- Care and Grooming -

 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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