332 GROOMING. 



for cleaning purposes. Experience proves that its action 

 has a very thinning effect on the hair to which it is applied. 

 The dry water-brush or body-brush fulfils every legitimate 

 requirement in cleaning and disentangling the long hairs of 

 the horse, and does not injure them. 



A hoof-picker is generally made of iron, and though pointed 

 at one end, it should be rather blunt, so that it may not be 

 liable to hurt the foot when used. Its other end is formed 

 into a ring to enable it to be hung up. 



The ordinary burnisher used in stables, consists of a square 

 surface made of small steel rings linked together. 



Although an ordinary semi-circular or " half-moon " szveat- 

 scraper is more handy to use than a double-handed sweat- 

 scraper, it is not nearly so efficient, because it is hard and 

 unyielding to the skin, and its shape cannot be accom- 

 modated to that of the surfaces over which it passes. An 

 improved form (Fig. 57), has a piece of india-rubber about a 

 third of an inch thick, placed inside the brass " half-moon," so 

 that either the rubber or the brass can be used on the skin of a 

 horse. The double-handed scraper is very pliable, as it is 

 made of thin copper or brass which can be bent in any way 

 the user desires. Its handles are usually covered with leather. 



WISPING. 



Wisps are generally of two kinds, namely, a straw wisp, 

 which consists of a handful of straw, and a hard hay wisp or 

 hay pad. To these I would add that very useful form of wisp 

 which is made from unprepared hemp. 



The straw ivisp and the hemp wisp are used for drying the 

 coat and for stimulating the skin, in both of which offices they 

 are far superior to any kind of brush. In this work, a cotton 

 rubber may be used as a wisp. In drying a horse, one or 

 more changes of wisp or rubber will be required. In drying 

 or stimulating the skin, the wisp, whether it be of straw, hemp 



