CUPPING. 195 



brought fit to look at by the first week in Novem- 

 ber ; but he will be at least by a stone a worse 

 horse than he was when he was turned out. We 

 are no friends to quacking in either man or beast ; 

 \>\it, knowing that mischief to horses so frequently 

 arises from a long respite from work in the winter, 

 unless some preventive measures are had recourse 

 to, we recommend the repetition of a light dose or 

 two of physic to the grass-fed hunter during frost, 

 or even during open weather, about Christmas — at 

 any time, indeed, when appearances indicate the 

 necessity for it. 



Having recommended the fashionable operation 

 of clipping to the grass-fed hunter, we will give our 

 reasons for having done so. Nine horses out of 

 ten, treated as he has been treated in the summer, 

 break out into a cold sweat, after work, during the 

 first part of the season, the natural consequence of 

 debility ; and the dew on their coat has all the 

 chilling influence of a wet blanket on their body. 

 The removal of the coat by the scissors, then, 

 although it is no remedy for the former, prevents 

 the ill effects of the latter ; which, by producing 

 cold on the surface of the body, occasions a deter- 

 mination of blood to the lungs, or other important 

 viscus, and is a great enemy to condition. Although 

 we deny the necessity of clipping a horse that has 

 been properly summered (for, admitting that he 

 may have a long coat, he will not in that case 

 break out after work,) we allow it the merit of ex- 

 pediting condition, by giving increase of bulk, and 

 promoting the vigorousness of the horses' renovat- 



