112 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



the body brush it is of far greater importance with 

 the water brush, which if glued, will come to 

 pieces immediately as it is always wet. The 

 dandy brush is made of whalebone, or whalebone 

 and whisk and is used for taking off the rough dirt. 



The curry comb is for cleaning the body brush 

 and removing the scurf from it, which gathers so 

 rapidly in the process of grooming. It is advis- 

 able to have it with a webbing handstrap, similar 

 to what is put on the body brush, instead of a 

 handle. The handstrap is more convenient in use 

 and not so liable to come off as a handle, which 

 generally disappears with a week or two's usage. 

 Be particular that your groom uses the curry 

 comb for its legitimate purpose. It is brutal to 

 scrape the skin of a horse with the serrated iron 

 teeth of a curry comb under any circumstances, 

 and it is moreover one of the first things which 

 will render a horse vicious whilst cleaning. I 

 have seen grooms give the curry comb a sharp 

 run over the quarters or under the belly when 

 cleaning a horse, not because there was any 

 rough dirt which the brush would not remove, 

 but simply by way of a little variety and perhaps 

 for the pleasure of seeing the horse jump about. 

 A man who persists in freaks of this kind should 

 be discharged immediately or he will ruin the 

 temper of every horse he comes in contact with. 



The mane comb should always be used ; in- 

 deed in no decent stable will the metal mane drag 

 be seen. 



Sponges are an expensive item in a stable. In 



