The Horse's Clothes 285 



better for either night or day use — which need no 

 surcingle, but carry their own body fastenings, 

 which hold them very fairly in place. Night clothing 

 for gray or white horses should be long, come well 

 down the sides, and be lined for two feet along the 

 edges with canvas or oilskin, that the wearers may 

 not be stained when lying down. Street blankets 

 should be square, very large and long, lapping far 

 over the chest, and should be caught together under- 

 neath the wearers that extra warmth may be af- 

 forded. Every horse compelled to stand about in 

 winter should wear a chest protector of carpet or 

 canvas, and it should fit him neatly. 



Bandages are usually rolled much too tight, and 

 it must be remembered that each fold binds the 

 others tighter, and may interfere with or stop cir- 

 culation. Let the average groom bandage your 

 horse, and you will find that in twenty minutes you 

 may stick a pin in his coronet and he will not feel 

 it, so completely is all sensation destroyed. If you 

 must bandage tightly, always wrap the legs in cotton 



