96 HORSE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA 



animal returns to the stable with his legs wet, or covered 

 with mud, they should be dried by means of the scraper, 

 wisp, and rubber, as the case may be, and hand-rubbed 

 when dry. 



One should avoid hand-rubbing the legs when they are 

 wet, as doing so will tend to remove the hair. 



Hand-rubbing the legs is a beneficial practice with 

 the generality of stabled horses. It tends to prevent 

 stagnation of blood in the legs and feet ; by the pressure 

 exerted, it promotes the absorption of any effusions that 

 may be present about the back tendons and suspensory 

 ligaments ; and it helps to guard the horse against that 

 form of inflammation which is known as " cracked heels " 

 and "mud fever." 



Trimming the Mane and Tail.— The mane may be 

 trimmed by pulling out the longest locks, a little at a 

 time, having previously twisted them round the fore- 

 finger or a stick. If this annoys the horse, the long 

 ends may be divided by running a half-shut scissors 

 backwards and forwards across them, in the same manner 

 as hair- dressers trim ladies' hair. The ends are held in 

 the left hand, while the right uses the scissors. 



A space of about an inch and a half broad should be 

 cut out of the mane, just behind the ears, for the passage 

 of the head-stall of the bridle. 



When hogging the mane of a pony, it is customary, in 

 order to help the rider in mounting, to leave a lock of 

 hair. This, to be effective, should be about halfway up 

 the neck. The easiest and neatest way to hog the mane 

 is to cut it close, running the clipping machine along the 

 top of the crest, and then on each side, so as to make the 



