FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



show and sale horses, to accept a wholly false idea 

 of fitness for actual use. What we call suitable 

 " condition " is generally secured by the presence 

 of soft and useless flesh, clogging to the vital as 

 hampering to the external parts, and ready to 

 produce and augment a feverish condition at any 

 slight over-exertion, or sudden change of temper- 

 ature. Private stablemen do not know how to 

 " cool out " a horse properly, or if they do, don't 

 take the trouble. External coolness is not enough 

 for safety. Heart and circulation must be regu- 

 lar and tranquil, and the temperature throughout 

 normal, before the animal can be safely put away. 

 This insured, one can disregard, open windows, 

 draughts, and anything else. 



Odd as it may sound, many stablemen overdo 

 the grooming act, and beat and hammer a nervous 

 horse with wisp and cloth until he is sore all over, 

 and ready to go mad if you rasp a brush with a 

 currycomb. This slam-bang business is all wrong, 

 and will not do for the modern, thin-skinned, ner- 

 vous creature, which is replacing the old dung-hill 

 that would enjoy combing over with a garden 

 rake. Make your horse's toilet as you make 

 your own : plenty of water and plenty of fric- 

 tion ; but as you carefully dry yourself, so dry 



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