STABLE MANAGEMENT. 63 



rubbing, well under an hour, and do both himself and the horse credit. 

 Length of time occupied is no criterion of the quality of work done, and 

 quick, hard grooming should be encouraged in every way. 



Brushing the rnanc. — If the hair is at all damp, matted or kinked, it Brushing 

 should be brushed till well separated, and then, commencing at the ^^^ mane, 

 highest point of the withers and keeping the horse's head low, so as not 

 to dirty the part already cleaned, it should be taken a lock at a time 

 and brushed out from the roots. 



To thin the fnafie. — This should only be done when the hair is so To thin 

 thick as to be intractable, and is accomplished by taking a few hairs at a the mane, 

 time from the under surface, freeing them from the rest, and pulling them 

 out quickly. The hairs on the upper surface should not be touched. 

 When sufficiently thinned, the mane should be brushed out and the ends 

 made level by simply plucking them with the fingers. On no account 

 should they be cut with scissors, or the appearance will be spoiled. 



To lay the inane, — As a rule, water-brushing the mane when cleaned To lay 

 and tying a rubber cornerwise over it is all that is requisite to make it lie the mane, 

 tidily ; but when this is insufficient it may be wetted, plaited in locks, and 

 small weights tied along the ends of the plaits. Very intractable manes can 

 be made to lie by plastering down with wet clay, which easily washes oft 

 when dry, and, after a few repetitions, leaves the hair in the required 

 state ; or a mane layer may be used for the same purpose. A mane 

 layer may be made as follows : — A round stick about the diameter of a 

 broom stick is cut into lengths of six inches ; these are sawn down the 

 centre and a thumb screw fitted through each end to form a clamp ; the flat 

 surfaces are lined with a piece of thin corrugated rubber and the lengths 

 are then clamped on the mane, their weight causing it to lie as required. 



Hogging the inane. — When " hogging " is practised, the hair should Hogging 

 be cut from each side and carefully edged off to avoid a sharp clipping the mane, 

 line against the hair of the neck ; the forelock should be left both for 

 appearance sake and as a natural eye fringe, and if a mounting lock is 

 required it should be a large one, or it will rapidly pull out and look 

 untidy. 



Grooming the tail. — The hair of the tail should be treated like the Grooming 

 mane, brushed out from the roots lock by lock for cleanliness, and finally the tail, 

 straight down for appearance. 



To bang the tail. — Place the hand under the dock to raise it into the To bang 

 position in which it is carried when the animal is moving, and having the tail, 

 determined the right length, an assistant should gather the hair firmly 

 together with a double grasp, holding it quite straight, with the spot to be 

 cut showing between his hands. The cut should then be made with the 



