STABLE OPERATIONS. 89 



which it is placed becomes inflamed, or palsied. When re- 

 straint must be resorted to, the man should be doubly active 

 in getting through his work, that the horse may not be kept 

 for a needless length of time in pain. He may, in some 

 cases, give the horse a very complete dressing when he is 

 fatigued, and not disposed to offer much resistance. 



Irritable, high-bred horses, often cut and bruise their legs 

 when under the grooming operations. They should have 

 boots, similar to those used against speedy cutting. 



Utility of Dressing. — It improves the horse's appearance, 

 it renders the coat short, fine, glossy, and smooth. The coat 

 of a horse in blooming condition is always a little oily. The 

 hair rejects water. The anointing matter which confers this 

 property is secreted by the skin, and the secretion seems to 

 be much influenced by good grooming. Slow-working horses 

 often have skins which a fox-hunter would admire, although 

 they may be receiving very little care from the groom. But 

 the food of these horses has a good deal to do with the skin, 

 and their work is not of that kind which impairs the beauty 

 of a fine glossy coat. They drink much water, and they get 

 warm boiled food every night. They do not often perspire 

 a great deal, but they always perspire a little. Fast-working 

 horses have hard food, a limited allowance of water ; and 

 every day, or every other day, they are drenched in perspira- 

 tion, which forbids constant perspiration, and which carries 

 off, or washes away the oily matter. Hence, unless a horse 

 that is often and severely heated, be well groomed, have his 

 skin stimulated, and his hair polished by the brush, he will 

 never look well. His coat has a dead, dim appearance, a 

 dry, soft feel. To the hand the hair feels like a coarse, dead 

 fur ; the most beautiful coat often assumes this state in one 

 or two days. Some horses always look ill, and no grooming 

 will make them look well ; but all may be improved, or ren- 

 dered tolerably decent, except at moulting time. Dressing 

 is not the only means by which the coat is beautified. There 

 are other processes, of which I shall speak presently. 



Among stablemen, dressing is performed only for the sake 

 of the horse's personal appearance. They are not aware that 

 it has any influence upon health, and therefore they generally 

 neglect the skin of a horse that is not at work. In the open 

 fields, the skin is not loaded with the dust and perspiration 

 which it contracts in the stable, or loose box ; and all the 

 cleaning it obtains, or needs, is performed by the rain, and 

 by the friction it receives when the horse rolls upon the 



