f at least one season.

Remember that a horse for driving requires "courage," for he is always
going fast--he never walks. People who only keep one or two horses
often make the same mistake, as if they engaged Lord Gourmet's cook for
a servant of all work. They see a fiery caprioling animal, sleek as a
mole, gentle, but full of fire, come out of a nobleman's stud, where he
was nursed like a child, and only ridden or driven in his turn, with
half-a-dozen others. Seduced by his lively appearance, they purchase
him, and place him under the care of a gardener-groom, or at livery,
work him every day, early and late, and are surprised to find his flesh
melt, his coat lose its bloom, and his lively pace exchanged for a dull
shamble. This is a common case. The wise course is to select for a horse
of all work an animal that has been always accustomed to work hard; he
will then improve with care and regular exercise.

Horses under six years' old are seldom equal to very hard work: they are
not, full-grown, of much use, where only one or two are kept.

Make a point of caressing your horse, and giving him a carrot or apple
whenever he is brought to you, at the same time carefully examine him
all over, see to his legs, his shoes, and feet; notice if he is well
groomed; see to the condition of his furniture, and see always that he
is properly bitted. Grooms are often careless and ignorant.

As to _Shoeing_. In large towns there are always veterinary surgeons'
forges, where the art is well understood, and so, too, in hunting
districts; but where you have to rely on ignorant blacksmiths you cannot
do better than rely on the rather exaggerated instructions contained in
"Miles on the Horse's Foot," issued at a low price by the Royal
Agricultural Society. Good shoeing prolongs the use of a horse for
years.

_Stables._--Most elaborate directions are given for the construction of
stables; but most people are obliged to put up with what they find on
their premises. Stables should be so ventilated that they never stink,
and are never decidedly warm in cold weather, if you wish your horses to
be healthy. Grooms will almost always stop up ventilation if they can.
Loose boxes are to be preferred to stalls, because in them a tired horse
can place himself in the position most easy to him. Sloping stalls are
chambers of torture.

Hunters should be placed away from other horses, where, after a
fatiguing day, they can lie at length, undisturbed