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now someAvhat longer than that of the common saddle horse, and the 

 hair cut off square at the end. 



Military and draught Horses wear their full mane and tail flowing, 

 and Avith the capital sorts of the latter, and indeed with cart-horses 

 generally, it is the practice to leave the hair upon the legs and heels, 

 I readily agree to the uniformity in appearance of this, with the full 

 mane and tail, and that the full and whole suit of hair sets off the 

 majestic first-rate cart-horse, who beside, has, or ought to have, 

 a thorough attention paid to the cleanliness of his legs; but being an 

 old carter, I cannot help scouting the idea of theorists, that the 

 hair upon a Horse's legs preserves them from dirt, which it indubitably 

 encourages and harbours, and the difficulty of dislodging it from 

 beneath the mass of hair, is one great cause of the grease. The legs 

 of all ordinary cart and road waggon Horses, should be kept close-trim- 

 med like those of coach-horses. 



I have observed, that the hair under the chin and nithin ihe ears, is sijig- 

 ed off with a lighted candle. It is a villainous and totally useless prac- 

 tice, and no proprietor of a Horse of the considerate and feeling class, 

 will ever permit it, more particularly with respect to the ears. The 

 hair may remain within the ears, being clipped even and somewhat 

 below the level of the margins, without the smallest breach of 

 symmetry, or offence to the sight. This hair is intended by nature, 

 as a defence to the internal organs of hearing, against cold and wet, 

 and the intrusion of insects, dust, or any particles of matter which may 

 be afloat in the air. Farther, there can be no doubt, that the Horse, 

 accustomed as he is with us, to warm stables, and so liable to catch 

 accidental colds, must often be very disagreeably affected, by having 

 that delicate organ the internal ear suddenly exposed ; and it is a fair 

 supposition, that the list lessness and stupidity which we observe in some, 

 may arise from deafness induced by the silly practice now under re- 

 probation. There is yet another strong objection to the practice: 

 many Horses have such a peculiar dread of the lighted candle near 

 their ears, that they can never be brought to endure it, without the 

 most severe twitching and barbarous treatment, and even for weeks 

 after the operation, are extremely dangerous to handle; and should 



Y they 



