280 THE HORSE. 
the fields; but on the other hand the feet suffer terribly, the frogs 
becoming thrushy almost invariably, and their horny coverings frequently 
having quite disappeared when the horse is brought into the stable. 
When the straw is liberally used, and the manure is raised into a heap in 
the middle of the yard as fast as it is made, which is the proper arrange- 
ment, the frogs may remain tolerably sound, and the objection on this 
account is to a certain extent removed. Nevertheless it is a wretched 
place for a horse accustomed to the luxuries of a warm stable, and 
when barley-straw without hay is the only provender allowed, it is not to 
be wondered at if he comes out in the spring a complete skeleton. 
CARE OF SADDLERY AND HARNESS. 
THE MANAGEMENT OF SADDLERY must have a treble object. First, the 
groom should take care that he does nothing which shall injure the horse. 
Secondly, he must have a due regard to his master’s comfort in using it. 
And, thirdly, he must please the eye. I must therefore show how each 
of these purposes can best be effected. 
To AVOID INJURING THE HORSE the groom should begin when he first 
comes in from work, and before he removes the saddle or collar. It is 
ascertained by experience that if these are taken off when the skin 
beneath them is hot and sweating, inflammation will almost surely follow, 
while by leaving them loosely in their places for a short time no injurious 
effect is perceived. If a groom who is master of his business is watched 
when his horses come in, he will be seen to loosen their girths and lift the 
saddles from their backs for a second, replacing them loosely, and leaving 
them there while he takes off the bridles and makes his arrangements for 
dressing. In harness-horses everything but the collars may be taken 
off, and after turning them to remove the harness and traces, they may be 
replaced and left as near to the shoulder as the position of the horse with 
his head in the manger will allow. This rule should be invariably fol- 
lowed whenever horses come into the stable after having done any 
amount of work. If they have merely gone out for a short airing, and 
the skin beneath the saddle or collar is not even damp, there is no occa- 
sion for the precaution, and the saddle or collar may at once be removed. 
The next thing to be done to the saddlery in reference to the horse’s 
comfort is to dry the lining carefully before it is again used. Even the 
lining of harness-pads should be attended to, and in the winter this 
cannot be done without placing each before the fire. At page 209 I have 
inserted an engraving of the best form of saddle airer, in which the 
saddle is securely fixed in such a position that the fire only reaches the 
interior of the lining. Without some such machine there are two risks 
incurred, for by placing the saddle on the ground the edges of the leather 
covering the tree are worn away, and the flaps are liable to be curled 
inwards, presenting their outer surface to the fire, which dries them till 
they become hard, and are then liable to crack. The expense of one of 
these airers is soon saved in diminishing the wear and tear of saddles, 
and no well-managed harness-room should be without one. After the 
serge lining is dry, it is an excellent plan to beat the stuffing with a 
stick, so as to remove the powdery particles left by the sweat, which 
soon clog up the interstices and form a matted cake with the woollen 
materials used if they are allowed to remain. 
IN ATTENDING TO THE COMFORT OF THE MASTER the groom must take 
care to keep all the leather which comes in contact with the hands or 
