HAND-RUBBING. 325 



a brisk pace, until he gets dry by the exercise, in the same 

 manner as boys often dry themselves in the open after 

 having a swim. We should then walk him about until 

 his circulation regains its normal condition before taking 

 him in. If we cannot give this exercise, we may, after 

 scraping and drying him, put on him a good supply of warm- 

 clothing, bandage his legs, and leave him thus to dry under 

 his rugs, which he will do in an hour or less. He should after 

 that be exercised and then well rubbed down, so as to prevent 

 him from becoming chilled. A good plan for getting a horse 

 to dry quickly and safely under clothing, is to cover the 

 animal's back and loins with straw before putting on a rug, so 

 as to utilise the low heat-conducting power of air (p. 32), 

 and to give as little impediment as possible to the escape of 

 moisture. 



Water has no power to remove the scales which the outer 

 skin gives off in the form of dandruff; its cleansing effect 

 being confined to sweat, mud, dust and other kinds of adven- 

 titious dirt. The practice of washing horses often gives rise 

 to cracked heels and mud fever, which is a form of inflamma- 

 tion of the skin that extends more or less over the legs, and 

 sometimes over the lower surface of the abdomen. 



We find from experience that the external application of 

 warm water, especially to the legs, is even more objectionable 

 than that of cold water. This is chiefly due to the fact that 

 warm water more readily removes the oil which keeps the 

 skin soft and pliable, and is more efficient in loosening the 

 layers of scales which serve to protect the true skin from 

 irritation by external influences, than cold water. 



HAND-RUBBING. 



In England, the expression " hand-rubbing " is used in 

 almost all cases, only in connection with the legs of a horse. 

 The extension of this process to the body of the animal, in 



21* 



