SWEATING HORSES. 321 



parts as to substance and firmness, and whether 

 it will be necessary to make the addition of an- 

 other hood in the next sweat> or to remove the 

 thick sweating hood for a lighter one, which may 

 answer the purpose better ; this will depend on 

 whether a horse has a thick high crest, or a low 

 thin one. Having examined the neck and crest, 

 he should pass his hand from the top of the 

 withers down the muscular part of the shoulder 

 to the top of the fore-arm, and then round the 

 front to the muscles of the chest, and here ascer- 

 tain whether the horse is light, or too much load- 

 ed with flesh about those parts ; then, placing his 

 hand on the centre and posterior part of the 

 shoulder, he should give it that degree of pressure 

 which may be necessary to imbed it, as it were, 

 in or on a level with the muscles here ; and then, 

 with the same degree of pressure, he should pass 

 his hand straight along the centre of the ribs 

 to the centre of the horse's flank, a little below 

 his hip ; in doing this he is to observe what height, 

 portion, or substance of muscles goes before his 

 hand, as he passes it along. Having ascertained 

 the state and portion of muscle here, the groom 

 is next to examine the muscular substance and 

 firmness of his horse's loins ; which parts ought 

 to feel hard, firm, and springy. In proceeding 



VOL. II. Y 



