WOOLLEN BANDAGES. 67 



bandages if their legs are at all apt to ' fill.' 

 There are some horses whose legs never ' fill,' even 

 with the severest work. I believe that, except for 

 drying and warming purposes, it is better not 

 to bandage the legs of such horses in the stable, ' 

 and that their legs are kept tougher without them. 



Woollen bandages are sold of different colours. 

 Experience has taught me that the fawn-coloured 

 and white last longest. Saddlers have assured me 

 that the material is the same, no matter what the 

 colour may be. I can but conclude, therefore, that 

 the colour of the dye affects the material. The 

 white ones soon get dirty and discoloured, and 

 require to be constantly washed, and so wear out 

 sooner than they otherwise would. 



When not in use, all bandages should be kept 

 neatly rolled up, and should be well dried and 

 brushed before being put away. Brushing is 

 better than washing, as the latter is apt to shrink 

 them. All spare bandages, and everything of a 

 woollen nature which is used for stable purposes, 

 should be constantly overhauled and exposed to 

 the air and sun, in order to prevent the ravages of 

 moths ; and here I may as well advise the reader 

 to keep a small quantity of what is called ' naphtha- 

 line ' in the saddle-room. It is a white powder in 

 a crystallized form, very cleanly, and requires 



5—2 



