54 HAITDBOOK OF THE TURF. 



Clip. A speedy gait; a spurt of speed for a short dis- 

 tance; as a 2:35 clip. 



Clip. A projecting flange or claw on the upper edge or 

 surface of a horseshoe which partially embraces the wall of the 

 hoof, for its protection, and to assist in keeping the shoe in 

 place. 



Clip. A metal clasp or confining piece used to connect 

 the parts of a carriage-gear, or to hold the hook of a whippletree. 



Clipping" ; Clippers ; Clipping^-shears. The removal 

 of the coat or hairy covering of a horse ; clipping machines ; 

 shears for clipping horses. It is said that the practice of clip- 

 ping horses was introduced into England in 1825 by the army 

 officers who became acquainted with the art during the Penin- 

 sular war. In a most interesting work, published anonymously 

 in London in 1831, it is said: "In regard to the newly discov- 

 ered or invented practice of clipping and its supposed improve- 

 ments * * * such deviations from nature rarely do any 

 good." In former times clipping was done by ordinary hand 

 shears, and two or three days was required to clip a horse. 

 The new serrated clipping shears of the Newmarket, Brown, 

 and Clark patterns, were invented in 1875, and began to be 

 generally used in 1877. These clippers, or serrated knives or 

 shears, consist of a plate upon which are highly tempered ser- 

 rated teeth or fingers ; to the flat surface of which is attached a 

 duplicate movable plate having correspondingly fragile, comb- 

 like teeth, this movable half being operated or moved by the 

 hand, forming the upper arm of the shears, the stationary 

 plate resting u]3on the skin of the horse while they are in use. 

 These shears are now operated by hand, electric, and other 

 motors — by hand, being understood as meaning crank and 

 wheel power. The attachment of power to the shears is made 

 by means of a series of small cogs and eccentric joints connected 

 with a chain which plays through a rubber tube of indefinite 

 length, running over pulleys, and attached to the movable arm 

 or knife-plate of the shears, which are easily guided by the 

 operator, who clasps only the arm of the under or immovable 

 plate. By means of these power shears a horse can be clipped 

 in two and a half hours. 



The horse's coat should never be clipped until it is properly set. This is 

 known by tlie appearance of long hairs known as "cat hairs." 

 When they show these the coat may fairly be assumed to be ready 

 for clipping; and if carefully done, and great care is exercised, the 

 horse kept in a warm stable, etc., it is regarded as humane. — 

 Through the Stable and Saddle Room, Arthur T. Fisher. 



When you take a horse up out of his Avinter quarters, he will naturally 

 have an excessive coat of hair, his flesh will be soft, and with A-ery 

 moderate exercise he will sweat more or less. If the weather is 

 cold it is impossible to rub him dry, and he may sweat off the flesh 



