Racehorses and Steeplechasers - Hunters - Carriage Horses - Vanners, Cart Horses, etc.

The following routine may be observed with racehorses and steeplechasers which are kept in boxes.

The lad enters the stable at 6 in the morning all the year round, or at half-past 5 during summer and at 6 in the winter. If the horse has not had a constant supply of water during the night, the lad draws fresh water, and lets him drink as much as the animal likes, and puts a head-collar on him. He picks out the feet, feeds, collects the dung and soiled portions of litter, puts them into a skep, and deposits the contents on the midden. On returning to the box, he heaps up the bedding, if it is composed of straw, into two or three corners with a stable fork; sweeps out the floor with a broom; and removes to the midden all the swept-up dirt. If the bedding is of peat moss or saw-dust, the mucking-out is effected in the manner described on page 281. When the horse has finished feeding, the lad racks him up; takes off the clothing by successive pieces while going over him with a straw wisp; cleans any soiled portions of the coat; sponges out his eyes, nostrils, dock, and, if necessary, sheath; dries the wet parts; sets the coat with a rubber; puts on the saddle; and if the weather is cold, places a rug over the saddle, and secures it with a roller. As a rule it is advisable some time before the animal quits the stable, to reduce the clothing as far as can be safely done, so as to avoid a violent transition from heat to cold. If the bedding is of straw, it is well to place it outside, so as to dry and air it. When this cannot be done, or when the bedding is not straw, it can be put down in the box and added to as may be required. The lad then goes to breakfast, and has from an hour to an hour and a quarter off duty. After that he goes to the box; removes the clothing, if it has been put on; bridles the horse; and takes him out at from 8 to half-past 8, according to the time of the year or the weather. After being exercised, the animal returns to the stable at from half-past 10 to 11 o'clock. He is watered; well groomed; clothed; bandaged, if necessary; and given his corn and chop, or corn, before getting which he may have a little hay (p. 85). He is supplied with water and hay, and is let loose. If the horse is not given such a large quantity of corn as will prevent him from eating his hay greedily, it is advisable to let half an hour to an hour elapse, after he has finished his corn, before giving him hay. Every facility should be allowed an animal to lie down during the day; and consequently he should not be racked up, except when he is being groomed or when he is being got ready to go out. During the hour or hour and a half which the lad has before his dinner (at 1 p.m.), he can clean his saddlery, or attend to any of his other stable duties. When a horse has the benefit of a walk in the afternoon, which of course cannot be given unless there is a good supply of help in the stable, he may be taken out and given his walk between 3 and 6 o'clock, according to the season of the year. He should get his third feed before this stroll, and should be watered, groomed, fed, and given hay on his return. If he does not go out in the afternoon, he will get his third feed at about 3 o'clock; his fourth feed, about 6 o'clock; and in any case he should be watered and fed for the last time at 10 p.m. or later. When he has been given his third feed, the box should be mucked-out for the second time, and the bedding arranged. His second complete grooming will take place on his return from his afternoon walk, or just before his fourth feed, according as he stays in or goes out in the afternoon. It is safer, and no doubt more agreeable to the horse to have his head-stall taken off for the night, than to have it left on. Any dung or soiled litter that is seen at any time, should of course be promptly removed.

Supposing that a riding lad or groom has only one horse to look after, that the stable is opened at 6 a.m., the horse is exercised twice a day, and that the animal gets his last feed at 10 p.m., the average number of hours which the man would have to work during the day would be about as follows:

Considering that out of these eight and three-quarter hours the man spends three and a half in pleasant riding, his work cannot be regarded as unusually hard. If he has got two horses to strap, he cannot be fairly expected to do any afternoon exercise.

If a horse is in a stall, I prefer to rack him up in the morning when he is waiting to go out, than to put him on the pillar reins, which is a position that is irksome to his mouth. In this case it would be better to delay saddling him until his lad has returned from his breakfast; because turning a saddled horse round in a stall is apt to open out the points of the trees, and consequently to spoil the saddle.

It often happens that a trainer has more horses to exercise than lads to ride them, in which case he will usually divide the animals into two batches; the first to be taken out in the early morning, and the second to be worked after the first lot is brought home, and after the lads have had their breakfast. The first batch will then be taken out fasting, or will get about half a feed. The second batch will of course be fed first thing in the morning.

The foregoing routine is thoroughly applicable to hunters which are being exercised. On hunting days the feeding may be arranged as described on page 190. When the horse returns, he should be watered, dried in the manner detailed on page 334, if he is wet; and if he is tired, he should be only lightly wisped over, his ears stripped, and he should get only a light feed of corn, but plenty of hay, and if possible 4 or 5 lbs. of carrots. He should be left as soon as practicable to take his well-merited rest. If he shows signs of fatigue next day, his corn should be decreased, and the difference made up with carrots or other green food. No diminution should be made in his grooming, and his exercise should be continued, but at a slower pace and for shorter periods.

I wish again (p. 227) to draw the attention of my readers to the reprehensible practice, adopted by almost every hunting groom in England, of racking up during the day, horses which are in loose boxes; the object of course being to prevent the animal dunging and staling on various parts of the floor, disarranging the litter, and dirtying his clothing by lying down. To save himself the small extra trouble which consideration for the comfort and health of the horse would entail, the groom racks the animal up, and thus prevents him during the day from lying down and moving about in his box. This arbitrary proceeding on the part of a servant is not only cruel, but it is detrimental to the soundness of the animal's feet and legs, by promoting stagnation of blood in these parts; "filled" legs being the most common result. I was once told by a credulous owner, that his groom had assured him that the practice of racking up hunters during the day was highly beneficial to their health; because it insured them a good night's rest !

This gentleman evidently did not take the trouble to find if, on the same principle, the groom refrained from sitting down during the day. It is almost needless to say that this practice is not adopted in racing stables.

With carriage horses, the early morning grooming may have to be of an elaborate character, in order to get them ready for work, and turned out as smartly as possible. With vanners, cart horses, and other working animals, I would recommend a full feed in the early morning, provided that a rest of at least an hour and a half was given after it. If the exigencies of labour will not allow such a long interval, the amount of corn should be proportionately diminished. In all cases, the late feed at night should be given.

When horses do not get a regular supply of carrots or other "green" food, it is advisable to give them a bran mash once or twice a week, say, on Wednesday and Saturday nights. If no work is given on Sundays, and the animals are in strong work and on high feeding during week days, their food on Sundays might consist of 7 lbs. of carrots and 10 lbs. of bran, with the usual allowance of hay.

For further information on feeding, see Chapter VI (Feeding. Economy In The Selection Of Food) (Feeding. Economy In The Selection Of Food).