196 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



we know, are shorn in the months of February and 

 March, and are exposed to the air with impunity, 

 which has often excited my surprise. Some days, 

 however, should always elapse between clipping and 

 work. 



The value of any acquisition is only to be estimated 

 by its usefulness. Never having tried clipping, I 

 cannot speak from my own experience ; but I have 

 been informed that horses so treated will do their 

 work better, and come round sooner, than they did 

 before ; and I think it is easily accounted for. I was 

 told that a master of fox-hounds had tried it in his 

 stable with the best effect ; and having had the 

 honour of being introduced to him in the spring of 

 1824 at Messrs Tattersall's, he confirmed what I had 

 heard. It is a very nice operation, and requires much 

 practice and no little skill to do it well ; but as Nature 

 is not easily imposed upon, it is always to be detected. 



