SUMMEEING & CONDITIONING OF HUNTERS 79 



greatest possible care must be taken to thoroughly 

 dry this part after the removal of the saddle. The 

 time when the want of this protection will be most 

 felt is in the end of the season, just before the horse 

 begins to shed his winter coat. The hair is then 

 apt to rub off very easily with the least chafing, 

 and nothing will be left between the bare skin and 

 the saddle. 



The clipping of the legs is another vexed ques- 

 tion, and to a certain extent a matter of fashion. 

 Horses look smarter with the legs clipped, and are, 

 of course, easier groomed when wet and dirty ; but 

 my opinion is that the hair on the legs acts as 

 a certain defence against blow^s and thorns, which 

 are a frequent cause of lameness in the hunting 

 season. Some urge that, with the hair on, thorns 

 are much more difficult to find ; but I do not think 

 a good groom will ever have much difficulty in dis- 

 covering a thorn through the amount of hair 

 grown by a well-bred hunter. For appearances' 

 sake the legs can be singed, any long hair on the 

 fetlock being removed by the hand. A little resin 

 is all that is required for this, and an occasional 

 trimming with the scissors. 



Before leaving the subject of conditioning, I 

 will say what little I have to say on the question 

 of hunting-saddles. Before the season actually 

 commences, your groom should see to the stuffing 



