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but to deluge the legs with water, the moment a 

 horse enters the yard, heated with exercise, is to 

 my mind as unnatural and absurd, as to jump 

 into a shower bath, after playing an hour at cricket. 

 I( one could be assured that the legs were care- 

 fully rubbed afterwards till dry, so as not to leave 

 a drop of moisture behind, though I should still 

 think the habit injurious, it would be less objec- 

 |tionable ; but the hour of the day when the horse 

 returns, is usually that at which the groom begins 

 to feel fatigue, and therefore it is unreasonable to 

 Calculate upon this extraordinary labour ; and even 

 if it were given, three legs must remain wet while 

 ipne is rubbed dry ; the rapid evaporation would 

 make them cold and chilly, and effectually destroy 

 the animal's comfort for the next six hours. My 

 plan is to have the legs carefully rubbed down with 

 straw, and then brushed with a dry brush, to re- 

 move as much dirt as possible; after this, a good 

 hand- rubbing should follow, and the next morning, 

 when the horse is cool, they may be washed as 

 clean as soap and water can make them. The 

 feet, however, should be carefully picked out, and 

 the soles washed immediately a horse leaves the 

 .road. A blockhead once left my horse standing 

 iwith a stone in his shoe all night, and the next 

 morning came with a long face to tell me that the 



