118 STABLE ECONOMY. 



The horse requires no preparation. For several days after, 

 he must be well clothed both in the stable and at exercise. 

 He may be ridden the next day, but he must not be exposed 

 while naked, wet, or motionless. He should not be cHpped 

 when unwell. If he have any cough, sore throat, discharge 

 from the nose, or tendency to shiver after drinking, these 

 should be removed before he is clipped. He should not have 

 any physic immediately before nor after. When he goes to 

 the forge or to exercise after the operation, he should be well 

 clothed. A double blanket, a hood, and breast-piece, are 

 requisite. 



Utility of Clipping. — Some people dislike the appearance 

 of a clipped horse ; and it must be confessed that while some 

 are improved by the operation, others look very ill. Never- 

 theless, it is to please the eye that clipping is performed. So 

 long as nothing was said against the practice, it had no higher 

 pretensions. They that first tried it had no other object. 

 They did not expect it to exercise any influence upon the 

 comfort or health of the horse, and they did not recommend it 

 as contributing to either the one or the other. But at a later 

 period — that is, after the operation had been patronised by 

 those whom it would be sinful not to imitate, attempts were 

 made to show that clipping did something more than to please 

 the eye. It was urged, and with perfect truth, that it dimin- 

 ishes the labor of the groom, and prevents the horse from 

 sweating in the stable. As if this were not sufficient, other 

 arguments were brought forward in favor of clipping. It was 

 said that the horse becomes lighter by a pound, about the 

 weight of the hair he loses ; that the stomach, bowels, liver, 

 and lungs, derive some benefit from the extra dressinir which 

 the skin obtains, in consequence of being more easily reached 

 • by the brush, and that the horse perspires less at his work. 



Much of what I have said upon trimming is applicable to 

 clipping. If the owner can not suffer a long coat of hair, and 

 wiU have it shortened, he must never allow the horse to be 

 motionless while he is wet, or exposed to a cold blast. He 

 must have a good groom and a good stable. Those who 

 have both, seldom have a horse that requires clip[)ing, but 

 when clipped, he must not want either. A long coat takes 

 up a deal of moisture, and is difficult to dry ; but whether 

 wet or dry, it affords some defence to the skin, which is laid 

 bare to every breath of air when deprived of its natural cov- 

 ering. Every one must know from himself whether wet 

 clothing and a wet skin, or no clothing and a wet skin, is the 



