SECRETARY'S REPORT. 167 



ing the whole body so as to leave the hair only about an eighth 

 of an inch in length. It is claimed by those who advocate this 

 singular practice that their horses perspire less freely, are less 

 inclined to colds and coughs, look much better and are more 

 easily cleaned. In a recent standard English authority upon 

 the horse, these operations are very highly recommended and 

 are said to promote the free escape of perspiration, to render 

 the skin soft and moist, to increase the endurance, wind and 

 health of the horse and to cause a very considerable saving in 

 the amount of food necessary to keep him in good condition. 



The process of clipping with scissors, or singeing with a lamp, 

 is very tedious and troublesome and requires much skill on the 

 part of the operator. It is not probable that the people of Mas- 

 sachusetts will generally adopt the custom of paying ten dollars 

 per annum to have their horses deprived of their warm coat 

 provided by nature to protect them against the inclemency of 

 our cold and variable winters. 



It must not be forgotten that a horse may possess all the 

 outward excellencies of the model roadster and yet be worth- 

 less from some defect in his internal parts — his nerves, heart, 

 lungs or digestive organs. The real speed, or bottom, or value 

 of a horse can only be determined by actual trial. Hence the 

 necessity, besides the desirableness upon other accounts, of a 

 suitable track for the proper exhibition of those qualities which 

 distinguish very fine horses from their inferior, though perhaps 

 more beautiful competitors, at agricultural fairs. 



It often happens that a horse with some obvious fault of 

 structure is gifted with surprising swiftness or endurance, 

 because the exceeding perfection of his other parts enables him 

 to perform admirably in spite of this defect. As it is impossi- 

 ble to tell by the looks of a toad how far he can jump, so we 

 know that horses have run, or trotted well in almost all forms. 

 Thus Bay Middleton, pronounced to be the best racer of the 

 last forty years, was of such shape that an excellent judge of 

 horses declared that, if such a rail as this horse was, should 

 win the Derby, he would eat him and his shoes afterwards. 

 Yet he did win, not only the Derby, but every other race in 

 which he was entered. 



The famous racer, Eclipse, was also a horse of this kind, as 

 his history shows. He was foaled dnring an eclipse of the sun 



