288 CLOTHING. 



it has served its purpose, and a dry protective covering, applied. 

 After removing the second protective covering previous to 

 work for instance, it is well to stimulate the circulation of the 

 part by friction, so as to prevent the occurrence of chill. 



As a rule, clothing is necessary for preserving the cleanliness 

 of a horses coat in the stable, in the event of his lying down on 

 his droppings or on contaminated portions of litter. In this 

 respect its utility is self-evident. 



The judicious use of clothing aids the action of food in 

 maintaining the temperature of the body. A portion of the 

 food digested by the horse is expended in keeping the body 

 at a more or less uniform degree of heat (about 99.5 F.). As 

 this temperature is considerably higher than that of the 

 atmosphere in cold weather, and as the body undergoes a 

 continual process of cooling by radiation and by evaporation; 

 protection by clothing will help to diminish this loss, and will 

 consequently cause a saving in food. If the weather be warm 

 or if the amount of clothing be excessive, the use of clothing, 

 instead of being economical, will, by over-stimulating the skin, 

 cause loss of weight and possibly debility. We may therefore 

 conclude that the employment of clothing in this respect may 

 be limited to that which will be sufficient as a protection 

 from chill. 



Grooms are greatly addicted to the use of clothing for the 

 production of a glossy coat ; because this form of polish can be 

 obtained without the expenditure of "elbow grease," which 

 entails more or less hard work. We may be quite sure that 

 the coat which owes its sleek appearance to the effect of an 

 inordinate quantity of clothing, to residence in a hot stable, or 

 to both these influences, will " stare " far worse and much more 

 quickly under the effect of a cold wind, than one which has 

 been produced under healthy stable conditions ; because the 

 skin of the former is more susceptible to chill than that of the 

 latter. We may safely conclude that the only legitimate gloss 



