260 Grooming, 



from any derangement in that organ, the skin rarely fails to exhibit 

 proofs of that astonishing sympathy, which mutually exists between 

 them. And although the superior energy of frame, which Horses 

 tiiat are kept abroad, enjoy, secures them against many evils, that 

 stabled Horses arc exposed to, yet, it is by no means to be inferred 

 from this circumstance, that grooming is altogether unnecessary for 

 them, much less that it can ever be prejudicial to them, by open- 

 ing the pores of the skin, and, thus, rendering them more suscep- 

 tible of catching cold. 



For, if friction applied to the skin, can be proved to be salutary 

 to animals, even in the summertime, upon the principle of being a 

 healthful stimulus to the system at large, how much more must this be 

 the case in winter, when the cold operates so unpropitiously on the pow- 

 ers of life, that food, the same in quantity and quality given to a Horse 

 through this period of the year, that he has been accustomed to get 

 in the summer, is, almost ajways, found inadequate to keep up the 

 same condition and spirits, the animal was in the habit of preserv- 

 ing, during the continuance of warm weather. In the instance, 

 therefore, of Hunters and the more valuable kinds of Horses that 

 are treated upon the natural and simple plan which I have recom- 

 mended, it will be found that good grooming, so proper for them at 

 all seasons of the year, will be peculiarly beneficial to them in winter, 

 and especially after hard exercise. For, although no apprehension 

 need be entertained of any ill consequences ensuing to them, from 

 the omission of this salutary practice, on the score, or in the shape, 

 of positive disease; yet, the powers of the system, perfectly compe- 

 tent as they usually are. to ward off any mischief of this kind, may, 

 (to use a figure of speech) unquestionably be turned into another 

 channel and employed to better purposes. 



