Grooming, Clipping and Blanketing 361 



follows : On arriving at the stable, if the horse's 

 legs are muddy, they should be roughly cleaned with 

 the half-worn broom. He should be placed in the 

 stall, fed, unharnessed and covered with a sweat- 

 blanket. When he has measurably cooled, remove 

 the sweat-blanket and let the hair dry. Then give 

 a thorough grooming, spending extra time rubbing 

 the legs in order to dry them and stimulate the 

 circulation. Now the horse should be blanketed 

 with a stable blanket. In the morning give the horse 

 a complete rubbing to remove the dandruff and 

 stimulate the circulation. Horses cared for in this 

 way will repay for the extra care many times over 

 in the satisfaction of seeing them come from the 

 stable in the best of spirits, as indicated by the 

 pleasing appearance, the snap and vigor with which 

 they lift their feet and by the complete absence of 

 any stiffness in the joints. Such care will decrease 

 the unsoundness and greatly increase the animal's 

 efficiency and prolong his usefulness. 



Clipping and blanketing. — There is much dif- 

 ference of opinion as to the wisdom of clipping a 

 colt in training as well as to the time of year it should 

 be accomplished. It is stated that clipping im- 

 proves the general appearance, renders the coat 

 more easily kept clean and that a clipped horse is 

 less liable to take cold than a long-coated one, be- 

 cause the evaporation is more rapid and the ani- 

 mal does not get so warm. While these statements 



