110 HORSE PORTRAITURE. 



good deal of agility on the part of his tormentor to keep 

 out of his reach. The stable where he was kept was in a 

 small village, and there was usually quite a crowd to see 

 the horses exercising and watch the movements in the 

 stable. I believe this man thought it heightened his con- 

 sequence to be seen grooming so desperate an animal, 

 and took delight in aggravating him to the display. A 

 brush drawn across a curry-comb will put him out of 

 temper the moment he hears it. I found in a drug store 

 a different kind of hair mitten from any I ever saw. In 

 place of the hair being woven in with the material com- 

 posing the mitten, it was fashioned like a card, which was 

 sewed on the palm. It is very effective in removing dust 

 or dandruff from a horse with as thin a coating of hair as 

 Falcon has, and I have never suffered anything harsher to 

 be used in cleaning him since I obtained it. By placing 

 one on each hand the work is not only expedited, but by 

 brushing them together they are kept clean. 



Falcon's temper is so much better than it used to be, 

 that I am inclined to think the doing away with the 

 torture of grooming has caused him to look on men as 

 pleasaiiter companions than he formerly rated them, and 

 is on his good behavior as long as he is exempted from 

 the annoyance. 



PEECEPTOR. The irritation consequent on the prepa- 

 ration of a horse for fast work cannot be done away with, 

 as the necessary amount of rubbing inflicts pain. When 

 this is increased to positive agony, from the want of sense 

 as shown by the man you mention and by plenty more 

 of the same stamp it is no wonder that the horse's tem- 

 per becomes spoiled, so much so, that there is often actual 

 danger in dressing them. See what a difference there is 

 between men not only in using the comb and brush, but 

 the soft piece of linen called a rubbing cloth. The bungler 

 bears on as if drying the hair was to be accomplished by 



