90 STABLE MANAGEMENT. 



to cover the pad with a damp duster ; the dirt seems 

 to stick to it. This is particularly useful when 

 horses are changing their coats ; the hair sticks to 

 the damp cloth, and the old coat is brought out 

 quicker than it otherwise would be. The grooming 

 pads are used in the same way. They are two 

 circles of leather about four or five inches in 

 diameter, joined together with a strip of chamois 

 leather about three inches wide, so as to form a 

 pad or cushion, that is stuffed with tow. On one 

 side a piece of leather or webbing is stitched at 

 each end, sufficiently loose to allow the hand to be 

 slipped under it in the same way as the horse brush. 

 Two of these pads are used, and the skin beaten or 

 massaged by each hand alternately. Although, per- 

 haps, at first horses are fidgety, when they get 

 used to it they appear to enjoy it; and it has the 

 advantage of letting the owner know, if he is not in 

 sight, that the "syce" is working by the noise he 

 makes. 



Hand-rubbing. 



If horses are inclined to get filled on swollen legs, 

 the tendons should be well hand-rubbed for five 

 minutes at each grooming hour. This hand-rubbing 

 should commence from the lower portion of the limb 



