STABLES AND STABLE MANAGEMENT 47 



The condition of a horse's coat, as is only natural, 

 depends chiefly upon the amount of attention it 

 receives from the groom, and the more strapping it 

 gets the brighter it will look. Polish and elbow 

 grease are, in fact, inseparably associated so far as 

 horseflesh is concerned, but the owner who takes a 

 pride in his stud should satisfy himself that his ser- 

 vants do their duty by their horses. Manes and 

 tails are often most shamefully scamped when the 

 morning's overhaul is in progress, and it often is 

 found that the roots on the mane on the offside of 

 the neck are abominably dirty through the laziness of 

 the groom. In muddy weather, when a horse comes 

 home plastered all over the belly and inside the 

 thighs, he should not be washed, save the sheath, 

 which should be well dried afterwards — but the mud 

 should be brushed off when dry. If water is used 

 much fever isi likely to ensue, and the consequences 

 will be unpleasant both to man and beast. A horse 

 that" comes in heated should be taken direct to his 

 stall, and not be allowed to stand about outside in 

 the cold to catch a chill. If he is in saddle, the 

 girths should be loosed a little and the saddle moved 

 back an inch or two, and under any circumstances a 

 rug should be thrown loosely over him to prevent 

 him taking cold vv^hilst the sweat breaks out. When 

 it has done so, and he is cooling, he may be strapped 

 dry and have his feet washed out^ and his legs 

 bandaged if he is accustomed to wear them. Bandages 

 are very useful appliances for hght horses, and 

 especially for. such as are in hard work, as they assist 

 in keeping the legs in good order, and no doubt 

 contribute to the comfort of the wearer ; consequently 

 their general adoption may be advocated. A horse 

 that eats his bed should always be muzzled at night, 

 for the practice is a most annoying one to his owner, 

 who, when he possesses such an animal, may almost 

 be excused if he adopts peat moss as his litter; but 



