414 THE HORSK. 



times a cross and against it. To sink deeply, it must fall flatlv 

 and with some force, and be drawn with considerable pressure. 



When the horse is changing his coat, both the brush and the 

 currycomb should be used as little and lightly as possible. A 

 damp wisp Mill keep him tolerably decent till the new coat be 

 fairly on, and it will not remove the old one too fast. 



The ears and the legs are the parts most neglected by un- 

 trained grooms. They should be often inspected, and his atten- 

 tion directed to them. White legs need to be often washed with 

 soap and water — and hand-rubbed — and all legs that have little 

 hair about them require a good deal of hand-rubbing. White 

 horses are the most difficult to keep, and in the hands of a bad 

 groom they are always yellow about the hips and hocks. The 

 dung and urine are allowed so often to dry on the hair that at 

 last it is dyed, and tlie other parts are permitted to assume a 

 dingy, smoky hue, like unbleached linen. 



Dressing vicious Horses. — A few horses have an aversion to 

 the operations of the groom from the earliest period of their 

 domestication. In spite of the best care and management, they 

 continue to resist grooming with all the art and force they can 

 exert. This is particularly the case with stallions, and many 

 thoroughbred horses not doing much work. But a great many 

 horses are rendered vicious to clean by the awkwardness, timid- 

 ity, or folly of the keeper. An awkward man gives the horse 

 more pain than ought to attend the operation ; a timid man 

 allows the horse to master him ; and a mischievous fellow is 

 always learning him tricks, teaching him to bite, or to strike in 

 play, which easily passes into malice. 



Biting may be prevented by putting on a muzzle, or by 

 tying the head to the rack, or to the ring outside of the stable. 

 When i-eversed in the stall, the head may be secured by the 

 pillar-reins. A muzzle often deters a horse from attempting to 

 bite, but some will strike a man to the ground though they can- 

 not seize him. These must be tied up. Many harness-horses 

 are perfectly quiet while they are bridled, and it is sufficient to 

 let the bridle remain on, or to put it on, till they be dressed. 

 Others again are quite safe when blindfolded. Kicking horses 

 are more dangerous than biters. A great many strike out, and 

 are apt to injure an awkward groom ; yet they are not so bad 



