English
Mymasterwasnotimmediatelysuited,butinafewdaysmynewgroomcame.
Hewasatall,good-lookingfellowenough;butifevertherewasahumbugintheshapeofagroomAlfredSmirkwastheman.
Hewasveryciviltome,andneverusedmeill;infact,hedidagreatdealofstrokingandpattingwhenhismasterwastheretoseeit.
Healwaysbrushedmymaneandtailwithwaterandmyhoofswithoilbeforehebroughtmetothedoor,tomakemelooksmart;butastocleaningmyfeetorlookingtomyshoes,orgroomingmethoroughly,hethoughtnomoreofthatthanifIhadbeenacow.
Heleftmybitrusty,mysaddledamp,andmycrupperstiff.
AlfredSmirkconsideredhimselfveryhandsome;hespentagreatdealoftimeabouthishair,whiskersandnecktie,beforealittlelooking-glassintheharness-room.
Whenhismasterwasspeakingtohimitwasalways,"Yes,sir;yes,sir"—touchinghishatateveryword;andeveryonethoughthewasaveryniceyoungmanandthatMr.Barrywasveryfortunatetomeetwithhim.
Ishouldsayhewasthelaziest,mostconceitedfellowIevercamenear.
Ofcourse,itwasagreatthingnottobeill-used,butthenahorsewantsmorethanthat.
Ihadaloosebox,andmighthavebeenverycomfortableifhehadnotbeentooindolenttocleanitout.
Henevertookallthestrawaway,andthesmellfromwhatlayunderneathwasverybad;whilethestrongvaporsthatrosemademyeyessmartandinflame,andIdidnotfeelthesameappetiteformyfood.
Onedayhismastercameinandsaid,"Alfred,thestablesmellsratherstrong;shouldnotyougivethatstallagoodscrubandthrowdownplentyofwater?"
"Well,sir,"hesaid,touchinghiscap,"I'lldosoifyouplease,sir;butitisratherdangerous,sir,throwingdownwaterinahorse'sbox;theyareveryapttotakecold,sir.
Ishouldnotliketodohimaninjury,butI'lldoitifyouplease,sir."
"Well,"saidhismaster,"Ishouldnotlikehimtotakecold;butIdon'tlikethesmellofthisstable.Doyouthinkthedrainsareallright?"
"Well,sir,nowyoumentionit,Ithinkthedraindoessometimessendbackasmell;theremaybesomethingwrong,sir."
"Thensendforthebricklayerandhaveitseento,"saidhismaster.
"Yes,sir,Iwill."
Thebricklayercameandpulledupagreatmanybricks,butfoundnothingamiss;soheputdownsomelimeandchargedthemasterfiveshillings,andthesmellinmyboxwasasbadasever.
Butthatwasnotall:standingasIdidonaquantityofmoiststrawmyfeetgrewunhealthyandtender,andthemasterusedtosay:
"Idon'tknowwhatisthematterwiththishorse;hegoesveryfumble-footed.Iamsometimesafraidhewillstumble."
"Yes,sir,"saidAlfred,"Ihavenoticedthesamemyself,whenIhaveexercisedhim."
Nowthefactwasthathehardlyeverdidexerciseme,andwhenthemasterwasbusyIoftenstoodfordaystogetherwithoutstretchingmylegsatall,andyetbeingfedjustashighasifIwereathardwork.
Thisoftendisorderedmyhealth,andmademesometimesheavyanddull,butmoreoftenrestlessandfeverish.
Heneverevengavemeamealofgreenfoodorabranmash,whichwouldhavecooledme,forhewasaltogetherasignorantashewasconceited;andthen,insteadofexerciseorchangeoffood,Ihadtotakehorseballsanddraughts;which,besidethenuisanceofhavingthempoureddownmythroat,usedtomakemefeelillanduncomfortable.
Onedaymyfeetweresotenderthat,trottingoversomefreshstoneswithmymasteronmyback,Imadetwosuchseriousstumblesthat,ashecamedownLansdownintothecity,hestoppedatthefarrier's,andaskedhimtoseewhatwasthematterwithme.
Themantookupmyfeetonebyoneandexaminedthem;thenstandingupanddustinghishandsoneagainsttheother,hesaid:
"Yourhorsehasgotthe'thrush',andbadly,too;hisfeetareverytender;itisfortunatethathehasnotbeendown.
Iwonderyourgroomhasnotseentoitbefore.
Thisisthesortofthingwefindinfoulstables,wherethelitterisneverproperlycleanedout.
Ifyouwillsendhimhereto-morrowIwillattendtothehoof,andIwilldirectyourmanhowtoapplythelinimentwhichIwillgivehim."
ThenextdayIhadmyfeetthoroughlycleansedandstuffedwithtowsoakedinsomestronglotion;andanunpleasantbusinessitwas.
Thefarrierorderedallthelittertobetakenoutofmyboxdaybyday,andthefloorkeptveryclean.
ThenIwastohavebranmashes,alittlegreenfood,andnotsomuchcorn,tillmyfeetwerewellagain.
WiththistreatmentIsoonregainedmyspirits;butMr.Barrywassomuchdisgustedatbeingtwicedeceivedbyhisgroomsthathedeterminedtogiveupkeepingahorse,andtohirewhenhewantedone.
Iwasthereforekepttillmyfeetwerequitesound,andwasthensoldagain.
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