“for one Extreme,
Ne’er without Danger meets its own reverse.”
Let him be well fed till the day that he is turned out, on which give him nothing; then he will graze the greatest part of the Night;—if you turn him out with a full Belly, he will lay down, and most likely catch a mischievous Cold.
When Horses are sent to Straw-Yard or to Grass, let their Shoes be removed, and their Feet set at liberty—Toe-pieces are sometimes put on.
Early Spring Grass, for five weeks in May and June, is not only excellent Food, but admirable Physic for Horses;—Dr. Green cures most of the Disorders that Horses are subject to, sooner than any.
Strong Horses frequently fall a sacrifice to Diseases, by being kept continually upon hard dry food, which feeding on soft Green herbage for a few weeks would frequently cure sooner than any Physic.
It is recommended, that Horses in the Stable should occasionally have Green Meat, viz. Rye, or Tares, &c. which are carried about London in Carts during the Spring, &c.
A Horse will get fresher, by having a Run in a Salt Marsh for One Month, such as at Plaistow, or the Isle of Dogs, &c. than he will in Two Months on Upland Grass.
“I have been told that it is no unusual thing to take up Horses from the Marshes, and send them on a long Journey directly, without any preparation; and am the more ready to believe this, because I have several times known Horses taken off the dry Commons in Winter, and perform very well on the Road:—it is quite otherwise with those that go on common Pastures, either in cold clay grounds, or where the Grass is forced with Dung: many of these require a good deal of management before they are fit to be put on hard service.”
Fields which lie near to Great Towns, and are much manured, do not afford half such wholesome Hay or Pasture as those that are further in the Country, and are not so forced. Mr. Jarvis says that he would not thank ye for the Hay that is made within 10 miles of London. The loads of Dung may make the Ground yield a more plentiful crop, but it is always of an inferior, and often of injurious Quality.