The grooming tools consist of
body brushes, curry comb, dandy brush, mane or tail
comb, sweat
scrapers, sponge, rubber and wisp.
Body brushes:
Made of stout bristles or
vegetable fibre and have a broad hand-loop of webbing across the back to
prevent the brush slipping from the grasp.
The use of the body brush is to
remove scurf and dirt from the coat, and for this purpose, the bristle brushes
are superior to those made of fibre.
Fibre, however stiff at first,
ultimately flattens down from the continued pressure on the brush. Bristles, on
the other hand, though more expensive, do not bend, but simply wear shorter,
and retain their upright position till worn down to the back.
It is well to remember that as
bristles get shorter, they become less pliant and stiffer, so that a half-worn
brush is a very prickly article and should be used with consideration.
The curry comb consists of
several straight, blunt toothed blades in a metal back, with a broad loop of
webbing for the purpose of securing it on the back of the hand.
It is essential that the teeth
should be smooth and blunt, though may be rounded at the top and bottom. This
prevents the bristles being unduly worn away when the comb is used to clean the
body brush, and also guards against injury to the skin when used for the
removal of dirt.
Other patterns have wooden
handles, and some have a series of curved springy blades, instead of the straight
rigid ones usually met with.
At the sides, small projections
of the blades are seen on many patterns for the purpose of knocking on the
ground when dislodging dirt from the back.
Use of the curry comb
The use of curry comb on the skin
should generally be restricted as its utility is confined to cleansing the body
brush of scurf.
To effect this, only an
occasional rub on the brush is necessary, but its use is much abused by animal
attendants who make a great show of cleaning the brush and do little work with
it on the skin, the result being that the brush is quickly worn out.
The dirt should be dislodged by
knocking the side of the comb on the floor behind the horse, where it can be
seen and swept up, and is evidence of the man's diligence.
Blowing the scurf out of the comb
should not be practised as it results in the dust being inhaled by the horses
or settling again on the coat from which it has just be removed.In light
horses, use of curry comb is limited to the removal of caked dirt and mud.
However, in some commercial stables, generally the animals are groomed all over
with it, and subsequently brushed with a dandy brush.
The method has a good deal to
recommend it where time is an object; it is quick, effective, does not in any
way injure the skin, and seeing that this is the case, some discretion may be
allowed in its use.
These are made of longer, finer,
and softer bristles than body brushes.
They are intended for damping the
mane and tail, and washing the feet and legs.
They are also often used dry for
grooming fine coated, ticklish horses, and are certainly very useful for
grooming the head and face.
When employed for washing feet,
their use should be confined to the hoof only, wetting of the legs should be
avoided as a routine.
These are made of stiff whisk
fibre. They are in general use as a grooming brush, and as a matter of fact,
are most useful in any stable.
On light horses, their use is
limited to the removal of hard caked dirt, the rest of the grooming being performed
with the body brush.
However, in commercial stables,
these are often used, in conjunction with a free use of the curry comb. Their
use saves time and labour and they are most efficient instruments of grooming.
These are made of horn or metal,
with deep, broad teeth; though convenient, they are not actually necessary and,
if not very carefully used, they tear out and break the hair considerably.
These are long flexible blades of
smooth metal with a handle at each end by means of which the lather of a
sweating horse may be conveniently and quickly removed.
Another variety has a central
handle with a rigid curved blade, but the pattern is not so good as the
flexible one, since the rigid blade does not adapt itself to the curves of the
body so well.
These are commonly used during
grooming for cleaning the eyes, lips, nostrils, and dock.
Though the convenience of sponges
for this purpose is undoubted, they should invariably be prohibited on the
occurrence of any contagious disease, as they are one of the commonest means by
vhich infection is spread.
These are generally used to give
the coat a final polish after the rest of grooming is completed, and a damp
rubber may, with the advantage, take the place of a sponge whenever possible,
since it can be easily disinfected and cleaned by boiling, a process which
ruins sponges.
It is a pad of hay or straw, made
by twisting the material into a rope and doubling it into a convenient-sized
pad as described below.
Its proper use, which is really a
form of massage, is a most valuable method for improving the condition of the
skin and coat. To make a wisp, soft hay or straw should be twisted into a
convenient-sized rope about 2.5 to 3.0 m long; two loops are then formed at one
end, one being very slightly longer than the other.
Each of these loops in turn is
then twisted beneath the remainder of the rope until the end is reached, when
it is passed through the extremity of each loop and tucked under one of the
twists. A really good wisp should be no wider than can be conveniently grasped
by the hand.
