CLOTHING. 19 



walking exercise, or likely to be exposed to weather, or 

 for the purpose of sweating, when a couple of them, 

 with two or three sheets, may be used.— See page 32. 



Horse-clothing should be, at least once a-week, taken 

 outside the stable, and well beaten and shaken like a 

 carpet. 



Hollers should be looked to from time to time, to see 

 that the pads of the roller do not meet within three or 

 four inches (over the backbone), — in other words, there 

 should be always a clear channel over it, nearly large 

 enough to pass the handle of a broom through, so as to 

 avoid the possibility of the upper part of the roller even 

 touching the sheet over the spinal ridge, which, if per- 

 mitted, will be sure to cause a sore back, to the great 

 injury of the horse and his master, arousing vicious 

 habits in the former to resent any touch, necessary or 

 unnecessary, of the sore place on so sensitive a part, 

 and rendering him irritable when clothing, saddling, 

 or harnessing, or if a hand even approach the tender 

 place. 



This is so troublesome a consequence of not paying 

 attention to the padding of rollers, that a master will do 

 well to examine them himself for his own satisfaction. 



Knee-Gaps. — On all occasions when a valuable horse 

 is taken by a servant on road or rail, his knees should 

 be protected by caps. The only way to secure them is 

 to fasten them tightly above the knee, where elastic 

 straps are decidedly preferable, leaving the fastening 

 below the knee slack. 



A Leather Boot, lined with sponge, or one of felt with 

 a strong leather sole, should be ready in every stable to 

 be used as required, in cases of sudden foot-lameness. 



