Owing to the ignorance and apathy displayed by the large majority of horse-owners with respect to the conditions under which their animals live; many grooms and coachmen have got into the habit of resenting the slightest interference on the part of their employers with stable details - a state of affairs which is somewhat similar to that which usually exists between mistress and cook. In neither of these cases is the fault altogether one-sided. The impatience of supervision on the part of the servant is chiefly prompted by fear of losing perquisites, and also of being made to do more work. On the other hand, masters as a rule are unacquainted with stable routine, and the ordinary pay of even the head man of a stable, if sufficient for the bare necessaries of life, leaves little or nothing for a "rainy day." Stable servants have no pension to look forward to; they do not grow younger; and in many cases, employers regard the surreptitious presents and commissions received from tradesmen, farmers and dealers, as a valuable adjunct to the amount they pay in weekly wages. A story which is both true and instructive, is told of an old stud groom who, on leaving a rich master whom he had served for a long time, asked for a small provision for his declining years. "As I have always given you a free hand in the stable, it is your fault, not mine, if you have not feathered your nest," was the reply the man received. The reason why employers who are aware of the existence of this system of commission, usually ignore it, even if they do not knowingly profit by it; is because they feel that if they took from their servants the privilege of paying bills, their action in this respect would partake of the character of that of the historical dog in the manger; for the presenter of the bill, even if he allowed a commission to the servant, would certainly not give it to the master. I have known several cases in hunting countries, of farmers being unwilling to supply forage to gentlemen, owing to the rapacity of the grooms, who would not deal unless they obtained such an exorbitant commission that the farmer would either have to sell at a price which would not yield him a sufficient profit, or appear by his bills to grossly overcharge his customer. That desirable bond of union which ought to exist between hunting men and farmers, would be much firmer and would be of a far more friendly nature than it is now, if the consumer dealt directly with the producer, who would then have no illegal commission to pay.

In justice to grooms and coachmen, I must say that I have never known any unpleasantness exist between master and man respecting the prohibition of commission, provided that service was entered into on this understanding, and that the owner took an intelligent interest in the affairs of his stable.

In England, the rate of stable commission is not fixed; but may be put down roughly at five per cent. on all forage, harness, saddlery, clothing and tools; a shilling on each shoeing, and sixpence on removes. Some men require sixpence on each bushel of oats, or hundredweight of hay or straw. The ordinary commission, or rather present, recognised by dealers is a couple of guineas on the sale of a hunter or carriage horse; although the interest of some grooms and coachmen in their masters' purchases cannot be stimulated under a tenner or even a "pony." Ten per cent. on the bills of veterinary surgeons is not uncommon; and five per cent. is very reasonable according to stable opinion. On the Continent, the recognised commission is ten per cent. all round.

Apart from the moral aspect of the case, it is evident that the two great faults in the practice of stable servants receiving commission, are that it tends to render them slack, if not culpably careless, as to the quality and quantity of the articles supplied; and inclines them to "crab" all forms of stable necessaries from which they do not obtain profit. Thus we find instances of inferior forage being charged at high prices, and good, sound horses turning out unsatisfactorily in the hands of grooms and coachmen whose palms have not been oiled. It is almost needless to tell men and women of the world that, with respect to commission, stable servants are neither better nor worse than the members of trades and even professions in which the secret profit system is practised.

This commission system is so generally and so firmly established, that unless a master has a man upon whom he can thoroughly rely, he will have to accept things as they are, and make the best of them, or buy all stable supplies, horses included, himself, without any reference to his groom. In this case, to be just, he should see that his head man has a comfortable living wage from which he can with economy save a modest provision for his old age. Although the intelligent supervision of one's own stable is a source of great pleasure to anyone who is fond of horses; it cannot be successfully undertaken without special knowledge, which it is the object of this book to supply.