TIME AND METHOD OF GROOMING
Time for grooming
As a matter of appearance and
cleanliness, horses should be "quartered" (lightly groomed) before
going to exercise, but the "strapping," i.e. thorough grooming is
best carried out on return from work, unless it has been of a very exhausting
nature, when horses are better left alone until recovered from fatigue.
As a practice, it is advisable to
pick out and inspect the feet before commencing to groom the horse, in order
that the feet are not overlooked.
Method of grooming to be adopted
The horse must be cool and dry.
Commencing at one side of the neck immediately behind the ear, the coat should
be thoroughly brushed out, the brush moving the way the hair lies as a rule,
though in order to get rid of har d dirt or scurf, it is sometimes necessary to
brush in a circular direction.
To use the brush with the best
effect, the man should stand well away, keep his arm stiff, and lean the weight
of his body on the brush, which should be placed gently on the skin and not
brought down with a bang, especially on a thin-skinned, ticklish horse. If the
man stands close, with a bent elbow, and brushes with his arm only, he does not
force the bristles or fibres through the coat so well, or remove the scurf so
effectively.
He should use the brush in the
left hand for most part in grooming the left side, and for hind leg. He should
grasp the hamstring with his free hand.
The horse is now turned round in
the stall, the head and mane brushed and eyes, nostrils, and the dock cleaned.
Finally, he is put about again,
the tail is brushed out and the whole coat wised and given a final polish with
a rubber.
In grooming the head, it is well
to use a soft brush if one is available, and for this purpose, a dry water
brush is frequently requisitioned; it is further to be noted that a good groom
is careful not to knock the skin with the wooden edge of the brush when going
over the bony projection of the head and legs.
Wisping
As previously stated, it is a
form of massage. It stimulates the skin, increased blood supply into it, great
effect on the oil glands of the hair, increasing their output, and thereby
giving a marked gloss to the coat.
The wisp should be brought down
with a bang on the skin, in the direction of the hair, and the process repeated
all over the body, care being taken to avoid delicate parts.
GROOMING STALLION
Regular and proper grooming is
essential for health of stallions. The grooming ensures cleanliness, promotes
blood circulation, keeps the coat short and shining and beautifies the
appearance of stallions.
Grooming must be done
systematically as a routine After grooming is over, all stallions should be
checked.
Slackness and faults in grooming
should be pointed out on the spot and-grooms warned to do their work properly.
It is only the regular grooming
which can bring shine to the coat. How hard one may groom in one or two days,
his work is not likely to show up, if the grooming has not been carried out
regularly.
After the grooming and the
covering is over, the bedding is laid thick and spread evenly all the standing.
The sentries should be posted during mid-day break.
They should ensure that the
bedding is kept even and bare patches are covered with bedding.
The dung should be removed from
the stallion box immediately it has been voided. Sentries should also ensure
that the 'jhools' (Rugs) are properly retained on the body of the stallions and
noticeable sickness is reported at once.
Winter 'jhools' should be
properly fitted, surcingle and breast piece should not be very tight. The
'jhools' should be kept clean and free from dirty cakes.
Summer 'jhools are often used to
protect the stallion from flies and to beautify
WASHING OF HORSES
The washing of horses as a
general practice is to be strongly condemned. In cold and changeable temperate
climates, it may very easily lead to sickness, and even in warm and equable
temperatures, its practice is not always without adverse effects.
The only purposes for which the
use of water or soap and water is necessary on the body of the healthy horse is
for the removal of dirt stains which will not groom off, and for the occasional
cleansing of the mane, tail, and hooves.
The dangers which washing may
give rise to are not, however, due to the wetting of the skin, but to want of
attention to the subsequent drying; and in all cases where it is found necessary
to wash, too much care cannot be bestowed on making sure that the ' animal is
thoroughly dried and the warmth of the skin kept up, or a chill results.
The use of soap removes a great
proportion of the usual greasiness of the coat and consequently some of
nature's protection and until this is restored, an unusual liability to chills
is present, which can only be guarded against by thorough drying and protection
from draughts. From the same cause, i.e. removal of the natural grease,
the coat of washed horse is dull and lacks the glossiness which it would
otherwise carry.
Washing of the body, then, should
be avoided as a rule, except for the special purposes mentioned, and should it
be necessary at any time to break the rule, greatest care should be taken to
dry the skin thoroughly, clothe the animal warmly for the time and keep it out
of draughts.
