432 THE HORSE. 



that protrudes beyond the edges. Among heavy horses even 

 this is unnecessary. 



Trimming the Muzzle a^td Face. — All round the muzzle, 

 and especially about" the nostrils and lips, there are long fine 

 hairs, scattered wide apart, and standing perpendicular to the 

 skin. These are feelers. They perform the same functions as 

 the whiskers of the cat. Their roots are endowed with peculiar 

 sensibility. They warn the horse of the vicinity of objects to 

 which he must attend. Tliere are several grouped together below 

 and above the eyes, which give these delicate organs notice of 

 approaching insects or matters that might enter them and do 

 mischief. The slightest touch on the extremity of these hairs is 

 instantly felt by the horse. They detect even the agitation of 

 the air. 



It is usual with grooms to cut all these hairs away as vulgar 

 excrescences. They can give no reason for doing so. They see 

 these hairs on all horses that are not well groomed, and perliaps 

 they are accustomed to associate them with general want of 

 grooming. Tliey are so fine and so few in number, that they 

 cannot be seen from a little distance, and surely they cannot be 

 regarded as incompatible with beauty, even though they were 

 more conspicuous. The operation ought to be forbidden. 



Trimming the Heels axd Legs.* — The hair of the fetlock, the 

 hollow of the pastern, and the posterior aspect of the legs, is 

 longer on heavy draught-horses than on those of finer bone. 

 It is intended to keep the legs warm, and perhaps in some de- 

 gree to defend them from external violence. It becomes much 

 shorter and less abundant after the horse is stabled, kept warm, 

 well fed, and well groomed. The simple act of washing the 

 legs, or rubbing them, tends to make the hair short and thin, 

 and to keep it so. Nevertheless, it is a very common practice, 

 especially in coaching-stables, to clip this hair away almost 

 close to the root. Cart-horses very rarely have the heels trim- 

 med ; well-bred horses seldom requh-e it. The hand-rubbing 

 which the legs and heels of these horses receive, keeps the hair 

 ehort, and it is never very long even without hand- rubbing. 



* The word heel is appUed to the back and hollow of the pastern. In this place 

 all that is said of the heels is applicable to the leg. 



