The Farm.

Southern Cross, Volume 1, Issue 28, 7 October 1893, Page 11

The Farm.

PREPARING STOCK FOR SHOWS.

There is no animal that can be so quickly prepared for show purposes as the horse. This for several reasons, but chiefly because of his aptitude to fatten quickly, and his Iractability. When released from hard work, and given a suitable diet, a very lean horse can be made quite fat in about six weeks. This, however, is an unnatural process of forcing the animal, and should never be adopted with show horses. The mistake that most exhibitors make is in “pushing” their animals too fast, or trying to prepare them in too short a time. They want to get their beasts into a. certain condition by a certain time, but they seldom allow sufficient time to accomplish the end without over-feeding them, which, if continued long enough, causes all sorts of mischief, and results in the ruin of the animals. It is much better in every way to begin in time than to “force” things. Begin by giving the horse a little less work, if lie is of working -age, and taper down his labours gradually, until they are only sufficient exercise to give him an appetite for his food. There is no hard and fast rude to be observed in regard to feeding. Horses, like men, have different tastes, and require not only to have their food prepared in different ways, lb at given in different quantities. The great thing to avoid is giving them too much food of any kind. They must get sufficient, of course, but they can be fattened without being colicked or foundered. ■ In fitting a horse for the show ring nothing is of more importance than good grooming. The horse that is well trimmed and groomed stands a better chance of winning than if brought out half - groomed and equipped. The preparation necessary depends very much upon the age of the horse, and what class it is entered in. Colts of all breeds do not require ■ so much getting up as older ones. Their hair is longer, and to put on them a finer coat is perfectly possible, but not desirable ; to blanket and brush them down fine spoils their appearance. All that is necessary with colts is to have them in forward condition. They should be taken up a month before the shew, and trained to lead with the halter ; and as far as grooming is concerned, after having washed them to begin with, they only need to be well curried and brushed off once a day. When about a week or so from the show a light blanket might be put on if the hair be too rough, bnt it is seldom this is necessary. With older horses it is different. Grooming goes far toward showing off the beauty of a fully-developed horse, and their skins cannot be made to shine over-much. They want as much brushing and rubbing as you can give them. In this work nothing besides good honest rubbing and rational feeding is required. All drug's and quackeries should be eschewed as more injurious than useful. Man}- horses are ruined among a certain class of grooms who use arsenical medicines to produce a glossy coat of heir. If the horse is in daily work he cannot be so wall kept, or have the same polish put on him, as one.-that is idle. [Still he may bo made to shine. A thorough washing - with, carbolic soap should first be given. After that no more washing will be needed if the brushes are properly handled. The curry-comb need hardly ever be used. The bass brush may be first applied if the hair is long, but this brush is chiefly used for the legs The dandy-brush comes next, and must do the greater part of the work. In brushing a horse it is not the least use to simply smooth the hair down the way it grows. Every hair .must he turned, and the groom must. work with a will—in stable language, sweat at it.—Brush the mane and tail out with a clean dandy brush once

or twice daily, taking a lock at a time, and being careful to get all the scurf out from the roots. The horse may then be well rubbed Over with a cloth or chamois leather ; but for the finishing polish nothing- equals the palm of the hand. Do not forget to sponge around the eyes, mouth, and.nostrils. also the hairless parts under the tail and belly, and rub dry. Any stains can be taken out lastly ■with a wet sponge, so as to prevent the dust from sticking. For white legs use a little blue in water. Pick out the feet, noticing the condition of the shoes, and get new ones put on, if required, a fortnight before the show. The mane comb should be little used, as it breaks the hair. The mane should never be cut, except, perhaps, clipqnng a smsil portion off the poll, where the bridle and headstall go. The pulling stick should be used for reducing quantity. Twist a few of the longest hairs around the knot and draw them out, keeping on until the mane is thin enough, not necessarily selecting the longest hairs. This will also generally suffice to shorten the mane enough, but if not take a small lock of hair and scrape with a sharp pocketknife until the right length. The tail should be cut with the scissors, and in cutting do so with inference to the way the horse caries bis tail when going, otherwise it will appear on the skew. The less mane and tail a horse carries the less he will sweat. In trimming the ears an assistant should hold the edges together, and a clean cut can he made down with the scissors. Never, under any circumstances, cut or clip the hair from the inside of the ears. The long hair about the jowl can be either pulled out or singed. The hair on the legs and fetlock, when long and coarse, should in the case of fine horses be reduced by pulling with nippers, taking hold of only a few hairs at a time. The castors on the legs should be pared down with a sharp knife. These trimming - operations can, of course, be peforrned a little at a time, a little at another. If the mane lies badly, use a wet brush on it at everv opportunity, and it will soon be all right. After grooming, the clothes are put on, and the quantity must be regulated according to the temperature and the condition of the coat. A new coat always looks best, and heavy clothing will rid all the loose hairs quicker than a light blanket. Draught horses should hardly be sheeted at all, nor otherwise pampered so as to unfit them for their special work. If clothing be once adopted it requires to be kept on all the time; getting - on a blanket now and again will harm the coat more than it will do good, and may lead to giving - the horse a chill or cold, which will spoil ail.—Australasian.