On large establishments a head-man superintends the strappers, and the general management of the horses. His work varies according to the size of the stud, and to the time and attention which the owner himself can bestow upon it. In some places the owner is in constant attendance, and then the head-man is just the master's assistant, having no fixed and regular task. But in general it is bis business to feed the horses, or at least to keep the provender, give it out as wanted, and see that it be properly distributed. He has to keep the men at their duty, taking care that everything be done in its own time, and examining the work when it is done. He has to regulate the work of the horses, dividing it in such a manner that each shall have as much as he is fit for, and no more. In small establishments the foreman sometimes has a stable of his own to look after, which may contain the strange, the spare, the lame, or the sick horses. When these exceed two or three, he must have an assistant. When properly qualified, the foreman ought to be, and usually is, empowered to hire and discharge the strappers.

Sometimes he pays their wages, but that belongs more properly to the clerk.

For a situation of this kind a man requires to have considerable experience. To maintain order among the strappers and manage the horses with skill, he must be inflexible, just, sober, vigilant, careful, well acquainted with the habits of horses, and the tricks of the men he has to superintend. He should be a discreet tyrant, always enforcing a rigid ad-herence to established rules. A man of timid or weak character has little chance of maintaining his authority among a host of unruly strappers; and though he have power to discharge them, he is easily awed or misled by the bold and the cunning. He should know his own place, giving no favors and receiving none. If he frequent the public-house, to mingle with those who are under him, his power is lost. He should not be old, yet well up in years, and perhaps married, having his family upon the premises. A man with these qualifications is worth liberal wages.

Sometimes the duties of this man involve more responsibility. Occasionally he purchases the provender, employs the necessary tradesmen, such as the saddler, shoeing-smith, and veterinarian, and has to do with the sale and purchase of the horses. Very few men are fit for these things. Provender is sometimes to be had below the market price, when the owner is not at hand to purchase it; in such a case, the foreman might have power to take it. But it is only upon certain occasions that this, or anything like it, should be in his power. Knavery is apt to creep into such transactions, and the master can know little of his business if he is not able to manage them better himself. They lay the man open to suspicion, whether he deserves it or not. The shoeing-smith and saddler always make some deduction from their usual charges where there is a great deal of work to be done. What men are to serve him, and what deductions are to be made, should be settled by the master himself. Their work is entered in the pass-book, which is paid up at short intervals. The veterinarian should be, and generally is, allowed a fixed salary for medicines, operations, and attendance.

In the disposal of wornout, and the purchase of new horses, the foreman and the veterinarian may be both consulted, the one regarding work, and the other regarding unsoundness; but where the old go or the new come from, is the business of the master only.

The foreman, perhaps, with the assistance of the shoeing-smith, sometimes supplies the place of the veterinarian. In this there is more folly than economy. If the work is to be well done, it must be performed by men who perfectly under stand it, by men who have been bred to it. Many foremen pretend to have skill in the veterinary art. They do not say that they know all about it, for in that case they would not have to take the place and pay of a stableman; yet they think they may render good service, and they say that much very plainly. It is all nonsense and imposition. These pretenders seldom, almost never, know their own business. If they knew that, as they ought to know it, they would be good servants without knowing anything else. If they are good grooms and better doctors, it is clear they ought to be veterinary surgeons If equally skilful in both capacities, they ought to choose that business which will pay best. But where have they learned so much about diseases and their remedies ? They have seen much - that is, about as much in all as a veterinarian in tolerable practice will see in a day.