STABLE NECESSARIES 113 



my own experience I found that they came in for 

 a lot of very rough usage and though when I first 

 had horses I used to buy high quality sponges I 

 soon tired of that. I found that the cheap ones 

 lasted quite as long as the higher priced ones, and 

 others have come to the same conclusion. There 

 is no reason why sponges should be the expensive 

 items they are in most stables. It is nothing but 

 the carelessness and negligence of those who have 

 to use them that cause the excessive wear and 

 tear. Each man should have two sponges, a 

 large and small one. 



Hoof-pickers should be carefully used. It is 

 quite possible to do considerable injury to a 

 horse's foot by using a hoof-picker roughly. It is 

 advisable for the owner to make a point of seeing 

 his horses' feet picked out occasionally ; it will 

 ensure the picker being properly used — sometimes. 



Chamois leathers should be of good quality. 

 Carefully avoid any with thin places in them. 

 These are easily discovered by holding the leathers 

 up to the light. Always buy Chamois leathers of 

 the best quality. 



In buying a Burnisher buy a good-sized one. It 

 is cheaper in the end. In the first place the work 

 will be better done, and in the second place it will 

 be more expeditiously done. No man can keep his 

 steel in proper condition without a good burnisher. 



A groom's requisites will cost altogether a trifle 

 under thirty shillings. The Stable requisites, 

 which should be sufficient for half a dozen horses, 

 will cost a shilling or two over five pounds. 

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