CHAPTER YII 



GROOMING AND STABLE ROUTINE 



On the theory of gi'ooming — Washing the horse— Clipping — Grooming 

 — Dressing the mane and tail — Tapeeing — Shedding the coat — 

 Care of the feet and legs — Trimming the mane and tail — Bots — 

 Stable routine. 



On the Theory of Grooming.— The skin of the horse 

 is composed of two layers. The inner layer, or true skin, 

 is tough and elastic, and is provided with nerves and 

 blood-vessels. In it exist a vast number of narrow, 

 minute depressions — hair-follicles — which secrete the hair 

 that covers the body, and also an innumerable number 

 of sweat-glands and oil-glands, both of which possess 

 minute tubes to convey their respective secretions to the 

 surface. The oil-glands are specially connected with the 

 hair, as their tubes open either into the hair-follicles or 

 close to the hairs. The action of the oil is to keep the 

 skin and hair soft and pliable, and also to protect the 

 skin from chill ; while that of the watery fluid is chiefly 

 employed in carrying off, by evaporation, any excess of 

 heat beyond the standard temperature of health. The 

 sweat of the horse is composed of a mixture of these two 

 secretions, the former giving it a greasy character when 



