58 



ANIMAL MANAGEMENT. 



Grooming 

 tools. 



Body 

 brushes. 



any form of severe and prolonged exertion. It must be borne in mind 

 that all working horses are kept under purely artificial conditions. They 

 receive an amount of food which is very far in excess of their bodily 

 requirements and which is converted into the extra energy which enables 

 them to produce the work required ; whereas in a natural state they eat 

 no more than sustains them, take little more exercise than enables them 

 to change pasture and only carry their body weight. The extra food 

 consumed and work done produce greater and more rapid changes 

 throughout the body than would otherwise result. The digestion is called 

 on to perform much more work in the same time, and the blood has an 

 increased quantity of nourishment poured into it ; at the same time the 

 work, which is rendered possible by the increased nutriment, creates a 

 large amount of extra waste, which is got rid of by the lungs breathing 

 more rapidly, the kidneys and bowels working at increased pressure and 

 the skin throwing off more material in the sweat and dandruff. The 

 amount got rid of by the skin is very considerable and increases enor- 

 mously when exertion is severe and sustained, so that when the condition 

 required is for the production of fast work it is essential that the skin 

 should be in as good fettle and as well trained as the rest of the body. 

 Grooming therefore is one of the means which help to make and keep 

 the body fit as well as clean. 



Grooffiing tools. — The grooming tools supplied in the service are body 

 brushes, curry combs, rubbers and sponges. Wisps are to be made by 

 the men as required, and every man should be taught how to do so. 

 Dandy brushes are occasionally supplied, but are not usually 

 issued : their use, however, is so general, that a description of them and 

 their employment is included, as well as other articles usually found in 

 stables with which all horsemen should be familiar. 



Body brushes are made of stout bristles or vegetable fibre and have a 

 broad hand-loop of webbing across the back to prevent the brush 

 slipping from the grasp. The use of the body brush is to remove scurf 

 and dirt from the coat, and for this purpose the bristle brushes are far 

 superior to those made of fibre. Fibre, however stiff at first, ultimately 

 flattens down from the continued pressure on the brush and is then 

 useless ; bristles, on the other hand, though more expensive, do not bend, 

 but simply wear shorter, and retain their upright position till worn down 

 to the back. It is well to remember that as bristles get shorter they 

 become less pliant and stififer, so that a half-worn brush is a very prickly 

 article to bring down hard on a tender, ticklish skin, and should be used 

 with consideration. In England, all body brushes are made of bristles, 

 fibre brushes are sometimes issued at stations abroad. 



