68 



THE liOKSE. 



preserving it ; it absorbs no moisture, and when the 

 horse is in health every hair is anointed with an 

 oily fluid, which imparts a beautiful gloss, and 

 repels moisture. 



The hair is shed in spring and autumn ; the win- 

 ter coat is much longer and coarser than that of 

 the summer, and requires more care to keep it in 

 order. 



Moulting, and the length and thickness of the 

 coat, are much influenced by stable management 

 and the weather. Horses that are much exposed to 

 the cold have longer and coarser hair than those 

 that are kept in warm stables. Moulting may even 

 be entirely prevented by heavy clothing and warm 

 stablmg. Grooms often hasten the fall of the win- 

 ter coat by extra dressings but this can never be 

 done without, danger from exposure in unseason- 

 able weather. 



The hair which grows on the legs of horses is 

 longer and stronger than that which grows on the 

 body, because those parts are more exposed to the 

 wet, and require a coarser protection ; it is always 

 longest in horses that are reared in marshy situa- 

 tions. 



The hair of the mane seems to add greatly to the 

 beauty of the horse, but it is only beautiful because 

 It is useful ; it protects the neck and head from flies, 

 and in the wild state falls equally on each side of 

 the neck. The hair of the mane and tail are de- 

 ciduous, but they do not fall at regular periods like 

 the coat. 



DOCKING. 



It has been supposed that the back becomes 

 stronger after the tail has been docked ; but the 

 supposition is without a particle of evidence, and it 

 is difficult to account for so gross an error. Some 

 writers assert that the tail of the horse assists him in 



