vents biting; and when attached it serves to rob the horse of
opportunity for vice. (5)

(4) Cf. "Econ." xi. 18; Aristoph. "Clouds," 32.

(5) Or, "prevents the horse from carrying out vicious designs."

Again, care should be taken to tie the horse up with the halter above
his head. A horse's natural instinct, in trying to rid himself of
anything that irritates the face, is to toss up his head, and by this
upward movement, if so tied, he only slackens the chain instead of
snapping it. In rubbing the horse down, the groom should begin with the
head and mane; as until the upper parts are clean, it is vain to cleanse
the lower; then, as regards the rest of the body, first brush up the
hair, by help of all the ordinary implements for cleansing, and then
beat out the dust, following the lie of the hair. The hair on the
spine (and dorsal region) ought not to be touched with any instrument
whatever; the hand alone should be used to rub and smooth it, and in the
direction of its natural growth, so as to preserve from injury that part
of the horse's back on which the rider sits.

The head should be drenched with water simply; for, being bony, if you
try to cleanse it with iron or wooden instruments injury may be caused.
So, too, the forelock should be merely wetted; the long hairs of which
it is composed, without hindering the animal's vision, serve to scare
away from the eyes anything that might trouble them. Providence, we must
suppose, (6) bestowed these hairs upon the horse, instead of the large
ears which are given to the ass and the mule as a protection to the
eyes. (7) The tail, again, and mane should be washed, the object being
to help the hairs to grow--those in the tail so as to allow the creature
the greatest reach possible in brushing away molesting objects, (8) and
those of the neck in order that the rider may have as free a grip as
possible.

(6) Lit. "The gods, we must suppose, gave..."

(7) Lit. "as defences or protective bulwarks."

(8) Insects, etc.

Mane, forelock, and tail are triple gifts bestowed by the gods upon the
horse for the sake of pride and ornament, (9) and here is the proof: a
brood mare, so long as her mane is long and flowing, will not readily
suffer herself to be covered by an ass; hence breeders of mules take
care to clip the mane of the mare with a view to covering. (10)

(9) {aglaias eneka} (a poetic word). Cf. "Od." xv. 78; xvii. 310.

(10) For this belief Schneid. cf Arist