SWEATING HORSES. 315 



stables daily, and particularly those that are vi- 

 cious, has already been noticed in Vol. I. Chap. 14. 

 But there are a few other rules to be attended 

 to in regard to the management of thorough- 

 bred horses, and which are also applicable to 

 almost all other horses of courage. Now, there 

 is a kind of familiarity with which all horses 

 should be treated, but this must not be carried to 

 too great an extent; they should on no account 

 be played with, as they will be found to be rather 

 rough playfellows, and, by making too free with 

 them, they are apt to become tricky. Thorough- 

 bred horses while in training should be kept by 

 those who look after them at a respectful dis- 

 tance. The boys, as I have before noticed, should 

 on no pretence be trusted alone with them, 

 whenever any thing is to be done to them that is 

 likely to annoy them, as particularly the scraping 

 them after their sweats. The boys on these oc- 

 casions have not at all times sufficient patience; 

 and those who do not possess too much of this 

 virtue are apt to be too handy in applying their 

 scrapers to an improper use, in striking the 

 horses with them, if they are not narrowly 

 watched, either by the training groom or head 

 lad. If a horse's mane is thick and long, a boy 

 may be permitted to strike the sweat out of it; 



