.^ 



428 AMERICAN FARMER'S HORSE BOOK. 



into an open lot, to spend the night in the rain, sleet, mud, 

 or snow, after several hours or an entire day of severe exer- 

 cise. There are many more such dangerous transitions, most 

 of them downright abuses ; but we have room to specify only 

 one additional, and that is bringing the horse suddenly into 

 a hot stable from a wintry atmosphere without, so cold that 

 he has been half chilled to death. 



To all these changes the horse is often exposed, and, in 

 consequence, often falls a victim to those diseases which they 

 have a tendency to produce, especially afiections of the lungs, 

 the skin, and the feet. If we are compelled or choose to 

 place our horses in such circumstances, we ought to aftbrd 

 them all the protection in our power. If the animal has 

 long to wait upon our necessity or our pleasure, it would be 

 much better to procure a stable for him to stand in mean- 

 while ; but if this can not be done, it would be an act of 

 both humanity and economy to aftbrd him the w^armth and 

 comfort of a good 



BLANKETING. 



No better investment can be made than the purchase of a 

 good, thick, and substantial blanket 

 for the horse's use during cold and 

 stormy weather. It should, of course, 

 be fitted with straps and buckles in 

 front, behind, and beneath, just back 

 of the fore-legs. 



A gum-elastic blanket might be so 

 constructed as to be thrown over the horse and cover the entire 

 harness or saddle. This will protect the latter from the 

 weather as well as the animal himself. It 

 would be easy to arrange it so that the horse 

 could travel with this covering, leaving 

 but a small portion of the harness ex- 

 posed at all. ' ' , 

 In a state of E'ature, and upon ordinary 

 occasions, even in his domesticated condition, the horse is 

 sufficiently provided for by his natural clothing — the hair. 



N V 



•*••«' 



