248 THE HORSE 



cover, being kept in their places by the body-clothing. Thus if the neck is 

 too heavy, as it often is, especially in entire horses, and it is desired to 

 reduce this part more than any other, one, two, or three old hoods, accord- 

 ing to circumstances, with the ears cut away, are put on under the regular 

 liood, and the horse is then sweated, with or without additional body 

 sweaters, as may be decided on. If old hoods are not at hand, a rug is 

 folded and placed over the neck, confining it in its place by a temporary 

 string across the forehead, and by the aid also of a hood over all. So again 

 a rug may be arranged to sweat the bosom by folding it cornerwise like a 

 woman's shawl and drawing the ends up over the withers, crossing them 

 beneath the saddle. Sweaters for the body are simply rugs used for that 

 purpose, which may be one, two, or three beneath the quarter-piece, accord- 

 ing to the amount of wasting which is intended. The saddle keeps all in 

 place instead of the roller, which is not taken out of doors excepting for 

 those horses which are only led in hand. Sweaters must be cai^efully freed 

 from the dried sweat by washing. 



The stable accessories for cleaning and otherwise attending to the horse 

 are the following, to which I have appended the average price, which will 

 vary to some extent according to quality, and also to the fashionable nature 

 of the establishment at which they are sold : — 



£ s. d. s. d. 



]\Ianiu-e basket 2 



Stopping box, iron .... 70 



Leathers, each . . . Is. to 2 



Buckets, each 6 



Corn sieve 5 



Measures, each 2 6 



Trimming scissor, bent or 



straight 5 



Singeing lamp. . 3s. 6d. to 10 6 



Oil brushes, each .... 10 



Burnishers 2s. to 6 6 



The currycomb is intended to remove the scurf or scales of the scarf 

 skin which are constantly produced from the true skin, and if allowed to 

 remain at the roots of the hair have a tendency to confine the sweat, and 

 thus interfere with the relief to the circulation which is afforded by that 

 natural process. When a horse's skin is once put into good order it may 

 be kept clean without the use of the currycomb, but a dirty coat cannot 

 well be got right by any other means. The body brush does not penetrate 

 deeply enough unless the coat of the horse is very thin and short, and no 

 amount of whisping will be of the slightest use. The currycomb therefore 

 must be provided for every groom, and indeed it is wanted not only to 

 cleanse the skin, but also to remove the dust from the brush. But the less 

 it is used the better, and the thoroughly good groom will chiefly emj)loy 

 it for his brush. There are several patterns in use, but the chief point to 

 be attended to is the depth of the teeth, which should not be cut more than 

 the eighth of an inch deep, and should only be on alternate rows of the 

 comb itself. Thei^e is a great difference in the modes of handling this comb 

 adopted by good and bad grooms. The former sweep it lightly over the 

 skin, just effecting their object without absolutely scratching the surface, 

 while the latter bear lieavily upon it, and punish the horse to such an 



