33 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



energies. Indeed, any one may perceive the salutary 

 effects of grooming on the spirits of the horse after 

 this operation, which should always be performed in 

 the open air when the weather is favourable, which 

 braces the skin and conduces to health. It, however, 

 frequently happens that grooms in using the currycomb 

 give too much pressure, and thereby often irritate the 

 cuticle and give pain instead of pleasure to the animal, 

 especially to those which have thin skins. It ought 

 therefore to be used with gentleness, and a longer 

 time bestowed upon it. We also disapprove of a very 

 hard brush, and especially one which has irregular 

 hairs on the surface. A soft brush well applied will 

 be equally effective, and produce less irritation to the 

 horse. 



After violent exercise, or a long journey, the legs 

 of horses should be well rubbed down both with the 

 hand and brush. This will prevent swelling, and even 

 allay it if it has actually taken place. 



CLOTHING. 



If stables are kept dry and all cross-draughts are 

 avoided, then the use of horse-cloths will be unnecessary. 

 Nature has given the animal a covering which perfectly 

 fits it, to prevent the necessity of artificial clothing 

 while under a comfortable roof. 



If a horse has been overheated, the true method to 

 prevent his taking cold when put in the stable is to 

 rub him well down with straw or hay until his skin is 

 dry ; but if it should so happen that the groom cannot 

 possibly spare time at that moment to attend to it, a 

 cloth may be thrown across his loins, until he is fairly 

 cooled down, when it should be immediately removed. 



Nothing can be more absurd than to clothe coach 

 and post-horses in the stable, because when out of 



