Give barley to your horses; deprive yourself to give them still more; for Sidi-Hamed-ben-Youssouf has remarked; "Had I not seen the mare produce the foal, I should have said it was the barley." He has also said: "Superior to spurs there is nothing but barley." Do not water your horses more than once a day, at one or two in the afternoon; and give barley only in the evening, at sunset. It is a good practice in wartime, and, besides, it is the way to make their flesh firm and hard. To train a horse that is too fat for the fatigues of war, reduce him by exercise, but never by lowering his keep. So long as your horse, when at work, sweats over his whole body, you may say that he is not in good wind. But you may count upon him as soon as he sweats only on the ears and chest. Leave not thy horse near others that are eating barley, without he has some likewise, for otherwise he will fall ill. Never water your horse after having given him barley. It would be the death of the animal. Never give water to a horse after a rapid gallop, for here is danger of checked perspiration. After a rapid gallop, water him with the bridle on, and feed him with the saddle-girth on, and thou wilt not repent of it. Be clean, and perform your ablutions before mounting your horse, and the Prophet will love you. Whoso is guilty of an impropriety on the back of his horse is not worthy to own him. Moreover, he will suffer for it, for his horse will do himself a hurt. Never fall asleep upon thy horse. The sleep of the rider wounds or wearies the animal. When you put a horse to his speed, husband his strength for the time of need. He must be treated like a goat-skin water-bag, which if you open gradually, keeping the neck nearly closed, you will easily preserve the water. But if you open it hastily, the water will rush out all at once, and not a drop will remain to quench your thirst. A horseman should never urge his horse to full speed, while going up or down hill, unless he is forced to do so. He ought, on the contrary, to hold him in. "Which dost thou prefer?" the horse was asked one day, "The getting on, or the getting off thy back?" And he made answer: "Allah curse the point where they meet!" When you have a long journey to accomplish, relieve your horse by changing his pace, to enable him to recover his wind. Repeat this until he has sweated and dried three times, then shift his girth, and afterwards do what you will with him. He will never fail you in a difficulty. If, on a march, you have a strong wind right in your teeth, contrive if possible to save your horse from facing it—you will spare him various diseases. If at the bivouac your horse is so placed that he cannot move out of the wind that is blowing violently into his nostrils, do not hesitate to leave the nose-bag suspended from his nose—you will preserve him from serious mischief.