216 THE HORSE. 
HorSE-CLOTHING varies in make, quality, and price, from the small rug, 
costing about 6s., to the complete suit of body-clothes, which will be 
charged for by first-rate saddlers at the rate of about six guineas or seven 
guineas. Rugs are made of the same materials as our household blankets, 
dyed according to taste; and between the quality of those used by small 
dealers or liverymen, on the one hand, and in well-appointed private 
stables on the other, there is as much difference as between a workhouse 
blanket and a “ best Witney.” The former are small, thin, and light, easily 
‘torn, and soon wearing out; while the latter are large, warm, and tolerably 
stout and enduring, though not being twilled, like the serge used for body 
clothes, they tear much more readily. An undyed coarse serge is now used 
in many livery stables, which is cheap, strong, and enduring; but it shows 
every stain, and is not calculated to please the eye. If rugs are used, they 
will be found to last much longer when bound with strong galloon; and 
it is an excellent plan to have them made, as they now frequently are, 
with a projecting piece on the off side in front, which wraps round the 
breast of the horse, and buckles over the near side, so as to protect this 
part of the horse, both indoors and out. A roller, well padded, to keep 
the pressure off the backbone, completes this kind of clothing; but 
in well-managed stables, it is customary to keep two rugs, one for the day 
and the other to be put on at night. The object of this is not only for the 
sake of appearances, but to enable the groom to keep the inside as well as 
‘the out dry and clean. A rug which is constantly on the horse soon 
becomes matted with hair, scurf, and sweat, which must occasionally be 
brushed, or even washed off; for without this the insensible perspiration 
constantly thrown off by the horse’s skin has not a sufficient means of 
escape. The suit of body clothing is made of thick, strong, and warm 
serge, and consists of a quarter-piece, a breast-piece, and a hood. The 
quarter-piece is cut so as to cover the body of the horse, and the two sides 
do not meet in front, so that an open space is left to be covered by the 
breast-piece, which somewhat resembles a short man’s apron in its form, 
and is buckled to the quarter-piece on each side of the withers, where the 
latter has a strong piece of leather stitched on, to enable it to stand the 
drag. The hood is cut to the shape of the head and neck, having holes 
for the eyes and coverings for the ears, resembling those organs in shape. 
The muzzle is uncovered for about six inches, and a strap apd buckle con- 
fine the hood to this part; while a number of strings tie it under the 
angle of the jaw and below the neck, in such a way as to let it loosely 
overlap the quarter-piece and breast-piece. All these three divisions are 
neatly bound, and the whole looks well upon the horse, when nicely put 
on with the roller buckled smoothly over the quarter-piece. A cord is 
sometimes used to confine the quarter-piece behind, when there is much 
wind. It is simply attached oa each side, so as to le beneath the tail 
across the quarters of the horse. Bedy clothing is made of different 
degrees of stoutness, according to the time of year when it is to be worn. 
Racehorses, which are not intended to be trained during the winter, do 
not require such stout clothing as hunters, and their sheets in the summer 
are made of very light serge. Brown-holland is not fit for any season, for 
even in our summer the nights are often unexpectedly cold. The follow- 
ing are the prices at which good rugs and clothing may be obtained fit for 
private use :— ’ 
Sas 
Horse Blankets, 9 quarter, extra heavy Facer a= oviide =o meraee Dg cen) 
Ditto, cut outatmeck, “2s ys a se te ete eee a) 
Ditto, ditto, 8 quarter, extra heavy . 016 0 
