STABLES AND STABLE MANAGEMENT 115 



for the use of poisons should be avoided, and though 

 poisons destroy, they do not scare away mice. 



The knowledge of the proper management of a stable 

 can only be gained after long and very often bitter 

 experience. Some masters never gain it, but we find, 

 as a rule, that these are men not born to command, and 

 therefore suffer themselves to be persuaded in all things 

 by their grooms. The result is that the master spoils 

 the groom, and the groom spoils the horse. To the tyro 

 we trust that the following maxims will be found to be 

 of assistance : 



1. How to tell if a horse is vjell groomed. — Eub the 

 hand firmly over the skin of the body. If 

 the slightest particle of dirt, scurf, or grease 

 adheres to the hand, the horse has not been 

 properly groomed, and the groom should be 

 ordered to groom him again. Of course the 

 groom will make excuses, but his excuses are 

 lies, and he knows them to be lies. The 

 mane must be pulled from the middle with 

 a comb, not with a drag ; in fact a mane drag 

 should never be in a gentleman's saddle-room. 

 It is very difficult to comb a mane properly 

 without giving pain to the horse. Thinning 

 a mane is more difficult; it should be done 

 by slow degrees, only a few hairs per diem 

 being removed. The hocks, heels, and ears 

 are the parts most often neglected, so the 

 master would do well to constantly examine 

 these. Dirty heels produce "thrush," or 

 disease of the frog of the foot, which is a 



