i66 TRAINING IN INDIA 



horse in India finds his chJiofec haziree both agreeable and 

 " sustaining " before his morning work. On the other 

 hand, it is certain that this practice of giving horses an 

 early feed causes them, in many instances, to "scour" 

 when taken out to work. We should, in such cases, omit 

 this light repast. The diarrhoea which is set up in this 

 manner is due to the food, the digestion of which was 

 checked by exercise, acting as an irritant to the alimentary 

 canal. 



When a horse has finished his exercise, he may be 

 either walked home to his stable or rubbed down on the 

 spot. If the latter plan be adopted, he may be walked 

 or trotted to the rubbing-down shed, or to the lee of any 

 favourable cover. The gkths should be slackened, and, 

 if he be worked in clothing, his hood should be quickly 

 removed, and if there be any sweat visible on his neck, 

 it should be scraped off with the copper scrapers that are 

 made for this purpose. Above all things, the hollow 

 between the jaws should be carefully dried with a towel, 

 for neglect of this precaution has often been the cause of 

 subsequent cough or sore throat. The bridle should now 

 be changed for a common watering one, as horses are apt 

 to spoil the reins by biting them whilst being groomed. 

 If the animal be restless, a man may stand in front with 

 a rein in each hand, and hold his head up, while one or 

 two syces at each side rub him down with a wisp of dry 

 straw or of su7i (unprepared hemp). The wisps should be 

 rubbed well into the coat, and should not be used as fans. 

 If he be inclined to bite, the syce who holds the reins 

 may keep a stick in one hand pointing across the horse's 

 face, so as to keep him in order, or a muzzle may be put 



