SINGEING — S/CE WBALD 



Singeing is not as necessary as clipping is, but it adds 

 considerably to the smart appearance of a horse after he has 

 been clipped, and is useful in removing any ridges of hair 

 which the scissors or clippers may have left on. Moreover, 

 if an animal is singed every ten days or so after he has 

 once been clipped, a second clipping will be unnecessary, 

 and as the former operation, in the hands of a skilful man 

 is quicker than the latter, time will be saved as well as 

 the coat being kept down to a serviceable length. It is 

 much better and safer to singe by means of gas than a 

 naphtha lamp, but sometimes it is impossible to do so. (See 

 Clipping.) 



Sitfast. — A warble which has been neglected or badly 

 treated is liable to develop into a tumour, usually but not 

 invariably hard, which may cause trouble if not attended to. 

 The only thing to do is to have it cut out by a skilled 

 practitioner, for though the operation is not a very serious 

 matter, it will leave a disfiguring scar if not conducted 

 properly. (See Warbles.) 



Size. — The size of horses is a rather indefinite term, as 

 it is usually applied to the height, without taking either 

 weight or bulk into consideration. This, of course, is 

 misleading, and it would be far better if the American 

 practice of giving an animal's weight as well as his height 

 were practised in this country. Otherwise, a totally wrong 

 impression may be formed of a horse's size, as a i6-hand 

 animal may be high on the leg, narrow and deficient in bone 

 and muscle, or else very high at the withers, from which 

 point the height is taken, whilst a 15-hand one which is 

 shorter on the leg and lower at the withers may in reality be 

 by far the bigger horse. (See Evolution, Height, Measuring^ 



Skewbald. — A horse marked with patches of any colour 

 excepting black on a white ground is described as a skewbald. 

 (See Colours, Piebald). 



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