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One of the most important adjuncts of horsemanship is the proper care of the
mount, which includes its grooming, feeding, medical care, and shoeing.
Grooming is a process designed to clean the horse and stimulate its
skin. The first step in grooming is to rub, or curry, the horse’s body
with a rubber comb called a currycomb; the currycomb should be moved in
small circles with emphasis on the direction of growth of the hair. The
currying process loosens the hair and stimulates the flow of blood
through the horse’s skin. The horse’s body, including its mane and
tail, is then curried with a stiff brush, called a dandy brush, which
removes loose hair and mud and smooths the horse’s coat. Finally, the
body and face of the horse are stroked with a soft brush that polishes
the coat. Grooming also includes the cleaning of the mount’s feet
before and after each ride and the periodic removal of excess hair from
its tail and mane. After
being ridden, the horse should be rubbed down with a handful of hay or
sponged with cool water; it should then be curried, covered with a
blanket, and walked until it is dry. If the mount is excessively hot and
wet after being ridden, however, the rider should remove its saddle and
bridle, cover it with a blanket, allow it to drink a small amount of
water, and walk it until it dries off.
The
proper feeding of a horse depends on its breed and on the type of work
it performs. In general, a saddle horse that weighs about 1200 pounds
and that gets six hours of rigorous exercise daily should be fed three
times a day; its meals should consist of 2 or 3 quarts of grain or sweet
feed mixed with small amounts of corn and linseed meal. In addition, the
horse should be fed bran mash once a week, just prior to its day of
rest. Any
medical care given to a horse by its owner should be limited to
treatment for minor ailments; more serious illnesses should be treated
by a veterinarian. A horse should be treated for intestinal worms three
or four times a year. Proper
shoeing is a highly important, although often neglected, aspect of horse
care. The horse owner should choose a blacksmith with great care. The
type of shoe used depends on such factors as the breed of horse, the
type of work it does, and the way it habitually handles its feet.
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