90 HORSE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 



hand — each one to be used alternately — well under the belly, 

 down the fore-hand, thigh, or gaskin, or between the fore- 

 legs, as the case may be, and it should then be drawn up 

 with a steady pressure. As the hand is raised, the elbow 

 should be turned out, and the under part of the bared 

 forearm should be brought into play against the grain of 

 the coat. In doing this, the weight of the body and 

 strenc^th of the arm should be utilized. 



With a valuable horse, one should put two men on the 

 legs, and two on the rest of the body. The quicker the 

 hand-rubbing is done, the more effectual will it prove. 



On an average, the wisping down will take about ten 

 minutes ; the hand-rubbing somewhat longer. 



If only two men be available, the legs below the knees 

 and hocks should be left untouched until a later period 

 of the grooming. 



The hand-rubbing being finished, a syce on each side 

 should go over the coat with the body brush, for the 

 cleaning of which only should the curry-comb be 

 employed. 



The brush should have long and rather soft bristles, 

 and should be used only in the direction in which the hair 

 lies, and not against it ; as, with the grain, it will most 

 effectually remove the dandruff, which is thrown off by 

 the skin in the form of scales that are pierced by the 

 hairs. The syce should place the brush lightly on the 

 coat, so as to avoid hurting the skin, and should then press 

 on it, as he makes his stroke downwards. 



The chief object of brushing the coat is to remove the 

 scaly dandruff ; that of wisping and hand-rubbing, to dry 

 and stimulate it. 



