12 GROOMING. 



GEOOMING. 



I do not profess to teach grooms their business, but 

 to put masters on their guard against the common 

 errors and malpractices of that class ; and with a view 

 to that end, two or three general rules are added which 

 a master would do well to enforce on a groom when 

 hiring him, as binding, under pain of dismissal. 



1. Never to doctor a horse himself, but to acquaint 

 his master immediately with any accident, wound, or 

 symptom of indisposition about the animal, that may 

 come under his observation, and w^hich, if in existence, 

 ought not to fail to attract the attention of a careful, 

 intelligent servant during constant handling of and at- 

 tendance on his charge. 



2. Always to exercise the horses in the place ap- 

 pointed by his master for the purpose, and never to 

 canter or gallop them. 



3. To stand by while a horse is having its shoes 

 changed or removed, and see that any directions he 

 may have received on the subject are carried out. 



4. Never to clean a horse out of doors. 



These rules are recommended under a just apprecia- 

 tion of that golden one, " Prevention is better than 

 cure." 



If the master is satisfied with an ill-groomed horse, 

 nine-tenths of the grooms will be so likewise ; therefore 

 he may to a great extent blame himself if his bearer's 

 dressing is neglected. 



Grooms are especially fond of using water in clean- 

 ing the horse (though often rather careful how they use 

 it "with themselves, either inside or out) : it saves them 



