It is not always possible to have good stables, but it is in
every one’s reach to have clean, wholesome ones, by knocking
ventilators through the walls near the roof, and converting
stalls into loose-boxes by movable bamboos. Heel-ropes
should never be seen in a private stable, and the mere sight
of them condemns the management. It is said that some
Waler horses require heel-ropes, owing to a bad habit of
rubbing mane and tail, especially during hot weather; but
there can be no doubt that such symptoms point to disease,
and these cases may therefore be treated as abnormal. 1 he
floor of the stable is nearly always of mud, but it should be
quite level ; and once a week at least it should be leped or
j)lastered with a thin ])aste of cowdung, sand, and water, as
should be the walls to a height of four feet. Stables should
.always have a verandah in front, and it is wonderful how
Housekeeper and Cook 93
greatly a cheap bamboo or grass chick to the arches will
reduce the temperature in the hot months. The syces should
not be allowed to sleep en masse with wives and families in
the spare stalls or verandahs^ as they disturb the horses, but
one man must always do so in case ol sudden illness.
If horses are picketed out at night, as they often are dur-
ing the summer, the safest and most comfortable plan is to
have a wooden post about four feet high permanently let
into the ground. The horse should have a light iron chain
to his headstall, with a ring at the end large enough to slip
over the post. If the bedding be arranged round the post in
a circle, the horse can always shift his quarters without fear
of entanglement or breaking loose. The best bedding in
India is rice straw ; but where grass is plentiful, many people
use drubh ^ grass, which a horse will seldom eat.
The best manger for a horse is a squai'e of hemp matting
or tat on which the gram can be spread on the ground. This
enables the horse to eat in a natural position, and pi'events
bolting ; nose-bags are an abomination in a private stable.
Watering buckets of galvanised iron are the best ; and though
it is more reasonable to alloAv a horse an unlimited supply of
water all day long, by means of a suitable receptacle in his
stall, yet without constant supervision it is hard, on this plan,
to ensure the water being fresh. Therefore, unless unusual
care can be given, it is best to keep to the bucket. Hay
should never be in a rack. The seeds and spikes are
apt to fall into the horse’s eyes, and it also conduces to
greediness.
In regard to grooming, body brushes, &c., the real secret
of a good coat lies in sheer, honest, hard work. As the
khitmutgdr when pulled up about the dulness of the plate
cries loudly for pureah (plate powder), so the syce will clamour
for brushes and curry-combs when brought up for neglect.
Elbow-grease is more effectual on a horse’s coat than any-
w'here else — which is saying a good deal — and, while it is
quite possible to get on without a brush, it is impossible to
dispense with the hand and arm. In fact, a syce who does
not take off his coat and turn up his sleeves before begin-
ning to groom his horse, knows nothing of his work. There
is a great art in making a horse look smart, which is seldom
^ A kind of coarse lye grass.
94 The Complete Indian
Page 64
Presented as published in 1898. Historical recipes may not meet modern food-safety standards. Cook from the modern interpretation, not the original instructions.
AI-modernized reading of the original text
It is not always possible to have good stables, but it is in every one’s reach to have clean, wholesome ones, by knocking ventilators through the walls near the roof, and converting stalls into loose-boxes by movable bamboos. Heel-ropes should never be seen in a private stable, and the mere sight of them condemns the management. It is said that some Waler horses require heel-ropes, owing to a bad habit of rubbing mane and tail, especially during hot weather; but there can be no doubt that such symptoms point to disease, and these cases may therefore be treated as abnormal. 1 he floor of the stable is nearly always of mud, but it should be quite level ; and once a week at least it should be leaped or plastered with a thin ])aste of cowdung, sand, and water, as should be the walls to a height of four feet. Stables should .always have a verandah in front, and it is wonderful how
Housekeeper and Cook 93
greatly a cheap bamboo or grass chick to the arches will reduce the temperature in the hot months. The syces should not be allowed to sleep en masse with wives and families in the spare stalls or verandahs, as they disturb the horses, but one man must always do so in case ol sudden illness.
If horses are picketed out at night, as they often are during the summer, the safest and most comfortable plan is to have a wooden post about four feet high permanently let into the ground. The horse should have a light iron chain to his headstall, with a ring at the end large enough to slip over the post. If the bedding be arranged round the post in a circle, the horse can always shift his quarters without fear of entanglement or breaking loose. The best bedding in India is rice straw ; but where grass is plentiful, many people use drubh ^ grass, which a horse will seldom eat.
The best manger for a horse is a square of hemp matting or tat on which the gram can be spread on the ground. This enables the horse to eat in a natural position, and pi'events bolting ; nose-bags are an abomination in a private stable. Watering buckets of galvanised iron are the best ; and though it is more reasonable to allow a horse an unlimited supply of water all day long, by means of a suitable receptacle in his stall, yet without constant supervision it is hard, on this plan, to ensure the water being fresh. Therefore, unless unusual care can be given, it is best to keep to the bucket. Hay should never be in a rack. The seeds and spikes are apt to fall into the horse’s eyes, and it also conduces to greediness.
In regard to grooming, body brushes, &c., the real secret of a good coat lies in sheer, honest, hard work. As the khitmutgdr when pulled up about the dulness of the plate cries loudly for pureah (plate powder), so the syce will clamour for brushes and curry-combs when brought up for neglect. Elbow-grease is more effectual on a horse’s coat than anywhere else — which is saying a good deal — and, while it is quite possible to get on without a brush, it is impossible to dispense with the hand and arm. In fact, a syce who does not take off his coat and turn up his sleeves before beginning to groom his horse, knows nothing of his work. There is a great art in making a horse look smart, which is seldom ^ A kind of coarse lye grass.
94 The Complete Indian