TRIMMING THE MANE AND TAIL 97 



hair level. The old plan of hogging the mane, so as to 

 leave a bristling ridge of hair, is tedious in execution and 

 has a bad effect, in that, instead of preserving the natural 

 outline of the neck, it gave the part an abnormally thick 

 and high- crested appearance. 



A switch tail may be trimmed in the same manner as 

 the mane. 



It is not the fashion to bang the tails of Arabs ; a fine, 

 thin tail being considered to be a mark of high caste 

 among them. 



Horses' tails ought not to be shortened after the 

 beginning of April, as their powers then will become 

 fully taxed in keeping off flies. They should not be 

 again trimmed before the month of October. 



The object of banging a horse's tail is to add to the 

 appearance of strength in his hind- quarters. The usual 

 length at which a horse's tail is banged is such that will 

 enable the end of the tail, when pulled down, to reach the 

 point of the hock. The more " cobby " the animal, the 

 shorter may be the bang. 



The following are three methods for banging the tail : — 



\st.— Get an assistant to place his hand under the dock, 

 and to hold the tail in a position similar to that which 

 it would assume were the animal walking; then, with 

 a strong pair of scissors, cut the hair level at the desired 

 length. 



%id. — Bind the tail round with a piece of cord, 

 about 6 in. above the point at which it is to be divided ; 

 then, with a sharp knife, cut so as to give the ends of the 

 hair the required slope. 



3?Y^.— Lay the tail, at the desired length, across the 



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