AND GROOM A HORSE. 149 



it is no slight task to dress a horse, as it ought to be done. 

 It occupies no little time, and demands considerable 

 patience, as well as dexterity. It will be readily ascer- 

 tained whether a horse has been well dressed, by rubbing 

 him with one of the fingers. A greasy stain will detect 

 the idleness of the groom. When, however, the horse is 

 changing his coats, both the currycomb and the brush 

 should be used as lightly as possible." 



In ordinary cleaning, in the morning, the head should 

 be first dressed. The hair should be lifted, and deranged 

 lightly, not stretched, or torn, with the currycomb, and 

 then rubbed well, in all directions, both against and across 

 the grain of the hair, as well as with it, until it is entirely 

 clear from dust and dandruff. The ears should be gently 

 pulled and stripped with the hand, from the roots to the 

 points; and the whole head should then be washed 

 smoothly and evenly, as the hair oaght to lie. The neck, 

 back, shoulders, loins, croup, and quarters, follow ; the 

 same plan being used, except that, in dressing these parts, 

 while the comb is used lightly and dexterously with one 

 hand, the brush is employed in removing the scurf with 

 the other. The flexures of the skin, at the insertion of 

 the limbs, are parts which require especial care, as the 

 dust is most apt to collect in these places. This done, the 

 horse must be thoroughly wisped, all over, with bunches 

 of dry straw, till his coat is quite clean and glossy, when it 

 may be gone over, for the last time, with a fine, soft brush, 

 or a light duster. His clothes may be then put on, and 

 the legs cleaned in the same manner, and finished off by 

 a careful hand rubbing. Flannel bandages, steeped in cold 

 water, well wrung out, and applied loosely to the legs, and 

 again covered by a tighter drawn linen bandage, are often 

 of great advantage, after severe work, in keeping down 

 and checking inflammation, as well as in fortifjang and 

 strengthening the sinews, when in a sound state, and in 



