CHAP. V] 



GROOMING AND STABLE MANAGEMENT 



49 



on the flanks, and on the chest. A horse always 

 perspires at the base of the ears first, irrespec- 

 tive, of course, of the sweating under the saddle, 

 which is produced by the pressure of the saddle 

 and the absence of evaporation. 



189. A horse's perspiration should be thin and 

 should wet the coat without in any way standing 

 out in small, globular beads. The presence of 

 such beads indicates over-exertion or ill-health, 

 not uncommon with young horses when first 

 trained. It is very difficult to make a horse per- 

 spire by the use of medicine, but comparatively 

 easy by the use of heavy clothing. 



190. The Hair. The hair of the horse is of 

 three kinds : Temporary, all over the body, shed 

 in spring and partially in the autumn ; horse- 

 hair or permanent hair, mane and tail and fet- 

 locks ; tactile, or feelers, surrounding the muzzle 

 and eyes ; these last have a very good nerve 

 supply. 



The hair develops as it is required, to keep 

 the horse warm. Grooming tends to keep the 

 coat thinner by removing loose hair. 



Each hair, of whatever kind, consists of a 

 follicle or bulb, a root, and a shaft. The hair 

 grows from the follicle by layers of cells, one 

 after the other, the new ones forcing the old 

 ones outwards. Hair has been known to grow 

 over six feet in length. Its length as a rule is 

 limited, but if hair is cut short it will grow 

 again to its previous length. Similarly, if hair 

 is pulled out by the roots, the follicle will grow 

 another hair, which will take a few days to 

 make its appearance at the surface. The hair 

 shaft is hollow and contains the colouring 

 matter. A hair projects obliquely, and not at 

 right angles to the surface, and also has a small 

 involuntary muscle (erector pili) attached to its 

 follicle, which contracts when the animal is cold 

 or frightened, causing the hair to stand "on 

 end." 



191. The black hairs of grey horses gradually 

 become white as the horse gets older ; this is due 

 to the black matter, called melanosis, being 

 taken by the blood for some unaccountable 

 reason and deposited in places, such as near the 

 root of the tail. There it forms melanotic 

 tumours, which, if opened, show a black, tar- 

 like fluid ; these tumours are difficult to heal. 

 The skin of most horses is black, which serves 

 as a better protection against the sun, as the 

 colouring matter which is situated on the inside 

 of the epidermis prevents the rays from reaching 

 the dermis. If the rays reach the dermis it will 

 form a blister, as is common with white-skinned 

 horses. Most white horses, fortunately, have 

 black skin. 



The " chestnuts " that are seen inside the fore 

 limbs above the knee and inside the hind limbs 

 below the hock are appendages of the true skin. 

 The ergots at the back of the fetlocks are of the 

 same character. These are all supposed to be 

 H 



remains of organs peculiar to the horse's ances- 

 tors. (See Chap. II.) 



192. Exfoliation of Skin and Hair. The 

 outer surface of the epidermis and ends of the 

 hair respectively are removed by exfoliation, 

 i.e. the outer layers being rubbed off by 

 friction. Grooming and any form of friction tend 

 to do this. Grooming makes the coat fine and 

 short. Exfoliation of hair is shown by the 

 end being tapered. The horse's hoof exfoliates 

 in a like manner unless he is shod, when the 

 excess of horn will have to be removed when 

 the shoes are replaced once a month. Perspira- 

 tion stimulates exfoliation. Thus we see that 

 good grooming hastens exfoliation and also 

 improves the condition of the coat by increas- 

 ing secretion of sebum, but does not increase 

 growth of hair, as is commonly thought. The 

 nourishment which the under portion of the 

 epidermis receives is the lymph from the dermal 

 lymph vessels, which escapes through the walls 

 of these vessels. The outer portion of the epi- 

 dermis has no such nourishment, and therefore 

 dries and exfoliates. 



Continued pressure or continued irritation, if 

 not too severe, causes increased supply of blood 

 to the dermis and lymph to the epidermis, and 

 hence increased growth of the latter, which 

 accounts for the thickening of the skin under 

 the saddle or harness and the thickening of the 

 palms of our hands with manual labour. Inter- 

 mittent pressure causes a still greater growth of 

 the epithelial structure, as we see in the case of 

 a corn. All these growths are pure hypertro- 

 phies (over-growths) and not diseased growths. 



193. Breaking out into cold-sweats results 

 from the sweat glands being stimulated more 

 than the bodily temperature is raised ; a hot 

 stable or too much clothing may cause this. The 

 best cure is to remove the cause and to give 

 friction to the body in the form of hand groom- 

 ing, or to give exercise. 



From the foregoing remarks it will be clear 

 what a beneficial effect grooming has upon a 

 horse's entire system and, therefore, how neces- 

 sary it is for a horse to have grooming of the 

 right kind to keep in condition and free from 

 chills and other diseases. Neglect of grooming 

 when a horse returns from hard work may result 

 not only in a severe chill, but perhaps in con- 

 gestion of the lungs and diseases of the liver, 

 etc. The physiological action is as follows : 

 violent exercise causes an increased supply of 

 blood to the muscles and surface of the body ; 

 but if a horse's surface is allowed to become 

 chilled, as often happens when hunters return 

 home in a cold horse-car, the blood at the surface 

 is driven inwards, and congestion of the lungs 

 or liver may result. If plenty of water is given 

 as soon as possible, this internal congestion may 

 be checked by stimulating the action of the sweat 

 glands, which will again cause more blood to 



