DISADVANTAGES OF CLIPPING 243 



of a perseverance in keeping them upon hard meat, 

 and secure from the mischievous effects of the un- 

 restrained use of their legs, and the sudden, and 

 consequently dangerous, changes of this variable 

 climate — setting accidents quite out of the question. 



I have hitherto carefully avoided asserting anything 

 on my present subject but what has been the result 

 of experience in my own, or in some other man's, 

 stables ; and it is my intention strictly to adhere to 

 this prudent plan. I shall therefore (having tried 

 it) proceed to give my opinion of clipping the hunter, 

 which will only occupy a few lines. 



Were I to give a good price for a promising young 

 horse for the purpose of making him a hunter, and 

 keeping him for my own use, and a man were to come 

 into my stable and tell me he would give me one-third 

 of his value if I would have him clipped, I would refuse 

 his offer. I look upon clipping as nothing but a bad 

 substitute for good grooming, and an operation 

 attended with several disadvantages. In the first 

 place, when once performed it must always be re- 

 peated ; and in the second, it is a constant eye-sore 

 to a person who is fond of seeing his horses looking 

 well, as it effectually destroys that bloom on the skin 

 which is not only so beautiful, but also so confirmatory 

 of the sound health of the animal ; and lastly, by 

 depriving him of the protection which a short thick 

 coat, lying close to the body, affords him against the 

 scratching of thorns and briars, it very frequently 

 causes a horse to refuse rough places in a fence which 

 he would not have refused before. It is a remedy 



