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CHAPTER IV. 



STABLE MANAGEMENT. 



Grooming. 



The objects of groomi?ig are cleanliness, prevention of disease and The 

 improvement of the animal's condition and appearance, the whole of which objects of 

 results may be sufficiently attained for the troop horse by a good brushing grooming. 

 and wisping once a day. The necessity for and the amount of grooming 

 required varies with the conditions under which animals are placed ; 

 the better they are fed and the faster the pace expected of them when at 

 work the greater should be the amount of care expended on getting 

 the skin into perfect condition. Grooming may therefore be limited to 

 the amount necessary for cleanliness and health, or it may be prolonged 

 and amplified, with the object of increasing the power of the skin to work 

 at high pressure, and this latter is the benefit which is derived from 

 hand-rubbing and wisping, i.e.^ massage. 



The importance of grooming as a preventive of disease must not be A pre- 

 underrated ; whilst it is quite true that mange and many other diseases ventive of 

 are not produced by dirt, it is nevertheless equally true that they are most ai^^^se. 

 frequently met with, spread with greater rapidity, and are much more 

 difficult to eradicate where dirty conditions prevail, and the regular brush- 

 ing and cleansing of the coat is an undoubted preventive. 



The relation of regular exercise to the amount of grooming required is Grooming 

 another matter which should be kept in mind. It is a well-known fact ^"^ . 

 that an idle horse is always more difficult to clean than one which is at exercise, 

 work ; indeed it is almost impossible to keep some skins free from scurf 

 and grease when the horse is idle, and this liability to accumulate skin 

 dirt is of course greater with corn-fed horses than those at grass. The idle 

 horse therefore requires even more attention and thoroughness as regards 

 grooming than his fellow at work, whilst regular exercise is, in addition to 

 its other benefits, a labour-saving procedure. 



Extra grooming, especially massage of any variety, has a great effect 

 in improving the general condition, and is a point which has always 

 received the greatest attention from those who train animals for 



