66 CHAPTER 6. 



" ' Some supposed great secret has no doubt with, a few acted as a 

 charin, on the principle of " Onine ignotuni pro magnilico ; " 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 ginger, or any cheap aromatic spice 

 mixed with the ordinary 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 very 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 may perhaps be useful for a few days ; for instance, for 

 cavalry employed on a raid in an enemy's country, where supplies cannot 

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

 stomach requires a certain amount of mechanical distension to enable it 

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

 comes really empty, the concentrated food is useless. 



CHAPTER G. 



GROOMING. 



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

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

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

 ing. 107. Useof the brush in grooming. 107<x. Shampooing. 108. Method 

 of grooming. "LOSa. Dandy brush. 109. Neglect of grooming. 110. Sub- 

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

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

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

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

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

 loins. 118. Of washing the skin. 119. Of drying the legs. 119. Of 

 washing 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. Breaking-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 does well 

 enough without it 1 " 



