the care of horses. 303 



Grooming. 



The necessary tools are a currycomb and the brush 

 that accompanies it, a mane brush, a good, soft cloth, 

 a scraper, towels, a pick for the feet, sponges, and a 

 pail. To these may be added with advantage a softer 

 brush, almost like a hat brush, and a chamois skin. 

 Combs and cards should be banished to the cow sta- 

 ble. To discriminate a good groom from a bad one 

 is a matter for the experienced eye of about fifteen 

 seconds. If a man undertakes to clean your horse, 

 whatever the circumstances, without first removing 

 his coat, you may be sure that he is a sluggard and 

 an impostor. The retention of his waistcoat even 

 gives reasonable ground for suspicion, and the real 

 workman is almost sure to let down his suspenders 

 and roll up his sleeves. When, as will happen some- 

 times at a Xew England tavern, a young man wearing 

 spectacles, and with the languid air of a divinity stu- 

 dent, looks after the stable, I take off my own coat. 



There are four places in especial on the horse which 

 a lazy or incompetent groom will neglect, and which 

 may be examined as a criterion. These are the inside 

 of his ears, the crevice, so to say, under his jaws, the 

 inside of his hind quarters, and the part under his 

 tail, which should be cleaned with a wet sponge at 

 least once a day, for much dust and dandruff collect 

 there. The root of the mane is also frequently a 

 neglected spot. 



Perhaps the cardinal principle in grooming is this : 

 the currycomb should not be employed on the horse, 

 but on the brush. Xow the ordinary horse owner will 

 declare that this statement is applicable only to the 



