5. directives for the groom

An experienced rider must also instruct his groom, what to do with the horse.

First he must know, that the knot of the crib-halter never is made where the top strap is put. The horse often moves the head over the crib there and back, and so the halter, if it does not lie smooth behind the ears, will cause ulcer. But if the neck gets ulcer, the horse will be nervous when bridled or curried. Well is also, to advise the groom to put the droppings and the litter daily to one place. If he does so he will get ready more easily with his work and will help the horse at the same time. Uncleanness causes diseases.

The groom also has to understand how to muzzle the horse, when he leads the horse to maintenance and to the wallow place as well. Wherever he wants to lead him unbridled, he must muzzle him. The muzzle does not hinder breathing but prevents him from biting. So he avoids malicious behavior of the horse. Further he must tie up the horse above the head, because everything uncomfortable in face the horse naturally shakes off upwards. If he tries now, fastened in this way, to shake off the halter he will more likely make the bands more loose than break them.

When the groom curries the horse he must start with head and mane, because if the upper bodyparts are not cleaned, it is useless to clean the lower ones. On all the remaining body he must raise the hair with all cleaning tools and wipe away the dust, not with the natural direction of the hair but against the stroke. The hair on the back he may touch with no tool, but just rub with the hands and smoothen it, in this case with the stroke. So he will do the least damage to the back of the horse. The head has to be washed with water. As it has bones it would be hurt when cleaned with iron or wood. He also must wetten the forelock, because also if these hairs are very long and one can improve the growth with water, they do not disturb the horse in looking, but keep away everything harmful to the eyes. One may well believe a god has given these hairs to the horse instead of the big ears, like he gave to the donkeys and mules, as a protection for the eyes.

Also the tail and the the mane one must wash, so the hair will grow, those at the tail, that the horse can reach as far as possible to drive away what can hurt him, at the neck to give the rider the richest possible hold for the hand when mounting. But the gods have given the horse also mane, forelock and tail for adornment. For the proof: The mares don't let the donkey stallions get close for covering like they let the horse stallions as long as they have still long hair. So for the breeding of mules one shears the mares, that one wants to have covered by donkey-stallions. But I would not recommend to wash the legs. This is no help and the daily moist harms the hoofs. Also too much cleaning below at the belly should be avoided, because this hurts the horse, and the more clean these parts get, the more vermin accumulates there. Also if a cleaning of belly and legs is being performed how well ever, the horse, hardly led back into the stable will look immediately like the uncleaned. So it is to leave undone. It is totally enough, if the currying of the legs is done just with the hands.

I further want to report, how to curry the horse with the least disadvantage for yourself and with the biggest advantage for the horse. When currying one should not stand looking in the same direction like the horse, because then there is danger, to get hit in the face with knee and hoof of the horse. But if one looking in the opposite direction to the horse's and beside of the leg crouching down at the shoulder, rubs him, so one will not suffer harm in this way and will also be able to lift the horsehoof for cleaning the frog. In the same way the hind legs are to clean.The groom should also know that when doing all these tasks he may as far as possible not directly go the horse in front of the face nor from behind at the tail. When going from the side to the horse, he will be able to do his job completely without problems for himself and for the best to the horse.

If the horse is to be lead, then leading him behind one's back is totally wrong, because in this way it is unpossible for the leading person to take care and the horse has opportunity to do whatever it wants. Also one should not drive a horse held with a long rope forward, or the horse can do harm towards both directions. It is also possible for the horse to turn and run towards the leader. And how could more horses be separated from each other if one would lead them in this way? If a horse is used to be lead by the side, then it will do least harm to horses and men. Also for the rider it is useful, case he has to mount quickly.

For proper bridling, the groom shall go the left side of the horse, then throw the rein over the head and lay him upon the withers. The top band and the necklace he shall take with the right hand, but the bit with the left hand. When pulling the bridle over he must pay attention to the throatband. If the horse does not want to open the mouth, he has to put the bit close to the teeth and press with the left-hand's thumb against the jaw. Most horses then will open the mouth. If this is still not enough he shall press the lip-skin against the canine tooth and only very few don't take the bit if you treat them like this.

One must also tell the groom very clear, never to pull the horse with the rein when leading it, because this makes the horse on one side hard in the mouth, and further to hold the bit as far as possible away from the jaws. If the bit is to high, it makes the mouth thick and hard and therefore insensible. On the other side when the bit hangs loose down to top of the mouth the horse has the other opportunity to bite on the bit and so be disobedient.

It is very important for the horse to accept the bridle willingly, because a horse, that does not is finally totally useless.If you do not only bridle it up for work but also when leading it towards feed or when riding home after a training lesson, you need not be surprised, when it eagerly asks for the bridle, as soon as one shows it. It is also good if groom knows how lift his master onto the horse in the Persian way. So if the master once is ill or older, then he has somebody who helps him mounting.

Never treat a horse in anger is best teaching and custom for the horse. There is something thoughtless around the anger, so it will often result in something, you have to regret.

If a horse is shy of something, and does not want to go near it, one should teach it, that there is no reason to be afraid of the thing, either, which is best, with a stouthearted horse, or oneself has to touch that, what seems so terrible and frightening to the horse and then lead the horse close with gentle treatment. People who want to force it with strokes, cause him still more anxiousness, because then horses believe, when they receive a hard punishment near such things, the thing, they are afraid of, is the reason.

When the groom hands over the horse to the rider, so it is not a mistake, if the horse knows how to bring himself down, for being mounted more easily. Anyhow it is better, if the rider is trained to mount his horse also if the horse does not offer him this comfort. Because easily the time comes, once this, then another horse has to be mounted and not all are trained to make it easier for him.

Translation and Copyright
by Stefan Welebny 2000, All Rights Reserved