MANUAL FOR STABLE SERGEANTS. 61 



The cleaning is done with the hoof -hook, the point of which should 

 be blunted so as not to tear away the horn of the commissures and 

 cleft of the frog. 



151. Cleaning- the sheath. — The sheath should be cleaned 

 occasionally by washing. Some horses require it more often than 

 others, and especially is it required during hot and dusty weather. 

 In the Tropics and during certain seasons of the year, the presence 

 of screw-worms and maggots from the attacks of flies renders close 

 attention to this detail very necessary. In some horses a thick 

 cheesy-like substance accumulates at the end of the penis on either 

 side of the urethra forming the so-called bean, which may interfere 

 with urination. 



The bean should be carefully removed and the penis and inside of 

 the sheath well cleaned with warm water and castile soap . ^\Tien the 

 parts are thoroughly cleaned, rinse with a warm creolin solution 

 (1-100) and dry. In cold weather drying must be done with great 

 care in order to prevent chilling. To avoid injuring the sheath and 

 penis, the finger nails of the man doing the washing must be cut short 

 and made smooth. 



152. Salting. — A lump of salt should be kept in each feed box. 

 If salt is kept in the corral, it should be in a waterproof box protected 

 from rain, for if exposed to moisture it will melt and run on the 

 ground. The ground becoming salty around the box, the horses 

 acquire the habit of licking it and eating the dirt. 



Loose salt only should be given in the field. 



The daily allowance of salt for each public animal is 0.8 ounce. 



153. Water. — A horse requires from 5 to 15 gallons of water daily, 

 depending upon the temperature and the amount of work he is doing. 

 On board ship 10 gallons daily should be provided. 



Water should be fresh, pure, and dear, and free from taste, color, 

 and smell. 



154. Watering. — Horses should be watered before feeding, or, 

 if this is impossible, not until two hours after feeding. They may 

 be watered while at work, but, if hot, they should be kept moving 

 until cooled off. 



In temperate climates, horses should be watered three times a day, 

 morning, noon, and evening. 



In the Tropics and during warm weather, horses, except when they 

 are heated, should have free access to water at all times. 



In winter, horses that are tired or heated should be given water 

 that has been slightly warmed. In warm weather and in the Tropics, 



