MANAGEMENT OF THE STALLION 
31 
bring out the hair, and therefore as a rule the dandy brush is sufficient 
to do all that is required.” 
Carter 7 " suggests a method of grooming which is considered more 
effective, thus: “To produce the greatest effect with the least expenditure 
of power and in the shortest time, the groom should aid his muscular 
strength with his weight. He should stand well away from the horse and 
lean his weight on the brush, which will thus do its work more effectually 
than if operated by muscular strength alone. The working of the brush 
should follow the natural direction of the hair. The curry-comb should 
be used as little as possible, and principally to loosen accumulations of 
mud.” 
11. Extra Care 
Roberts 50 maintains that in order to obviate the effect of the weight of 
the draft horse on his feet, it is necessary that he be shod — the shoe 
binds and supports the quarters and protects the frog of the foot. Ac¬ 
cordingly, shoes wide of web and thick of substance are called for, the 
wide web protecting the frog, and the thickness of the shoe acting to 
prevent the spreading of the foot when sustaining heavy weight of the 
drafter. It is preferred that the web be slightly drawn at the heel and 
that the shoe be extended well back, for by this arrangement the frog 
will be more safely guarded. The use of a bar shoe is needed only when 
the foot is rather wide and weak at the heel, which is to be found but 
rarely. Certain injunctions are to be set forth to the blacksmith: the 
use of the buttress on the frog should seldom or never be resorted to; 
the shoe should be fitted to the foot and not vice versa; the lightest 
nails capable of holding the shoe in place for a reasonable length of time 
should be used; and finally, do not rasp, polish or beautify the outside 
of the hoof. It is only in smoothing the clinches of the nails that 
light rasping or filing is to be allowed. Roberts hints that some horses 
need not be shod but semi-monthly and others every twenty or thirty days. 
Fitzwygram 51 states that washing the skin of the horse does not give 
the desired cleansing effect because the water penetrates with difficulty 
through the hair forming a sort of thatch on the body. Besides, water 
irritates the skin, inhibits the action of the oil glands thereby making 
the hair coat look dry and harsh. It is therefore not advisable to wash 
the horse unless it be for the purpose of removing mud on the body. 
But the washing of the legs to remove the mud and dirt off finds favor. 
This is done by washing the legs and then bandaging them with flannel 
bands. The groom proceeds to clean the body and later when he is 
through the legs will then be found dry. The brush is afterwards ap¬ 
plied to the legs to cleanse the skin which was not affected by the water. 
He further recommends the sponging of the nostrils twice a day. The 
wings of the nostrils are slowly distended and the wet sponge is carefully 
introduced into the opening. Every morning and evening the dock 
should be cleaned. And too, the sheath should receive occasional cleaning 
to remove the sebaceous matter contained in it. According to Roberts, 59 
the legs should be washed and rubbed until they are dry during warm 
weather. 
Where parts of the body have been soiled with mud and the latter has 
been allowed to dry, Barton 71 advocates shampooing as a means of cleans¬ 
ing. The parts are shampooed using the dandy brush or a wisp of straw 
and the curry-comb until the mud has been completely removed. He 
says: “Plenty of elbow-grease and a wisp of straw will work wonders in 
cleansing and drying a horse’s coat.” After the shampoo the coat is 
thoroughly dried and then the soft brush, the chamois and the rubbers 
are employed. The chamois is used to give lustre to the coat. To remove 
the mud from the belly as may happen during rainy days, thawing 
