DRESSING, OR GROOMING. | 243 
examining the internal surface of any clothing which has been worn for 
any length of time without washing, when it will be found to be lined 
with scurf, and matted with oily animal matters. There are many drugs 
which will give a gloss to the skin, but they will diminish instead of 
increasing its capability to bear exposure, and hence their use is altogether 
forbidden by those who know their injurious effects. The horse which is 
little used requires dressing to take the place of exercise, and if he has 
plenty of good strapping, his coat will look like satin; but the hunter 
and the hack or harness-horse, exposed to all weathers, must be carefully 
groomed and receive plenty of elbow grease, or his coat will look hollow 
and stand out like “the quills of the fretful porcupine” whenever he is 
allowed to stand for a few minutes in a cool wind. 
THE FIRST THING WHICH THE GROOM does in commencing his morning’s 
task is to turn the horse round in his stall, and fold the quarter piece back 
upon itself, so as to expose the whole of the fore quarters. Then, taking 
his brush in the hand nearest the head, whichever side he begins with, he 
works away at the head and face till he has thoroughly cleansed those parts, 
carefully clearing out the dust and dirt from the roots of the ears, where 
it is very apt to lodge, and continually cleaning his brush with the curry- 
comb held in the other hand. Next proceeding to the neck, he works at 
that part in the same way, turning the mane over to the other side, and 
then going to the shoulders, bosom, and legs, and finishing off with a 
whisp of hay slightly damped instead of the brush. Having thoroughly 
worked at this half of the body, the horse is turned round in his stall, 
and the hind quarters and flank treated in the same way, the clothing 
being removed entirely while this is going on. In the spring and autumn, 
when the coat is being shed, the brush should never be used, and the 
whisp alone should be depended on. Nothing spoils the look of the new 
coat so surely as the brush, except perhaps the currycomb; but this 
latter should not under any circumstances touch the skin of a horse when 
it is in proper order, and it is scarcely necessary to forbid its use when 
the coat is being shed, at which time it would be positively cruel, as well 
as injurious to the appearance. The brush and whisp having effectually 
cleansed the skin, and given the hair itself a certain amount of polish, 
the finishing stroke is put to the dressing by means of the linen rubber, 
with the addition, in well-managed stables, of the leather. Either or both 
of these in succession are steadily passed over the surface in the direction 
of the hair of each part, and then the quarter piece or rug, as the case 
may be, is replaced, taking care to throw it lightly in front of its proper 
place, and then to draw it steadily backwards, so as not to disturb the 
proper position of a hair. The roller is smoothly put on, being first laid 
on the back double, and then the off side is turned over into its place, 
when the straps being laid hold of under the belly, it is properly tightened 
and the quarter piece smoothed beneath it. This completes the dressing 
of fe body, but there are several minor points still to be attended to. 
A clean sponge is squeezed out, and with it the nostrils, eyes, and anus 
are sponged clean, and if necessary, the mane is damped, so as to enable 
the groom to comb and brush it smoothly down on its right side. The 
tail also is carefully combed out, beginning at the lower end if it is a 
full one, and not touching the top until the bottom is smoothly arranged. 
Lastly, the legs and feet are attended to, the stopping, or whatever may 
be in the latter, being picked out, the legs washed if stained, and then 
carefully rubbed dry. Many grooms, when they have white legs to keep 
clean, begin the dressing by washing them, and then putting on flannel 
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