The Horse 261 



can blood stock. Gray horses, even the dark- 

 est iron-grays and silver-roans, become white 

 with advancing years, or else grow flea-bitten 

 all over. Flea-bites, be it understood, are 

 little reddish-black spots sprinkled thickly 

 through the white coat. Like a hog's, a 

 horse's epidermis is colored to match the hairs 

 growing on it. The colored skin extending 

 underneath white hairs often makes shaded 

 edges to the white marks. A white star is a 

 lucky mark, so is one white hind foot. A 

 star and snip prefigures speed and kindliness. 

 A violent blaze, or a skewbald, especially 

 upon a long Roman-nosed head, bids you be- 

 ware. A symmetrical blaze along with a 

 tapering muzzle, is a good mark. The very 

 worst mark of all is four white feet. If the 

 four white feet run up to the knees in white 

 stockings, and are backed up by great height, 

 very high withers, and a bald white face, they 

 are the mark of Turcoman blood. Horses 

 shed their winter coats betwixt March and 

 May, according to climate and condition. At 

 grass the new coats get sadly sunburned — 

 you can hardly tell the most ebon-black, or 

 glowing bay from washy sorrel. In Septem- 

 ber they put on new, heavy winter coats, sleek 

 and full colored. In cities, and among fine 

 folk, the winter coats are snipped ofF with 

 clipping machines, so the horses may shine 



