WASHING THE LEGS, MANE AND TAIL. 429 



they soon get knocked to pieces, and the proper slope of the hoof will be 

 destroyed for the time being." — Capt. M. H. Hayes, ^^ Horse Management 

 in India," p. iiy. 



The mane and tail should now be brushed. For this 

 purpose a dandy or mane brush should be used and the hair 

 straightened out from the ends and not from the roots. 

 Don't use a comb ; it ruins the hair. When this part of the 

 work is finished, put on the day head-collar and return the 

 horse immediately to his stall. 



The use of the various forms of varnish on the horse's 

 hoof is altogether objectionable in the countr}', and its only 

 redeeming quality in the city is that it gives the hoof a 

 rather trimmer appearance. Owing to the sticky nature of 

 the varnish ingredients the hoof dressing collects dirt, and 

 in the country the hoof immediately becomes covered with 

 a coating of dust. The use of hoof dressing is injurious to 

 the hoof, inasmuch as it chokes up the pores and affects the 

 thin coating of horn which nature provided as a protection 

 to the fibres composing the hoof. 



WASHING THE LEGS, MANE AND TAIL. 



If a horse came in the previous day with muddy legs, 

 they should be washed later in the morning, after the regular 

 work has been completed. For this work warm water, cas- 

 tile soap and a water-brush should be used and the legs 

 thoroughly rinsed with cold water. The white hair on the 

 legs of all horses should be similarly cleansed every day. A 

 very common fault in performing this work is the partial or 

 entire neglect of drying the legs, and as a result the heels 

 become cracked, which is a very similar complaint to 

 chapped hands in a person. Nine cases out of ten of cracked 



