EXERCISE. 185 



ment which is often inflicted upon the horse in the act of 

 dressing ; and particularly on one whose skin is thin and sen^ 

 sitive. The curry-comb should always be applied lightly. 

 With many horse's, its use may be almost dispensed with ; and 

 even the brush does not need to be so hard, nor the points of 

 the bristles so irregular as they often are. A soft brush, with 

 a little more weight of the hand, will be equally effectual, and 

 much more pleasant to the horse. A hair-cloth, while it will 

 seldom irritate and tease, will be almost sufficient with horses 

 that have a thin skin, and that have not been neglected. After 

 all, it is no slight task to dress a horse as it ought to be done. 

 It occupies no little time, and demands considerable patience, 

 as well as dexterity. ' It will be readily ascertained whether a 

 horse has been well dressed, by rubbing him with one of the 

 fingers- A greasy stain will expose the idleness of the groom. 

 When, however, the horse is changing his coat, both the 

 curry-comb and the brush should be used as lightly as pos- 

 sible. 



Whoever would be convinced of the benefit of friction to 

 the horse's skin, and to the horse generally, needs only to ob' 

 serve the effects produced by rubbing the legs of a tired 

 horse well witli the hands. While every enlargement subsides, 

 and the painful stiffness disappears, and the legs attain their 

 natural warmth and become fine, the animal is evidently and 

 rapidly reviving ; he takes hold of his food with zest, and then 

 quietly lies down to rest. 



EXEECISE. 

 The remarks upon this branch, also, can have but a slight 

 reference to the agricultural horse. His work is usually, regu- 



