
orders. They should be put in the manger whole, never cut up, as there
is nothing more dangerous than the latter practice in feeding, because
numerous instances are on record of horses choking themselves with
pieces of carrot.
When hunting time approaches, a little more steam as regards pace at
exercise may be put on. Trotting up hills of easy ascent serves
materially to "open the pipes," and, despite a very general prejudice to
the contrary, I maintain that, for some weeks before hunting commences,
a horse is all the better for a steady canter of moderate length every
morning. A very good reason why stud grooms as a rule object to this is,
simply because it involves a great deal more work in the stable.
If horses are only walked or trotted at exercise, one man generally can
manage very well to exercise two horses, riding one, and leading the
other with a dumb jockey or bearing reins on him; but, if the horse is
to be cantered, there must be a man or boy to every horse, and,
consequently, exercise would occupy considerably more time.
It is quite clear that the horse will have to gallop when hunting
begins, and, as all training should be inductive, it is absurd to say
that he should do nothing up to the 31st of October but walking and
trotting, while on the first day of November his owner may come down
from town and give him a rattling gallop with hounds. Surely such
extremes are not reconcilable with common sense!
Let me now say a word about washing horses, about which also
considerable diversity of opinion exists, some maintaining that the
brush and wisp alone ought to keep the horse's skin in proper form, and
others advocating washing partially.
In my time I have tried all sorts of stable management, and I believe
the truth is as follows: Nothing is more conducive to a horse's health
than washing, with either cold or tepid water. But if you adopt the cold
water system, you must be sure that it is done in a place where there is
no draught. It should be commenced in summer time. There should be two
thoroughly good stablemen in the washing box, and a boy to carry water
from the pump. The horse's head and neck should be thoroughly washed,
brushed, scraped, sponged, and leathered, and a good woollen hood put
on. His body washed thoroughly in the same way, and a good rug put on.
Then his legs equally well done, and bandaged. Let him then be put into
his box for a quarter of an hour or twenty minutes, stripped and dressed
by a man who will let his shoulder go at him, not one who will play with
him. When thoroughly dressed his coat will shine like new satin, and his
whole manner will tell you how refreshed he is by his bath. The washing
cannot be done too quickly consistent with thorough good work. Two good
men and a smart boy ought to wash, clothe, and bandage a horse in five
minutes, or they are not worth their salt.
If the cold water system is begun in summer, and regularly followed up,
it can be carried on throughout the winter, no matter how severe the
weather may be, and an incalculable advantage of the system is that a
horse so treated is almost impervious to cold or catarrh.
But to carry the treatment out, a lot of first-class stablemen are
indispensable, men who--no "eye servants"--do their work _con amore_,
and take a genuine pride in their horses. If the thing is negligently
done, or dawdled over, it is likely enough to be productive of mischief.
Where the stable staff is limited in number and not first-rate in
quality, if washing is resorted to, tepid water must be used, because
one smart man can wash a horse in tepid water in a proper washing house
unassisted. But a special veto should be put upon washing a hunter's
legs, as is too often done, outside in the yard, the horse tied to a
ring in the wall, with the cold night air blowing on him. No matter if
warm or cold water is used, whether or not mischief follows is mere
matter of chance if the foregoing bad treatment is permitted.
Briefly, then, it may be said, if you have good men about you and enough
of them use cold water, beginning in the summer and continuing it
regularly. If you are short of really good stablemen, use tepid water;
but use it in a washing box built for the purpose, and never let it be
done out of doors.