22 MOUNTED INSTRUCTION 



halter, harness, or other foreign body under the pastern, or inside the 

 thigh or arm, or by reason of blows from another foot (cutting, inter- 

 fering, overreaching). Finally erythema is especially liable to occur in 

 spring, when the coat is being shed, and the hair follicles and general 

 surface are exposed and irritable in connection with the dropping of 

 the hairs. 



The Value of Grooming 



"The value of grooming is dependent upon the force with which the 

 brush is used and the thoroughness of the other work. As is seen 

 above, grooming is essential to the general health and condition of 

 the domesticated horse. Horses improperly groomed with ragged 

 manes, unkept pastern, feet improperly looked after, form an indica- 

 tion of an inefficient organization. Clean horses properly harnessed 

 and smartly turned out, add to the esprit of an organization and give 

 a fair indication of the discipline and efficiency." D. & S. R. F. A. 



"To Judge the Cleanliness of a horse : The hand may be passed the 

 reverse way of the hair to get a view of the skin. When the points of 

 the fingers are run firmly against the set of the coat, lines of gray are 

 left on the coat of a dirty skin and the points of the fingers are covered 

 with scurf. Between the branches of the under jaw, under the crown 

 piece of the halter, at the bends of the knees and hocks, under the belly 

 and between the forelegs and thighs are the places usually neglected 

 when the work is not thorough and which should be looked at when the 

 horse is being inspected." D. & S. R. F. A. 



Cracked Heels (Scratches or Chaps on Knee and Hock) : This 

 usually sets in with swelling, heat, and tenderness of the hollow of 

 the heel, with erections of the hair and redness (in white skins), with 

 stififness and lameness, which may be extreme in irritable horses. 

 Soon slight cracks appear transversely and may gain in depth and 

 width and may even suppurate. More frequently they become cov- 

 ered at the edges or throughout by firm incrustations resulting from 

 the drying of the liquids thrown out, and the skin becomes increas- 

 ingly thick and ridged. A similar condition occurs behind the knee 

 and in front of the hock, and may extend from these points to the hoof, 

 virtually incasing that side of the limb in a permanent incrusting 

 sheath. 



Causes: Besides a heavy lymphatic constitution, which predisposes 

 to this affection, the causes are overfeeding on grain, unwholesome 

 fodder, close, hot, dirty stables, constant contact with manure or urine 

 and their emanations, working in deep irritant mud ; above all in 

 limestone districts, irritations by dry limestones or sandy dust in dry 

 weather on dirt roads ; also cold drafts, snow and' freezing mud, wash- 

 ing the legs with caustic soap, wrapping the wet legs in thick woolen 

 bandages which soak the skin and render it sensitive when exposed 

 next day, clipping the heels, weak heart and circulation, natural or 

 supervening on overwork, imperfect nourishment, impure air, lack of 

 sunshine, chronic exhaustion, or debilitating diseases, or functional 



