OPERATIONS OF DECORATION. 105 



than those kept in warm sta-bles, or those that are more in the 

 stable than in the open air. If the horse be kept warm an J 

 well fed, his winter coat will be very little lono^er than that 

 of summer, and it will lie nearly as well. Moulting may 

 even he entirely prevented ; heavy clothing and warm stabling 

 will keep the summer coat on all winter. The horse, how- 

 ever, must not be often nor long exposed to cold, for though 

 he may be made to retain his sunnner coat till after the usual 

 period of changing it, yet it will fall even in the middle of 

 winter, if he be much exposed to winter weather. Grooms 

 often hasten the fall of the winter coat by extra dressing and 

 clothingf, in order that the horse may have his line summer 

 coat a liule earlier than usual. This, especially when the 

 spring is cold and the horse much exposed, is not right, for 

 it generally makes the summer coat longer than if it had not 

 appeared till the weather was warmer. 



The long hair which grows on the legs of some horses is 

 doubtless intended to answer the same purpose as the short 

 hair of the body. It is longer and stronger, because the parts 

 are more exposed to cold and to wet. It is always longest in 

 horses that are reared in damp or marshy situations, where 

 the grass is luxuriant, and the soil charged with moisture. 

 Such pastures are necessary for the large draught-horse, who 

 consumes much food, more than the light racing-horse, to 

 whom the scanty herbage of a dryer situation is sufficient. 

 But, independent of this, length of hair upon the legs is pe- 

 culiar to particular breeds. It is always long in draught- 

 horses and Highland ponies, and short in blood-horses wher- 

 ever they are reared. On the legs of thorough-bred horses, 

 the hair is not much longer than that on the body, with the 

 exception of a tuft at the back of the fetlock-joint. This is 

 termed the foot-lock. It defends the parts beneath from ex- 

 ternal injury, to which they are liable by contact with the 

 ground. When very long, good grooming, good food, and 

 warm stabling, always shorten the hair of the legs. 



The hair of the mane has been regarded as ornamental, and 

 it is so ; but to say that any part of an animal was conferred 

 for the sole purpose of pleasing the eye of man, is almost as 

 much as to say that all were not created by the same Being. 

 Had the mane been superfluous to the horse, we could have 

 been made to admire him without it. God has made it pleas- 

 ing to us, because it is useful to him. In a wild state the 

 horse has many battles to fight, and his neck, deprived of the 

 mane, wonld be a very vulnerable part. It is likewise a part 



