20 



THE MODERN SYSTEM 



Horse is in, time of year, &c. Horses that 

 have their coats long and full of dust, such as 

 are just taken up from grass, or those just 

 come out of person's hands, that either do not 

 know, or do not take the pains to keep a 

 Horse's coat clean and fine, will require the 

 free use of the curry-comb ; and the teeth and 

 sharpness of the comb should be proportioned 

 to the thickness, length, and foulness of the 

 coat; while Horses that have been kept in 

 stable and properly groomed, have their coats 

 fine, thin, soft, and clean, requiring no other 

 use of the curry-comb than merely to clean 

 the brush, or occasionally to rub off" any dung 

 the Horse may have laid on ; the teeth of such 

 a comb should be remarkably even and dull 

 not to scratch him. 



These things being attended to, after strip- 

 ping the cloaths off, you should then use the 

 curry-comb, always beginning on the near 

 side at the hind quarters, and using it in pro- 

 portion to the length and foulness of the coat ; 

 that is, if the coat is fast on, long, full of dust, 

 and very filthy, you may use it freely to loosen 

 the coat, or the sweat that is dried and 

 fastened on the skin and roots of the hair, 

 appearing like a white and saltish dust ; but, 

 though I say you may use it freely for this 

 purpose, you are not to expect you are to get 

 it all out at once ; it must be a work of time, 

 and to attempt, by using the curry-comb too 

 much, you would set the coat on end, open 

 the pores of the skin, and the Horse would in 

 consequence be very liable to take cold, which 

 would obstruct that imperceptible perspiration 

 which in a healthy state is always going on, 

 but if prevented, an ichorsus discharge is fre- 

 quently set up, which will dry into small 

 scabs, the coat will then stare, and put on a 

 riisetty appearance ; therefore, when I said, 



use the comb freely, I mean comparatively to 

 what you do with Horses whose coats are fine 

 and clean, such as the race-horse, or the 

 hunter, when got into proper condition 

 Another thing to be observed is, that if it be 

 at the season the Horse is changing his coat, 

 at which the hair will come off freely with the 

 curry-comb, I would not advise too free a use 

 of the comb for the purpose of removing the 

 coat, but let it have its time to come off; for 

 with good feed you will obtain this end 

 quicker than by scratching the Horse's skin 

 with the comb. Providence has wisely so 

 ordered things, that the Horse's coat, if ex- 

 posed to cold, shall grow long, and if you keep 

 him warm, his coat will be the shorter. 



Proceeding then to curry on the hind quar- 

 ter, for the purpose of unmatting the hair and 

 loosening the dust, you descend down the 

 quarters, particularly remembering to rub off all 

 dried dung, and taking care not to injure or 

 scratch the Horses legs. Remember, you are 

 not to use the curry-comb below the Horse's 

 hock, unless any dung may be there ; here 

 you must handle the comb very light, and 

 with grey or white Horses these stains are very 

 troublesome to remove ; but if you take a wet 

 sponge, and well moisten the hair where the 

 stain is, then take a knob of common stone 

 blue (such as used by washer-women), put 

 this in a piece of flannel, and rub well on the 

 stains; by this means. you will be able to re- 

 move all stains : when this is dry, it must be 

 well brushed off. 



But to return. After having curried the 

 Horses hi-nd quarter, proceed on to the back 

 loins, flank, belly, shoulders, arms, chest, and 

 neck, omitting no part the comb can be con- 

 veniently applied to ; but tender places, or 

 those thin of hair, need not be touched, the 



