90 HORSE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA. 



The chief object of brushing the coat is to remove 

 the scaly dandruff; that of wisping and hand-rubbing, 

 to dry and stimulate it. 



English trainers usually teach their stable lads to 

 make on their horses' quarters, when the grooming is 

 finished, " quarter marks," of which the most common 

 is the ''diamond." This mark is made by brushing 

 the quarter with the body brush, from front to rear, in 

 the direction the hair lies ; then drawing a stroke with 

 the brush down the centre of the quarter, in a perpen- 

 dicular direction, so as to ruffle the hair ; and, finally, 

 smoothening, with the brush, the upper and lower 

 portion of the quarter, so as to leave a " diamond," or 

 rather a rhombus, of, say, about 4 inches side. The 

 rough hair of the quarter mark will, naturally, enhance 

 by contrast, the brilliancy of the remainder of the coat 

 of that part. The pattern may be varied at pleasure. 

 Some trainers affect one ; some, another kind of dis- 

 tinctive quarter mark ; while others pay no attention 

 to them. 



Dressing the Mane and Tail. The brushing of 

 the body being finished, the syce should brush out the 

 forelock, mane, and tail, taking care, first of all, to 

 commence at the ends of the hair, and to proceed 

 upwards as each kink or knot becomes opened out. 

 The hairs, by small locks at a time, should be brushed 

 from their roots downwards, so as to remove all dand- 

 ruff. The mane-comb should be used only when it is 

 desired to keep the mane or tail thin. 



It is the custom to make the mane lie to the off side ; 

 for, as we usually look at a horse from the near side, 

 his neck and shoulders if they be good will then 



