The perfect horseman, or, The experienced secrets of Mr. Markham's fifty years practice shewing how a man may come to be a general horseman, by the knowledge of these seven offices, viz. the breeder, feeder, ambler, rider, keeper, buyer, farrier / and now published by Lancelot Thetford, practitioner in the same art for the space of forty years.

THE OFFICE OF THE KEEPER.

How to keep any Horse for plea∣sure, Hunting or Travel, &c.

I Would have our Keeper of these orde∣red Horses, to rise early in the morning of day, or before (according to the season of the year) and to sift the Horse the quantity of three pints of good, old and dry Oats, and put to them an hand full or two of spelt Beans, hulls and all, and so give them to the Horse.

Of Dressing and Watering.

After he hath eaten them, let him dres him, that is to say, he shall first curry him all over with the Iron comb, from the head to the tail, from the top of the shoulder to the knee, and from the top of his buttock to the hinder cambrell; then dust him all over with a clean dusting cloath, or with an horse

tail made fast to an handle: then curry him all over with the french brush, beginning with his forehead, temples and cheeks, so down his neck, shoulders and fore leggs, even to the setting on of his Hooves, so alongst his sides and under his belly; and lastly, all about his buttocks and hinder leggs, even to the ground; then you shall go over again with your duster, then over all parts with your wet hands, and not leave (as neer as you can one loose hair about him, nor one wet hair; for what your hands did wet, your hands must rub dry again: you shall also with your wet hands cleanse his sheath, his yard, his cods and his tuell, and indeed not leave any secret place uncleansed, as ears, no∣strils, fore-bowels, and between his hinder thighs, Then you shall take an hair-cloath and with it rub him all over, but especially his head, face, eyes, cheeks, between his chaps, on the top of his fore-head, in the nape of the neck, down his leggs, feetlocks and about his pasterns. Lastly, you shall take a clean woolen cloath, and with it rub him all over, beginning with his head and face, and so passing through all parts of his body and limbs before spoken of. Then take a wet mane-cloath, and comb down his mane and tail.

Then saddle him and ride him out to wa∣ter,

warm him both before and after water very moderately, and so bring him home dry without sweat; then cloath him up, after you have rubbed his head, body and leggs, and let him stand on his bridle more then an hour.

Ordinary-Keeping

After he hath stood an hour, give him the former quantity of provender, and the same in kind.

After he hath eaten his provender, give him into his rack a pretty bundle of hay, and so let him rest till noon.

At noon give him the former quantity of provender, and the same in kind, and so let him rest till evening, onely renewing his hay if there be occasion.

At evening dress him as in the morning, then ride him forth to water, and do as you did in the morning.

When you come home and have cloathed him up, let him stand on his bridle as before, then give him the former quantity of pro∣vender, so let him rest till nine a clock at night; at which time give him the former quantity of provender, and a pretty bun∣dle of hay, and so let him rest till the next morning.

Also observing ordinary keeping ever af∣ter your dressing, and at such times as you find best convenience, to bathe all his fore∣leggs from the knees and Cambrels down∣ward with cold water, for it is wholsome, and both comforteth the sinews, and prevents scabbs and swellings.

Keeping in Travell and Sport.

Thus you shall do concerning his ordinary keeping at home where the Horse hath rest and that you may dispose of hours as you please▪ but if you be either in travel, in sport, or other occasion, so that you cannot ob∣serve these particular times, then you must divide the main and whole quantity of mea•• into fewer parts and greater quantities, and so give them at the best convenience, ever ob∣serving to give the least quantity before travel as a third part before mounture, and the two other when you come to rest.

Nor would I have you to distract your mind with any doubt or amazement, because I prescribe you five severall times of feeding in one day, as if it should either over-charge you, or over-feed your horse: questionless there is no such matter when you look into the true proportion: for it cannot be denied that whosoever is worthy of a good horse,

or good means to keep a good horse, cannot allow him less then one peck a day; nay, the Carrier. Carter, Poulter and Packhorse, will allow half a peck at waterings, and this allowance which I set down comes to no more: for fifteen p nts of oats, and one pint of spelt beans upheaped, makes two gallons, and that is one peck Winchester measure.

Now to give it at twice it fills the stomack more, makes the digestion wors••, and the ap∣petite weak: whereas to give less, but more oft, the stomack is ever craving, the digesti∣on always ready, and the appetite never wanting, so that health (without disorder) can never be a stranger, therefore once again thus for ordinary keeping.

Of giving Heats, Hunting and Travell.

But if you intend to give an heat, as to hunt, gallop, travell, or the like, (which I would wish you to do once, twice, or thrice a week according to the ability of your horse) then observe all your former observa∣tions, onely the night before give him little or no hay at all:

In the morning before his heat very early and before his dressing, give him three or four handfull of clean sifted oats, washt ei∣ther in strong Beer or Ale. Then dress him,

saddle him, and give him his hear, he having first emptied himself well.

Ordering after Labour:

After his heat▪, or end of labour, rub him carefully, and bring him▪dry into the stable; then after he is cloathed up, let him stand on his bridle at least two hours, then give him a little bundle of hay to teare out upon his bridle, and an hour after feed him as hath been before shewed, onely with his first oats give him an handfull or better of hemp-seed well dusted and mixt.

At night warm him a little water and give it him luke-warm, with a little fine pounded Oatmeal thrown upon it, then an hour after give him his provender, and a pretty bundle of hay, and so let him rest till the next mor∣ning.

The next morning do all things as in his ordinary keeping.

Some especiall Precepts.

If he be a choice horse let him stand on lit∣ter both night and day, yet change oft and keep the planchers clean. If he be otherwise, then use your own discretion.

If you intend to travell or journey in

the morning, then give no hay, or but little the night before; if you journey in the after∣noon, then give no hay, or but little in the morning.

If your horse sweat by exercise, take off the sweat (before you rub him) with the Glassing-knife, which is either a piece of a broken sword-blade, or a piece of a broken Syth, for this will make a clean, a smooth, and a shining coat.

In journeying ride moderately the first hour or two, but after according to your oc∣cassions:

Water before you come to your Inne, if you can possibly; but if you cannot, then give warm water in the Inne, after the Horse hath fed, and is fully cooled within, and out∣wardly dried.

Trotters oyl is an excellent oyntment, be∣ing applied very warm, and well chafed into your horses limbs and sinews, to nimble and help stifness and lameness. And Dogs grease is better, therefore never want one of them in your stable.

Of washing and Walking.

Neither wash your horse nor walk your horse; for the first indangereth foundring in the body or feet, and breedeth all surfaits;

the latter is the ground of all strong colds, which turn to glanders and rottenness; but if necessity compell you to either, as foul waies; or long stays, then rather wash your Horses leggs with pailes of water at the stable door, then to indanger him in either pond or river. And for walking, rather sit on his back to keep his Spirits stirring, then to lead him in his hand, and with dull spirits to receive all manner of mischiefs.

This I think sufficient for the office of the Keeper.