TheEquine |

TheEquine : "Method of grooming

The thorough cleaning of the skin of the horse is an operation requiring both skill and hard labour. To make his labour effective, and 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 therefore stand well away from the horse, and lean his weight on the brush, which thus used will penetrate the coat more effectually, and with less exertion to the man, than is worked only by his muscular strength.
The principal working on the brush should follow the natural direction of the hair. It will not penetrate it as deeply and thoroughly when worked against it as with it. To remove, however, external dirt or sweat, which may have caked in the coat, it may sometimes be necessary to brush against the hair.

(I hope the author is explaining the use of a body brush, as using a dandy brush in this manner, will hurt the horse. I wonder how may horses in 1901 stood still to be groomed?)

Improper means used to produce short and glossy coats.

Short and glossy coats, as a general rule, indicate good grooming and careful stable management, whilst long dull coats argue the reverse. But we must caution the reader against the practice of some servants of administering tonics and other stimulants, which by artificially exciting the system, produce temporarily a good external appearance, but in the long run are the fruitful parents of disease."