120 THE HUNTING FIELD 



third more work into the bargain, with half or less 

 than half the trouble to the Groom. 



Clipping used to be quite a trade, nay, it almost 

 threatened to become a " profession " at one time, so 

 high did the artists run up their prices ; but the hum- 

 bug of the thing is exploded, and prices are down. 

 With very few exceptions, all the fellows who go about 

 the country clipping are mere grooms and helpers out 

 of place, who can't clip a bit better than a man's own 

 servant. Then when they get into a house where the 

 master is weak enough to let them have wear and 

 tear for their teeth, unless they have another victim 

 in view, they are in no hurry to take their departure, 

 and a horse will serve them the best part of a week. 

 Travelling rat-catchers and itinerant grooms are things 

 that should be carefully avoided. It is a far better plan 

 for a master to keep a set of clipping scissors of his 

 own, and let a Groom try his " prentice " hand on a 

 hack or some horse that is not much wanted or seen, 

 than to take in one of these chance-coming clippers. 

 A grey horse, for instance, shows bad clipping less 

 than any, and a man must be a very numb hand if he 

 does not get into the way of the thing after going 

 over a whole horse. Besides, a man's own Groom 

 clips at his leisure, at those midday hours that are 

 consumed in the saddle room, in polishing that 

 eternal curb chain, Grooms always have in hand, or 

 ready to let fall, the moment they see " master com- 

 ing." A real clipper will clip a horse in a day, and 

 most likely charge a guinea for it, which, it must be 

 admitted, is pretty good pay. We have heard of two 

 guineas being paid in former times. 



Shaving is a still easier process than clipping, and 

 we wonder it is not more generally adopted. Any 

 man who can shave himself can shave a horse, and 

 shaving is attended with far less fatigue to the hand 

 than clipping. The veriest beginner can shave a 

 horse a day — the Groom, village barber, sexton, any- 



