306 ROAD, TRACK, AND STABLE. 
William H. Allen was led under a tree for that pur- 
pose. But being a nervous horse, and his skin doubt- 
less being tender from continual rubbing, he strongly 
objected to the practice, and spent the whole time of 
what should have been his intervals of rest in vain 
attempts to kick his tormentors, lashing out at them 
with his hind legs, and pawing and striking with his 
fore legs. He lost the race, partly perhaps because 
he was handicapped by these unnecessary exertions. 
The practice nowadays is, after a brief scraping and 
drying, with the application of liniment and some- 
times the bandaging of the legs, to walk the horse 
about, blanketed according to the weather. 
After very long drives I rub my nags’ legs with a 
strong solution of arnica and water, or, perhaps bet- 
ter, with a mixture of arnica, New England rum, and 
water in about equal parts. Alcohol is of course the 
essential ingredient. This should be applied from a 
point above the hock or knee to the foot, and on all 
sides of the leg; it tends to prevent spavin, curb, and 
windgalls. There is nothing lke rubbing of the legs 
for a tired horse. The animal stands in his stall 
with drooping head, eyes nearly closed, and appetite 
gone.1 Now take him in hand, clean him well but 
quickly, then gently pull his ears, and rub his legs 
for half an hour if necessary, not up and down, but 
downward so as to induce a proper circulation of 
the blood, and to soothe the muscles. Before long 
his eyes will open, his head will be raised, his ears 
pricked forward, and you will soon have the satisfac- 
tion of seeing him munch his hay. 
1 T have seen horses in this condition, but not as the result of 
my own driving. 
