PUFFING THE OLIM8. 33 



sides or surface are filed, to cleanse them of the dirty 

 yellow colour, and the whole is ruhbed smooth with 

 sand-paper. 



A sharp steel-pointed engraving tool (made for the 

 purpose, and sold secretly by itinerants at fairs) is then 

 applied to the edges or tables of the incisors, in which 

 little holes, in a concave form, are made to imitate the 

 < natural marks which would exist at that particular age 

 which the coper intends to represent the horse. A red- 

 hot iron tool is then applied with great care and skill, 

 by which a permanent black mark is indelibly stamped 

 on the teeth. But if this is clumsily performed, un- 

 natural stains will appear around the edges of the teeth, 

 and an experienced man will have little difficulty in 

 detecting the swindle. 



The disguising of the deep holes above the eyes, 

 which exist in all aged horses, is termed " puffing the 

 glims," and is performed by first perforating the skin 

 several times with a pin, into the hollow space beneath, 

 and applying the lips, blow them full of air ; they then 

 present the same appearance, to a common observer, as 

 the corresponding parts in much younger horses. 



This done, there now only remains the grey hairs to 

 be disposed of, and the make-up of the Methuselah is 

 complete, which are disguised by what is called " gyp- 

 ping." In black or brown horses, the horse is washed 

 all over with warm soap and water, mixed with a little 

 soda, to clean his coat from dirt and grease ; he is then 

 thoroughly dried with straw wisps and coarse towels, 



D 



