^^ CUAPTER 6. 



" ' Some supj^osed groat secret has no doubt with a few acted as a 

 charm, on the principle of " Omne ignotum pro maguiiico ; " but the 

 analysis at once dispels this illusion, and nothing remains but the cost 

 and its result, mere matters of ordinary calculation.' " 



A small quantity of powdered gingei-, or any cheap aromatic spice 

 mixed with the ordinaiy feed of oats or hay, will often cause a delicate 

 feeder to relish his food, will assist digestion, and will probably answer 

 as well as the highly advertised and veiy expensive patent foods. Some 

 horses at first object to the taste of spice, and therefore a very small 

 quantity only should be given to begin with. All such artificial aids 

 to digestion should be discontinued as soon as the system recovers tone. 



98o. Concentrated foods. 

 These foods raay perhaps be useful for a few days ; for instance, for 

 cavalry employed on a raid in an enemy's countiy, whei^e supplies cannot 

 be possibly obtained, but they do not answer for ordinaiy use. The 

 stomach requires a certain amount of mechanical distension to enable it 

 to cany on its digestive operations. Hence, as soon as the stomach be- 

 comes really emjDty, the concentrated food is useless. 



CHAPTER 6. 



GROOMING. 



99. Reason of the need of grooming. 100. Structure of the skin. 101. 

 Glands of the sTcin. 102. Perspiration. 103. Structure of the hair. 104. 

 Shedding of the coat. 105. The Wliishers. 106. Objects gained by groom- 

 ing. 107. Zfseof the brush in grooming. 107a. Shampooing. 108. Method 

 of grooviinj. 108a. Dandy brush. 109. Neglect of grooming. 110. Sub- 

 sidiary uses of grooming. 111. Improper means used to prodxice short and 

 glossy coats. 112. Time for grooming. 113. Horses to be groomed imme- 

 diately after exercise. 114. Danger of allowing a horse, ivhen heated, to 

 stand undried. 115. Cold produced by evaporation. 116. Extremities to 

 be dried first. 117. Special precautions in regard to the bacJc and 

 loins. 118. Of v:ashing the sJcin. 119. Of drying the legs. 119a. Of 

 ^cashing the legs. Flannel bandages. 120. Of leaving horses to dry by 

 evaportion. 121. Minor memoranda. 122. Grooming by machinery. 123. 

 Time required to clean a horse. 124. Breahing-out after cleaning. 125. 

 Conclusion. 



99 , Reason of the need of Grooming. 

 The question is often asked, " Why does the stabled horse require con- 

 stant grooming, whilst the same horse turned out into a field docs well 

 euouirh without it 1 " 



