162 ON CLOTHING, ETC. 



horse's clothing is quite immaterial. As they cannot 

 be trained safely without them, I shall here speak of 

 their use, and describe how they are to be made. They 

 are to be worn at all times when the horses are at 

 exercise, and are, of course, for the purpose of pre- 

 venting them from injuring their legs; but more par- 

 ticularly when in strong work, by warding off the 

 blows they are apt to give themselves with their feet 

 in changing their legs, from being sometimes over 

 exerted in their sweats. Some horses strike the 

 fetlock joint; others strike between the fetlock joint 

 and the knee; and there are some few which will 

 at times strike very close under the knee, which is 

 termed " speedy cutting." The consequence of this 

 would be, if they had not boots on, that their legs 

 would become swollen, and highly inflamed ; and 

 as they would thence become lame, their work must 

 necessarily be stopped. However good and true a 

 goer a horse may be, it is highly improper that he 

 should go into strong work without boots, or indeed to 

 any sort of exercise, until his action is well known ; 

 not even to walk to the course to run, if it is a long 

 distance, should a horse go without boots. In fact, 

 there can be no objection to their wearing them at all 

 times when out, unless it is when they are im- 

 mediately coming up to the post to start ; they are 

 then to be taken off. Boots are on some occasions 

 useful on horses' legs, when they are in the stable ; 

 but this is with such of them only as are apt, when 

 being dressed, to throw their legs very much about in 



