122 STABLE ECONOMY. 



ly, he increases the warmth of the stable and the weight of 

 the clothing, till the horse is almost fevered ; and he gives 

 drugs, so many and so often, that he renders .he constitution 

 exceedingly delicate. Such means are not always injurious ; 

 but in many cases they are made to do too much. They are 

 very serviceable in their proper place ; they are not to do 

 that which should be done by grooming. 



The gloss of a fine coat is easily destroyed, particularly 

 that gloss which is given by warmth and antimony. Ex- 

 posure to cold, frequent ablutions, extraordinary exertion, and 

 everything that checks the insensible perspiration, or inter- 

 feres with the daily dressing, produce a change upon the 

 hair. In a single day it will become dull, hard, dead-like, 

 and staring. Gentle exercise to heat the skin, and hard rub- 

 bing with the brush, will generally restore the lost polish and 

 smoothness of the hair ; and sometimes one of the diaphoretic 

 powders may be given before and after the day of sweating, 

 which must be very gentle. 



All slow-working horses, and those that have to bear much 

 exposure to the weather, and especially those that have to 

 stand out of doors, or in cold stables, should not have a short 

 coat ; good grooming and food will make it glossy ; a 

 single rug will make it lie ; but drugs, and a high degree of 

 warmth, are forbidden. They render the horse unfit for cold 

 stables, and unfit to suffer, without injury, that exposure which 

 his work demands. 



MANAGEMENT OF THE FEET. 



THE feet of some horses require particular attention. They 

 are liable to injuries and to diseases, of which one or two 

 may be prevented by a little care. 



PICKING THE FEET is among the first things a good stable 

 man attends to when the horse comes off his work. Verj 

 often a stone is wedged between the shoe and the frog ; if 

 permitted to remain there till next day, or even for a few 

 hours, the foot may be bruised, and the horse lamed. This 

 seldom happens to the hind feet. But both the fore and the 

 hind feet of all horses should be examined after work, to see 

 that no stone, nail, splinter of wood, nor broken glass, be 

 sticking in the sole. The mud and clay may be picked out 

 or washed away, and the feet examined in about three min- 

 utes, and this work of three minutes may often prevent a 

 lameness of as many months. All horses that have flat, soles 



