STABLE MANAGEMENT 



61 



creased play of his spirit, and in the gayety and fitness of the ani- 

 mal for his work; and if, when he brings him in at night, reeking 

 with sweat, drenched with rain or snow, his thighs and belly plas- 

 tered with thick mud, and his legs covered, as cart-horses' legs 

 mostly are, with thick hair, saturated with cold water, and clogged 

 with particles of mud and sand, he neglects to have him thoroughly 

 cleaned, and made dry and comfortable for the night, he not only 

 commits an act of gross cruelty, but wholly disregards his own in- 

 terest. Unless a horse be cleaned and groomed when in such a con- 

 dition, he cannot be kept in health ; and if he be fed freely when in 

 such a state — although the cart-horse is less liable to such ailments 

 from his hardier habits and less impressive constitution— the chances 

 are that soon he will be attacked by inflammation of the bowels, or 

 lungs, or spasmodic colic — the race-horse, fast trotter, or highly bred 

 and highly fed roadster would be so attacked, to a certainty — and 

 the failure to dry and cleanse the legs of such a horse, especially if 



Biaiiyiiiiiiiaiii 



Fig. 43.— GROOMING BRUSH. 



there be a draft C)f cold wind blowing upon the heels from a crevice 

 under the stable door, as is generally the case in the common farm 

 stable, will be almost certainly succeeded by that troublesome, 

 dangerous and foul disease, known as ' grease,' or more commonly in 

 America as 'the scratches.'" 



The principal implements employed in grooming are the curry- 

 comb and brush, to which are added a scraper for removing water 

 or sweat, a whisk broom, a comb and special binish for the mane, 

 rubbing-cloths, etc. The horse should never be curried in the stall or 

 box where it eats and stands through the day and sleeps at night. 

 In fine weather the work is best performed in the open air, at other 

 times on the floor of the barn, or in a wide stall kept for the pur- 

 pose. It is something of an art to handle a currycomb with a deft 

 light touch which will accomplish the object without torturing the 

 horse. The most common form of comb is shown in figure 42. They 

 are usually too sharp when first purchased, and should be partially 

 smoothed by a file, grindstone or by simply rubbing on any gritty 

 stone. There are many forms of brushes, some of which we illus- 

 trate. Figure 43 is a cheap root brush for removing sweat or 



