18 Stable Management and the Prevention of Disease 



firmly. The most powerful man cannot draw this out of the 

 hole perpendicularly, and with a proper length of head-coUar 

 rope a horse has no chance whatever, because he must 

 necessarily pull in an oblique direction. The saises in charge 

 of quiet horses usually regulate the depth of the hole and the 

 amount of ramming, so that they can draw up the rope with 

 one long, steady pull. This system would of course fail in 

 loose, sandy soil, but never does so upon land of ordinary 

 firmness. 



Eye-Feinges. 



Horses are universally provided with eye-fringes in order 

 to protect the eyes from flies and mosquitoes. Great care 

 should be taken that they are in good repair, and always kept 

 on, except daring the cold season of the year. There are two 

 kinds of fringes in use — one made by splitting a thin piece of 

 leather into the shape of a comb. The other by plaiting 

 string into the same shape. They are fixed on to the fore- 

 head-band of the head-collar. 



Geooming. 



It is unnecessary to go into details about grooming, which 

 is carried on in essentially the same way as in England. It 

 should be remembered that the horses are, on the average, far 

 better bred than those used at home, and that therefore it is 

 still more necessary than in this country to prohibit the 

 application of the curry-comb to the sliin. The hind- 

 quarters of horses may sometimes be seen covered with 

 patches of white hairs, owing to the follicles having been 

 injured by the teeth of the curry-comb while the animals 

 were changing their coats. 



Washing. 



Another point of very great importance is to prevent the 

 saises washing the horses all over. If not watched they will 

 frequently do this to save themselves the trouble of groom- 

 ing ; and as they rarely more than half-dry the coat, a common 

 result is the production of itchy skin or a catarrh. The head- 



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