14 HORSES : 



lars, the worst things possible. That is to say, of two 

 evils which may present themselves they choose the 

 greatest, or as between a good and an evil they choose 

 the evil, by following blindly the prevalent " customs 

 of the country " — doing all this year just as they did 

 last, combating and even resenting the suggestions of 

 those who essay to introduce innovations. A single 

 illustration will serve to show my meaning and possi- 

 bly add to the comfort of some of my equine friends : 

 A horse comes to stable from a sharp drive, perspiring 

 freely, the steam rising like a heavy mist about him, 

 and the " go-by-rule " hostler, in the kindness of his 

 heart, as soon as the harness is removed (a rubbing 

 down being just then impossible, perhaps), throws 

 the woolen blanket, perhaps two of them, if in severe 

 cold weather, over the steaming animal, and leads 

 him to the stall ; and he will do this — even his em- 

 ployer would direct it — in the very face of the sug- 

 gestion from a bystander that the effect is to saturate 

 the blanket almost as though dipped in water, so that 

 within half an hour the condition is precisely as 

 though the boy had thrown a wet blanket over him 

 at the start. A few minutes on the stable floor, or in 

 his stall, unblanketed, would change the whole phase 

 of the subject, and then the dry, warm _ blanket 

 would remain dry. Of course the question remains 

 open as to the desirability of blanketing horses at all ; 

 there is much to be said on the side of leaving him 

 in his natural coat, much depending, however, upon 

 other considerations affecting the question. Again, 

 a horse is observed to have lost his appetite, his hay 



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