The grooming is always at the picket-line, except in stormy weather.
Each driver, whether on guard or not, grooms his own horses, under the superintendence of his chief of section. Supernumerary horses are groomed by a detail of cannoneers under the direction of a corporal, who is assigned to this duty. In each platoon the horses of the chiefs of section are groomed by a cannoneer, who is permanently detailed, both horses being attached for grooming purposes to the section to which the cannoneer belongs. The trumpeters groom their own horses under the direction of the first sergeant.
At evening stable-call each man examines and cleans out his horse's feet, and sees that the shoes are in good order. Horses requiring shoeing are reported to the proper non-commissioned officer, who notifies the stable sergeant.
Each horse should be groomed not less than twenty minutes, beginning with the near horse. If any horses are not properly groomed they will be left at the picket-line, and groomed by their drivers under the direction of a non-commissioned officer of the guard.
In garrison, when there are no available prisoners, two or more men, called the stable police, are usually kept at work between morning and evening stable-calls in removing manure, policing generally, feeding, etc.
In horse-batteries stable duty is conducted on the same principles, with such modifications as the nature of the service demands.
GROOMING.
Take the currycomb in the right hand, fingers over back of comb; begin on the near side at the upper part of the neck, thence proceed to the chest, arms, shoulders, back, belly, flank, loins, and rump. Then go to the off side, taking comb in left hand, and proceed as before.
The currycomb is applied gently, and is used only to loosen the scurf and matted hair; it is not used on the legs from the knees or hocks downward except to carefully loosen dried mud.
Next take the brush in left hand, and change currycomb to right; begin at the neck on the near side, and proceed in the same order as in currying, brushing also the parts not touched by the comb; on the off side take brush in right hand, currycomb in left. In places difficult to clean apply the brush backward and forward, finishing by leaving the coat smooth. After every few strokes clean the brush from dust with the currycomb.