90 THE NOELE SCIENX'E. 



questioned, there is no doubt that he would ratlier be 

 with, than without, the dressing which reUeves him from 

 the incrustations of sweat and dirt, which he finds so 

 disagreeable, tliat you will observe him taking every 

 opportunity of rubbing his head, eyes, nose, and ears, 

 against any object within his reach, after severe exercise. 

 But if this dressing is necessarily protracted till mid- 

 night, because, on account of his great coat, he is con- 

 stantly breaking out afresh, it must be a source of no 

 little annoyance to him, and, moreover, materially inter- 

 fere w^ith his hours of repose. 



The best time for clipping is as soon as the winter 

 coat is set, which is commonly about the beginning of 

 November. A proceeding causing what I may term, 

 without intending a pun, so great and unnatural a 

 change of hahit, must not be undertaken without due 

 caution, in guarding against the ill effects which might 

 arise from so sudden a transition. Instances are not 

 wanting of lock-jaw, and other fatal consequences of the 

 chill which it may produce. I have, happily, never met 

 with any but the best results, having never neglected a 

 method which I consider as a security against the cold, 

 to which a horse, turned, as it were, at once naked into 

 the world, must be liable. Common sense wi]l tell you 

 that you must put on additional clothing in the stable ; 

 but this is not enough to prevent a horse from catching 

 cold the first time he is stripped in the face of a north- 

 easter. The preventive consists in taking care that he 

 aweatSy the first time he leaves his stable, after clipping. 