Washing the legs and belly on
return from work in order to get rid of mud is frequently followed by stiffness
and cracking of the surface. This is more likely to happen if warm water is
used or when the weather is cold, and especially when there is a keen wind;
it is most common in the heels, legs and bellies of horses which are washed on
return from work.
When confined to the hollow of
the heel, the condition is called "cracked" or "greasy
heel", the latter term originating from the fatty nature
of the discharge from the oil glands of the skin which collects round the
injury.
On the legs and belly, it is
commonly attributed to the irritation of mud, and is frequently called
"mudfever". The condition is a serious one and may
incapacitate horses for long periods, but it may be practically banished from
the stable by prohibiting the routine washing of legs and feet. Mud should
be left till dry, and then brushed off.
It has been stated that animals
with white legs are more frequent sufferers from cracked heels than others and
this is no doubt the case; but it is not on account of weakness or peculiarity
of the white skin, but owing to the fact that it is more frequently
washed.
CLIPPING OF HORSES
Under natural conditions, the
horse's thick winter coat provides him with an extra warm covering during the
time that the weather is cold.
The extra warmth of the long,
thick hair, added to the increased greasiness always found under a heavy
ungroomed coat, keeps the body warm and so helps considerably to maintain the
weight and condition. If, however horses are required to work hard, the coat
becomes a positive drawback, adding considerably to the exhaustive nature of
the labour, keeping the animal in a constant sweat and preventing rapid drying
of the skin after exertion as a result it is found that a loss of condition is
inevitable.
On the other hand, a clipped
horse not only works with less distress and it is, moreover, dried and cleaned
with much less labour and risk of chills.
An argument which is sometimes
advanced for not removing the hair from the back of the fetlock is that it acts
as a natural drain for water when the animal sweats or is wet.
Altogether, apart from its
beneficial effect on the horse's condition and working power, clipping enables
the groom to dry and clean wet and dirty animals better, more quickly, and with
less labour; and in considering the question as a whole, this point should not
be lost sight of.
The attempt to dry and groom a
muddy, soaking, heavy coated horses is a
heart breaking end to a day's work, and should be avoided, if possible.
The operation of clipping -
Whether the hand or power clipper is used, some little skill is necessary to
produce the best results, and as the tooth blades of all cutters are hard
tempered and very accurately adjusted, they are easily broken and frequently
found out of order unless carefully handled.
In using the hand clipper, the
pressure exerted on the skin should be quite even throughout or the result will
be "ridgy", and the right hand, which operates the blades, should do
so without any pressure whatsoever.
Care must be taken not to cut any
of the mane and tail hair, and when the legs are left unclipped, the appearance
is enhanced by slanting the boundary line from the back of the elbow upwards to
the front of the forearm, where there is a natural dip in the limb, similarly
in the hind limbs, the line should slope downwards and backwards from the point
of the stifle.
If the power clipper is used, the
driving machine should be worked at an even pace and should be placed in such a
position that it cannot be knocked over by any unexpected movement of the
animal, or a barrier should be erected to protect it.
With either variety, the blades
must be kept free from accumulating scurf and dirt, occasional brushing and
wiping with a little paraffin oil being all that is required.
PERIOD FOR CLIPPING
Horses may be clipped with
advantage from the time their coat thickens in the autumn until summer coat
shows signs of coining in the spring.
The frequency of the operation
will probably depend on the time and labour available. If there is no limit to
these, the machine should be run over the coat every time it shows at all long,
and frequent clipping certainly keeps animals smart in appearance, as well as
giving the other advantages already enumerated. Where, however, labour and
machines are limited, it will be found most advantageous to clip at the beginning
of winter. This period will vary with the severity of the season, and the
individual animal. Some animals are, in fact, clipped all the year round and
carry quite good coats.
Following points with
regard to clipping of animals must be considered
The nature of the work
Environment
Supply of food
Supply of clothing
Clipping as a means of
cleanliness to control parasitic diseases.
The benefit which animals
voyaging from a cold to a hot climate at a time when their coats are thick,
derive from clipping en route is evident. It is true that the long coat
falls off naturally under these circumstances, and the hair rapidly adapts itself
to changes of climate, but its removal by the machine at once relieves the
animal of an unnecessary blanket and should be carried out when possible.
The use of clothing during the
winter months for working horses which have been clipped is practically universal,
and where horses are called on to work up to their rations, it is beneficial to
the animal's condition, and economical to the owner.
CLOTHING OF HORSES
The term "clothing" as
applied to horses comprises a hood, pad, roller, reast piece, and quarter
sheet.
With the exception of the hood,
all these articles are combined in a shaped rug which fastens across the chest
and has surcingle stitched on.
