NATURE OF CLOTHING. 289 



on a horse's coat is that obtained by health and good 

 grooming. 



We sometimes find that suitable clothing is useful in protect- 

 ing a horse from the attacks of flies, which are specially 

 irritating during the autumn and in wooded parts of the 

 country. This application of clothing is generally limited in 

 England to the employment in the open of a net to cover 

 the ears of harness horses. In hot countries, eye-fringes and 

 light clothing are in frequent use for this purpose. 



The benefit to be obtained by the use of clothing for develop- 

 ing condition is doubtful. I think it is safest in all cases to 

 trust solely to exercise and grooming to stimulate the skin 

 with the object of promoting health and vigour ; for, inde- 

 pendently of the consideration of the increased susceptibility 

 to chill, we have the fact taught us by practical experience 

 that the stimulation of the skin by clothing, particularly if the 

 clothing is heavy, has a debilitating effect on the animal. 

 In this case, the effect of clothing is similar to that of a long 

 (undipped) coat. 



NATURE OF CLOTHING. 



From the principles already discussed, we may see that the 

 clothing used for protection of horses from cold should be of a 

 material which, like a horse's coat, absorbs moisture readily, 

 and parts with it at a rate which will not unduly expose the 

 animal to chill. These conditions are admirably fulfilled by 

 woollen cloth, which is more absorbent of water than cloth 

 made from cotton, linen, or jute. As a material manufactured 

 from any of these vegetable fabrics is a more energetic con- 

 ductor of heat, and parts with moisture more readily than 

 a woollen one ; it is the more suitable of the two for summer 

 clothing. 



As clothing harbours dirt and various kinds of animal and 

 vegetable life, it should be kept scrupulously clean, so that its 



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