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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 detect the idleness 

 of the groom. Where, however, the horse is chang- 

 ing his coat, both the curry-comb and brush should 

 be used as lightly as possible. Whoever would be 

 convinced of the benefit of friction to the horse's skin, 

 and to the horse generally, needs only to observe the 

 effects produced by well rubbing the legs of a tired 

 horse. While every enlargement subsides, and the 

 painful stiffness disappears, and the legs attain their 

 natural warmth, and become fine, the animal is evi- 

 dently and rapidly reviving ; he attacks his food with 

 appetite, and then quietly lies down to rest. 

 Exercise. 

 My observations on this important branch of 

 stable-management must have only a slight reference 

 to the agricultural horse. His work is usually regu- 

 lar and not exhausting. He is neither predisposed 

 to disease by idleness, nor worn out by excessive 

 exertion. He, like his master, has enough to do to 

 keep him in health, and not enough to distress or 

 injure him ; on the contrary, the regularity of his 

 work prolongs life to an extent rarely witnessed in 

 the stable of the gentleman. My remarks on exer- 

 cise, then, must have a general bearing, or have prih- 



