Everybody knows that a horse ought not to be stabled when perspiring very copiously after severe exertion; he must not stand still. It is known that he is likely to catch cold, or to take inflamed lungs, or to founder. By keeping him in gentle motion till cool, these evils are prevented. This is all that stablemen can say about it, and perhaps little more can be said with certainty We must go a little deeper than the skin, and consider the state of the internal organs at the moment the horse has finished a severe task. The action of the heart, the bloodvessels, the nerves, and perhaps other parts, has been greatly increased, to correspond with the extraordinary action of the muscles, the instruments of motion. The circulation, once excited, does not become tranquil the moment exertion ceases. The heart and other internal organs which act in concert with the heart, continue for a time to perform their functions with all the energy which violent muscular exertion demands, and they do mischief before they are aware that their extraordinary services are no longer required. An irregularity in the distribution of the blood takes place; some part receives more than it needs, and an inflammation is the result. Motion prevents this, because it keeps up a demand for blood among the muscles.

The transition from rapid motion to rest is too sudden, and should be broken by gentle motion. If the heart and nervous system could be restrained as easily as the action of the voluntary muscles, there would be no need for walking a heated horse, since it would be sufficient to render all the organs tranquil at the same time.

This brief analysis of what is going on internally, may be useful to those who would know exactly when it is safe to put a heated horse to perfect rest. It is needless to keep him in motion after the pulse has sunk to nearly its natural number of beats per minute, which is under 40. Stablemen go by the heat of the skin, but on a hot day the skin will often remain above its usual heat, for a good while after the system is quite calm. The state of the skin, however, in general indicates the degree of internal excitement with sufficient accuracy.

The object, then, in walking a heated horse, is to allay the excitement of exertion in all parts of the body at the same time and by degrees, to keep the muscles working because the heart is working. The motion should always be slow, and the horse led, not ridden. If wet, and the weather cold, his walk may be faster than summer weather requires.

When the state of the weather, and the want of a covered ride, put walking out of the question, the horse must either go to the stable or he must suffer a little exposure to the rain. When much excited, that is, when very warm, it is better that he should walk for a few minutes in the rain, than that he should stand quite still. But a horse seldom comes in very warm while it is raining. If he must go into the stable it should not be too close. To a horse hot, perspiring, and breathing very quick, a warm stable is particularly distressing. Some faint under it. Till somewhat calm he may stand with his head to the door, but not in a current of cold air, at least not after he begins to cool.