BEDDING. 17 



elastic, and to lace at the side. The laces may be 

 made of whipcord, or, better still, of strong waxed 

 hempen thread. For " brushing," or " speedy-cutting," 

 leather guards should be sewn on to the inner side of 

 the cloth. The same precaution may be used to pro- 

 tect the back tendon with cross country horses, 

 especially, when schooling. 



When putting on boots, care should be taken that 

 the upper and lower straps should be buckled looser 

 than the middle one, or pair, according as there are 

 three or four of them. 



Bandages are best for support, boots for protection. 



Cloths are commonly employed in England instead 

 of bandages ; they are formed of stout " box 

 cloth," sewn down the side of the horse's leg, 

 and are not removed. I think bandages, which are 

 properly put on, are much superior to them in every 

 way, especially in the facility they afford for hand- 

 rubbing, or fomenting the legs. Besides this, irritating 

 substances, picked up from the ground, are apt to get 

 inside the cloth and hurt the leg. This is especially 

 the case when animals are galloped on tan. 



Bedding. Long wheaten straw furnishes the 

 softest and most comfortable bedding for the horse, 

 especially, if he be without clothing. Oat straw is 

 brittle, so does not last as well as that obtained from 

 wheat. Horses rarely care to eat rice straw, which is 

 far from being economical to use, as it very quickly 

 breaks up. With respect to horses eating their 

 bedding, see page 39. 



If it be desired to prevent a horse from eating his 

 bedding, the straw may be damped, and kept in the 



