TO LOWER THE HEAD. 25 



LESSOX IV. 

 TO LOWER THE HEAD. 



Always look over your horse before beginning your 

 instruction, to see that he has not met with any mishap. 

 Observe that his eye is bright and that he feels in good 

 spirits ; run your eye over his limbs to detect any cut, 

 bruise, or swelling ; see that the hoofs are not cracked. 



Assure yourself that he is properly groomed — one 

 good test being the absence of scurf at the roots of the 

 mane ; that his mouth has been sponged out before put- 

 ting in the bit, his hoofs wiped off clean — never, howev- 

 er, blacked — and that he is properly saddled and bridled. 

 \Vith a little practice you will do all this in half a min- 

 ute, while you are buttoning your gloves. About once 

 a week ask after his food and appetite, and make the 

 groom show you his shoes; and when the time comes 

 for him to be re-shod (which should be at least once a 

 month) positively forbid any trimming of the frog or 

 of the inside of the hoof — any " cleaning up of the foot," 

 as farriers are pleased to call it. The only part to be 

 touched with the knife is the bottom of the outer, horny 

 shell, which is not half an inch thick; and even this 



