320 GROOMING. 



winter use. The animal sheds the former covering during the 

 autumn ; and the latter, during the spring. The hairs of the 

 fore-lock, mane and tail, and the long hairs about the muzzle 

 and eyes are not shed. Good grooming and the use of warm 

 clothing greatly tend to reduce the difference between the 

 summer coat and the winter coat. If, while the coat is being 

 changed in the spring, the brush or other means be employed 

 to hasten the process, the skin will become exposed to 

 undue cold, with the result (p. 18) that coarser hair will 

 be formed than would have been the case had the winter 

 coat been allowed to remain on for its usual period. Hence 

 the summer coat will be rougher than it would otherwise have 

 been, and its appearance may be more or less spoiled. There- 

 fore to prevent any loss of good looks in the summer coat 

 of their animals, grooms who have to study appearances, like 

 those in charge of fashionable carriage horses in the London 

 season, are generally careful to avoid brushing or hand- 

 rubbing the coat, while it is being shed during the spring. 

 The wisp and rubber, used in the direction of the grain of the 

 coat, will then be sufficient for grooming purposes. With 

 horses which are kept more for use than show, the season of 

 the year should make no alteration in the grooming. Besides, 

 as I have already indicated, the coats of horses which are well 

 groomed all the year round, will vary but little in texture. 



The colder the temperature of both the atmosphere and the 

 stable, the greater difference will there be between the summer 

 coat and the winter coat. 



GROOMING WORKING HORSES KEPT IN THE OPEN. 

 The question of grooming working horses that are kept in 

 the open, is one of atmospheric conditions, clothing, food and 

 state of the coat. We need here consider only animals which 

 are picketted outside, like many troopers on foreign service ; 

 because horses that are turned out during their intervals be- 



