GROOMING. 73 



at work. A little gentle perspiration every day, and occasionally a some- 

 what freer opening of the pores, greatly assist the process of grooming. 

 Indeed, it is very difficult, if not impossible, to keep a horse's skin clean, 

 unless the action of the brush is aided by bringing the glands of the skin 

 into more active use by means of sensible perspiration. 



113. Horses to be groomed immediately after exercise. 



Not only is it necessary that the horse should be groomed after exer- 

 cise, but it is essential that he should be groomed immediately after 

 exercise. All the pores of the skin are then open, and the brush will 

 more effectually clean the skin than if the operation is delayed until the 

 skin has cooled and its pores have closed, and the perspiration has dried 

 and caked over them. 



No horse which is heated, or has been perspiring, should ever be 

 allowed to stand undried one moment longer than is absolutely unavoid- 

 able. When a delay cannot be avoided, the evil consequences should be 

 reduced to a minimum by clothing him warmly, and putting flannel ban- 

 dages on his legs ; or where these advantages are not available, by allow- 

 ing the saddle or harness to remain on, and by preventing any draught 

 from coming on the animal. In other cases the evil may be mitigated by 

 getting a boy to lead him about briskly, until the servant is ready to 

 attend to him. 



114. Danger of allowing a horse, when heated, to stand undried. 



Neglect of such precautions is likely to end in a chill, which may be 

 followed by serious disease. When a horse is heated, his whole circula- 

 tion is quickened, and an increased quantity of blood is determined to 

 the surface of the body. A chill will drive this blood suddenly to the 

 inward and vital parts. 



Nor is the evil confined to driving to the internal organs the blood, 

 which may happen at the moment to be on the surface. It may be far 

 greater, because, though the horse may be chilled externally, yet the 

 excited state of the circulation continues for some time longer. The 

 heart does not at once accommodate its action to the external change, 

 but continues to send blood rapidly through the system. This continued 

 supply, repelled from the surface, is forced on the already overloaded 

 internal vesels. Hence may arise serious disease, such as inflammation 

 of the lungs or plurae, bronchitis, or other inflammatory or congestive 

 affections. 



115. Cold produced ly evaporation. 



Many people are not aware of the extreme cold produced by evapora- 

 tion, such as that resulting from the action of a draught, or of the sun or 

 wind acting on a wet surface, such as the coat of a horse when sweating. 

 On this principle, cooling drinks are made in hot climates by tying a wet 

 flannel round a bottle and hanging it up in the sun or wind. 



A long, thick coat, therefore, is no protection to a horse against catch- 