Some rugs fasten centrally on the
breast, whilst thers have a flap which buckles on the side, the latter being
the better plan, is it prevents the front being blown up.
For a similar reason, a well
fitting fillet string" should be fastened round the quarters to prevent
the wind blowing the rug over the back; or the rug may be fastened to the flap
of the ug.
The fit at the neck is another
point which should be looked into. Very often the opening is much too large and
as a consequence, the rug gradually works back over the shoulders till the top
is drawn tightly across the withers and may cause a sore from pressure.
When surcingles are stitched on,
a space of four inches (10 cm) should be left free where the web passes over
the backbone or shrinkages from wet may cause injury by tight pressure.
A well fitting rug should embrace
the neck like a collar, but in rather looser fashion, cover the body down to
the level of the elbows and extend as far back as the dock; the fillet string
should be capable of adjustment and the buckle of the surcingle sufficiently
high up to prevent the horse lying on it when down.
Rugs are made of thick woollen
blanketing or of jute sacking, lined with stout woollen cloth, and both are
quite lasting, though the latter perhaps shows dirt least.
If the roller is not stitched to
the rug, it should have a pad on each side of the spine, sufficiently thick to
prevent the webbing coming down on the centre of the back when it is drawn
tight.
These pads are frequently so
badly designed and stuffed that they do not prevent pressure on the backbone
and a sore is the result.
They should be thickest near the
spine and thin off to nothing at their lower edges, pieces of felt laid on each
other, then skived off, and covered with leather or serge, make a very
serviceable pad.
BANDAGES OF HORSES
Bandages are generally used on
the legs of horses either to keep the legs warm and the circulation active or
to protect them from injury whilst at the work.
To keep the legs warm, a bandage
should not be any tighter than to prevent it slipping down. It should
cover as large a surface as possible and be applied without wrinkles and with
even pressure throughout.
Stable bandages are usually about
2.15 or 2.45 m long and should be put on as follows - starting just below the
knee or hock, enough should be unrolled to make one turn round the leg, at a
slight downward slope; keeping the bandage close to the leg, allow it to
unroll itself round and down the limb in the same direction it was started,
until it reaches the coronet.
Now it will naturally take an
upward direction and its unrolling should be continued till the point from
which it started is reached, where the tapes are to be tied in a bow on the
outside of the leg, and the end should be tucked in neatly.
In this position, they will' be
out of the way and not likely to be rubbed or undone. As an additional
security, the corner of the loose end first applied may be turned down so that
the next turn of the bandage will pass over and fix it.
The nice adjustment of a bandage
can only be acquired by practice, but., the above directions will enable a
correct method to be adopted.
The usual errors are starting to
unwind at too great a slope and then endeavouring to correct this by pulling
the material in the required direction; and failing to get the bandage over the
fetlock without altering its direction.
Warm bandages put on too tightly
defeat their object by stopping the circulation, and wrinkles are very likely
to cause injury to the skin from the pressure of the folds which lie over them:
for the same reason, knots, or bows should not be tied either on the back of the
tendons or on the front and readjusted. All precautions should be taken to
prevent any injury from pressure. The legs should be hand-rubbed after removing
bandages.
Bandages put on for work should
reach from below the knee to above the fetlock and should not in any way
interfere with either joint. They should be fastened with a double strap
and buckle stitched on the material, or if tapes are used, by a knot and should
be removed as soon as the work is done. These bandages should not be put on tob
tight to prevent injury from pressure.
Material of bandages should be
pure woollen for warmth, and some are now made with a fleecy side for this
purpose. Bandages which are put on to protect the legs from injury while
at work should be made of stockinette, an elastic material which permits of
some pressure being applied when they are put on.
To roll a bandage, fold it by the
end of which the tapes are attached i.e. the side on which they are stitched
facing you. Double the tapes into a small bundle about the width of the
bandage and lay them across the place they are stitched to, then roll the tapes
inside. When the bandage is applied the tapes will then be outside in the
most suitable position for fastening.
Knee caps to protect the knee in
case of a fall at exercise, are generally used in sports horses. They are
made of stout woollen cloth with thick leather bosses on the front, which are
shaped to prevent them interfering with the bending of the joint.
The top strap, which must be soft
and padded on its inner face, should be tight enough to keep the knee cap in
position, whilst the lower one should be quite slack, so that the lip may be
freely bent when trotting. If these precautions are not observed, knee caps may
lead to the very accident, they are designed to prevent.
Tail bandage
Tail bandage is done normally at
the time of covering, to prevent injury to stallion's penis
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