STABLE MANAGEMENT. 67 



feet have been picked out. It is not necessary to do it as a matter of 

 routine, and whenever possible it should be done outside the stable. 



Horses at work take no harm from rain and may be ridden through Wetting 

 water with impunity, because the natural greasiness and subsequent ^""^T" '^^'^ 

 exertion of the journey keep up the circulation and warmth of the wetted harmful 

 skin till it is dry again. Occasionally horses which are turned to grass 

 will be found with cracked heels from wet and exposure to wind whilst 

 grazing, and the same thing may sometimes happen in camp ; but both 

 causes are infrequent as compared with washing. 



Clipping. 



Under natural conditions the horse's thick winter coat provides him 

 with an extra warm covering during the time that the weather is cold 

 and food scarce. The extra warmth of the long, thick hair, added to 

 the increased greasiness always found under a heavy ungroomed coat, 

 keeps the body warm and so helps considerably to maintain the weight 

 and condition. 



If, however, horses are required to work hard, the coat becomes a Clipping 

 positive drawback, adding considerably to the exhaustive nature of the improves 

 labour, keeping the animal in a constant sweat and preventing rapid working 

 drying of the skin after exertion— as a result it is found that a loss of Po^vers. 

 condition is inevitable. On the other hand, a clipped horse not only 

 maintains condition, but is capable of a greater amount of work with less 

 distress and is, moreover, dried and cleaned with much less labour and 

 risk of chills. There is, then, every reason why army horses should be 

 clipped if they are required to work during the winter ; the only question 

 to consider is whether the clip shall be whole or partial, and on this point Clipping 

 all are not entirely agreed. Horses working at a walk only are some- the bodj'. 

 times clipped " trace high," z>., on the legs and belly only, but this 

 method cannot be entertained for any horse which is called on to work 

 at a faster pace. 



It is the custom with many horse owners to leave a " saddle patch ' on Clipping 

 the back as a protection against saddle galls, and to allow the hair of the the back, 

 legs to remain untouched, with a view to preventing injuries from thorns, 

 or cracked heels. Experience, however, shows that while saddle patches 

 make the back sweat considerably, their value as a preventive of saddle 

 injuries is open to considerable question, and as far as troop horses are 

 concerned they should be dispensed with ; for if the hair is to be left over 

 the large area covered by the service saddlery, the object of clipping Clipping 

 cannot be fully attained. Leaving hair on the legs makes them harder to ihe legs. 

 (b 10948) E 2 



