CAEE OF THE FEET AND LEGS. 93 



should be slackened, and he should be walked about 

 until he cools down, and then the wisp should be 

 applied, beginning first of all at the part under the 

 saddle. 



I have never found the slightest ill-effect accrue from 

 .removing the saddle immediately the horse comes in, 

 however heated he might be ; provided always 

 the skin under it was thoroughly well dried without 

 delay. 



Shedding the Coat. The horse sheds his coat 

 twice in the year in the autumn and in the spring. 

 At the former time, his fine summer hair falls out, to 

 be replaced by a thicker and longer covering, which, in 

 its turn, gives place to the other. If, while the coat is 

 changing in the spring, the brush, or other means, be 

 employed to hasten the process, the hair-follicles will 

 become prematurely exposed to the action of the air, 

 and, consequently, will become stimulated to secrete a 

 coarser form of hair than they would have done, had 

 their natural protection remained on for its allotted 

 period. Hence, the new summer coat will be rougher 

 than it ought to be, and its appearance will, conse- 

 quently, be more or less spoiled. On this account, 

 when the coat is being shed during that time, the brush 

 should not be applied to it, nor should it be hand- 

 rubbed. The wisp and rubber will then be sufficient 

 for grooming purposes. 



In India, the shedding of the coat of horses that are 

 well groomed and warmly clothed, takes place to a far 

 less extent than in England. 



Care of the Feet and Legs. The horse's feet 

 should neither be washed nor " stopped ; " for the 



