The average weight of Artillery horses is 10 cwt. 2 qrs.

An allowance of 27 square feet is generally made for each horse standing at picket, or three feet in breadth, and nine feet in depth.* A horse should seldom be made to draw more than three cwt. besides the weight of the carriage. With great burthens, less weight must be allowed for each horse to draw than with medium burthens; as with a team of horses, the leaders cannot draw so much as the horses nearer the carriage, and the disadvantage must increase in proportion to the lengthening of the team.

These weights include the carriages. It is usual, however, in heavy carriages, to reckon all their weight exceeding twelve cwt. as part of the load.

The most useful mode of applying a horse's power is in draught, and the worst is in carrying a load. This is owing to the structure of the animal. It has been found that three men, carrying each 100 lb., will ascend a hill with greater rapidity than one horse carrying 300 lb. When a horse has a large draught in a waggon, however, it is found useful to load his back to a certain extent; this prevents him from inclining so much forward as he would otherwise do, and consequently frees him from the fatigue of great muscular action. The best disposition of the traces in draught is when they are perpendicular to the collar; when the horse stands at ease, the traces are then inclined to

* In the transport of horses to Turkey (July, 1854,) in the Himalaya, and Simla steamers, the distance between the upright posts was 2 feet 1 inch in the clear per horse, and the length 9 feet.

the horizon, at an angle of about 15°; but when he leans forward to draw, the traces should then become nearly parallel to the road. The most proper inclination, however, is determined from the relation which subsists between the friction, and the pressure, in every particular case.

When a horse is employed in moving a machine, by travelling in a circular path, the diameter of the path ought not to be less than twenty-five or thirty feet, and in most cases forty feet should be preferred: at all events, it must not be less than eighteen feet.

MANAGEMENT OF DRAUGHT HORSES.

Whatever the difficulties of a road or ground may be, ten horses are as many as can be harnessed with effect to one carriage. It is difficult for a greater number to act at the same instant, even if the pull be straight.

Before a carriage moves, the traces should be equally stretched out, that at the word "MARCH" every horse may act steadily at the same instant on the carriage, and not by jerks.

The distance of one horse's length between the carriages is always to be maintained on the best road, to prevent fatigue and unnecessary stoppage to the horses. In bad or difficult roads it may be necessary to increase the distance to double, or perhaps more, according to the nature of the ground.

After going up a short steep hill, the horses should be halted, but when that cannot be done, they ought to move slowly to recover their wind. Should the ascent be long, and steep, the road in a bad state, or when from any other cause the exertion is likely to be very great for the horses, a part of the carriages should halt, the leaders of them be hooked on to those in front, and when they arrive at the top, as many leaders sent back as may be necessary.

In going up a hill, a carriage may be halted to rest the horses, by bringing them across it, and locking the limber.

Whenever the ruts are very deep, the carriages must quarter the road, and if the road is narrow, and sunk between banks, the horses should be left to themselves, and not be hurried.

In passing over deep furrows, or small ditches or drains, the carriages should cross them obliquely: when they are crossed perpendicularly, the horses not only encounter greater difficulty, but they, as well as the harness, suffer much from the jerks. The former line of march should be resumed as soon as they are passed.

Maximum quantity of Labour.

The following Table shows the Maximum quantity of labour, which a horse of average strength is capable of performing at different velocities, on canals, railways, and turnpike roads; but in comparing this table with practice at the higher velocities, it is reckoned necessary to add one-third more than the useful effect for the total mass moved.

Result of experiments with a light four-wheeled cart, weighing with its load 1000 lb., drawn upon different sorts of roads (12 lb. having been deducted from the force of traction for the friction at the axles, which were of wood).

Turnpike-road, hard, dry
Do. dirty

Do.

18

26

new gravelled

Loose sandy road

Force of traction required to move the carriage, inde130(pendent of the friction at the 191 axles.

Note. An ox can draw about 4 cwt., and a pair of oxen 9 cwt., on a level road.

HORSE-SHOES.

There are three sizes of horse-shoes in the service, and also a smaller size made for mules.

Note. These several nails are known by farriers according to their No.viz., when they say shoes require nails, Nos. 8, 9, 10, this implies nails of 8, 9, and 10 pounds per thousand nails.

Method observed in carrying one day's forage.

NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, AND TRUMPETERS.-One feed of oats in the nose-bag, and buckled to the near-ring of the saddle. Three feeds in the corn-bag, and carried across the saddle. Twelve pounds of hay twisted, and rolled up into two bundles, each nine inches long, carried at the ends of the kitt, and made fast with the forage cord, one end to pass in front, and the other in the rear of the kitt, making it fast by two hitches.

DRIVERS.-One feed of oats for each horse, carried in the nose-bags, and made fast to the rear staples of the off-horses' saddles. Three feeds for each horse (six feeds) in the corn-bag, carried across the saddle of the near horse. The hay is twisted and rolled up into two bundles of twelve pounds, each eighteen inches long; carried on the off-horse at the ends of the kitt; the end of one forage cord passing in front of the kitt, the end of the other forage cord passing in rear of the kitt, both ends being made fast by two half hitches.

If a waggon accompanies the battery, the officers' horses' forage will be carried in it; if not, the oats are to be divided between the subdivisions, and the hay carried on the foot-board in front of the body of the waggon.

In heavy marching order, when forage is not ordered to be carried. NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, AND TRUMPETERS.-The nose-bags are rolled up and buckled to the near-ring of the saddle. Forage cord, currycomb and brush, mane-comb, picker, and sponge, are made fast, to the off-ring.

PART VII.

VETERINARY DIRECTIONS.*

The ordinary dose of every Mass is One ounce (Avoirdupois).

Dose, from 6 to 7 drams of the mass, which contains 4 and 5 drams of aloes respectively.

Any horse to whom a dose of physic is given, should be fed on bran mashes, in lieu of corn, until its operation has ceased. If there be no cause for its immediate administration, let ample bran mashes be given, by way of preparation, in lieu both of hay, and corn, during one day, and the ball administered the following morning, after the horse is sufficiently watered, and a couple of hours at least before his bran mash be given him. Exercise, also, during the day is advisable. The following day, early in the morning, after the horse has had water, with the chill taken off, offered him, till he refuses to drink more, let him be walked out briskly for one hour, unless he purge, in which case let him be returned to the stable, littered down, frequently watered, and plentifully supplied with bran mashes. But should the physic not operate at the expiration of his exercise, nor after he has remained the four succeeding hours in the stable, let him be exercised for another hour; and he may be gently trotted at this time should he still show no signs of purging: let it be here understood, however, that in no case is a horse in physic to be galloped. To insure purgation, water is no less requisite than exercise.

Should the animal continue to purge on the third day, let him be kept short of water, and without exercise; if the purging still continue, give wheaten flour gruel, and hay; no exercise. As soon as his dung shall have put on its natural appearance, and consistence, the usual ration of provender may be restored, and he may return to duty.

When a sick, or lame horse requires physic, to which exercise would be injurious, or has not been properly prepared with bran mashes, the dose may be increased by one dram; and to him the ball may be given at any time, in order that its operation may be as speedy as possible. A dose of physic should never be repeated until the expiration of seven clear days from the setting of the previous dose.

* Whenever a Veterinary Surgeon is present, these Directions are to be considered in abeyance.