BLANKETING. 419 



period of service must be very short. The tribulations of 

 most owners is due to the fact that they are in very much 

 the same position as a blind man leading the blind. 



BLANKETING. 



It may be said that the majority of horses, in artificially 

 heated stables, receive too much so-called attention, that is, 

 they are over-clothed, and as a result they easily contract 

 colds when taken into the lower temperature of the out- 

 door atmosphere. In the spring and fall the sudden changes 

 from time to time make it necessary, or should do so, for 

 the servant to constantly alter the clothing. At these sea- 

 sons it is more than likely we find the horses sweltering or 

 standing chilled with cold legs -and ears. When the latter 

 conditions exist the coldness of extremities indicates that 

 the animal temperature is unduly lowered. 



Each horse should be provided with two kersey blankets 

 and a night rug, each weighing about seven pounds; the two 

 blankets to be used together as day blankets in the winter, 

 and over the rug at night time if the weather is very 

 cold. In spring and fall the blankets should be used 

 separately. For the summer season serge blankets are 

 preferable to linen sheets, as the former are cooler in 

 consequence of the texture of the material being more 

 open and its absorption of any sweat. Moreover, serge 

 sheets protect the horses from feeling the sudden changes 

 in temperature. 



The following table may be of service to the tyro in 

 directing his servant regarding the use of clothing for the 

 horses. Here again no hard and fast rules can be laid down, 

 but aside from special local conditions and circumstances 



