THE EARTH'S BOUNTY 



Grooming is of the utmost importance, not 

 only for appearance, but health, for it opens 

 the pores of the skin, promotes circulation, 

 and aids digestion. Have a light chain or 

 rope, with a snap at one end, firmly fastened 

 to each side of the barn doorway, and just 

 long enough to reach within a foot of the 

 center. Then, when the horse has eaten its 

 breakfast, lead it out to the doorway, and at- 

 tach the snaps, at the ends of the chains, to 

 the rings in the bridle, at each side of its head. 



If the weather is cold do not strip oif the 

 stable blanket all at once. Just undo the 

 front, turn it back over the haunches, curry 

 neck and fore quarters, follow with a stiff corn 

 brush, replace the blanket, turn up the back 

 part over the shoulders, to be out of the way 

 whilst the hind quarters are curried and 

 scrubbed with the corn brush, by which time 

 the horse's blood should be circulating so well 

 that the blanket can be entirely removed, to 

 permit polishing with the hair brush, which 

 must be accomplished by a brisk, circular 



218 



