Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1869-01-21
Blanketing of Horses.

surgeon, has favored us with some
observations upon this subject,
which are of special Importance at
this subject, which are of the year.
He believes that very much harm
is done by too heavy blonketiny,
supporting this view by sound
physiological reasons. a,l
The skin Of one domestic. as OF
all vertebrates, consists of two dis
tinct layers. The outer, or cuticle,
is composed of layers of round cells,
in which resides the coloring matter.
Though deprived of blood-vessels
and nerves, this outer skin has a
true vitality, and its proper funct-
ions.
The inner or true skin has more
perfect organization, Is more sensi-
tive, and is the real roofing place OF
the hair. 1t varies in thickness in
different animals, and in different
portions Of the same animal. It is
much thinner and more sensitive in
the thorough bred racer than in the
ordinary cart-horse On the interior
part of the thigh, the skin is thin
on the exterior, much thicker. The
hair, also, which is distributed over
the whole surface, varies in thickness
and length, as protection against
| cold is more or less needed. From
all domestic animals in a healthy
state there is an exhalation from the
surface of the skin called i7asenssble
transpiratiom. When this excretion
becomes sensible, by active exertion
or condition Of temperature, it is
called sweat.
Both forms of excretion are i'm
portant to the vital economy, and
vary greatly with the state of the
atmosphere, activity of the digestive
organs, and quick or long continued
muscular exertion. 1t is, if we may
use the language, sort Of Skin
breathing, by means of which foul
or unnecessary matter is eliminated
from the body, just as vitiated and
carbonized air is thrown off by the
lungs. Thus, sometimes this Gu
taneous Transportation will have the
odor Of urine: at other times latter
dosing), it will have the odor OF
sulphur. .-.-....... .,-5
This natural Transportation should
neither be checked nor should it be
excessively provoked. Heavy
blanketing in stables will very likely
make the hair lie smoothly (thus
saving some labor to the gro ON J,
and make the skin supple; but it
will open the pores unnaturally, and
make delicate horse fearfully sen
sitive to sudden shanges of temper
ature. 49,.
Nature very wisely provides a
thicker and more rapid growth Of
hair in the winter than in the sum
mer: and the disposition of the hair
to assume bristly appearance in
cold weather, however obnoxious to
finical tastes, is natures own adjust
ment of covering, to ward off dan
ger from cold, and to keep healthy
the pores of the skin.
.Grooms may rub as much and as
often as they will, but they should
4 not find an excuse for laziness ir
heavy and close blanketing.
Blankets of coarse wool are the
best, which permit free circulation
of air, and, if lined, they should bf
lined with a porous cloth. Buffalo
robes, used for this purpose, are
bad, and, if used at all, should bt
acitA the hair side do,cm, by which
means the vapor will be absorbed
by the wool, and not held in Gloss
contact with the sweltering skin o
the animal. a .2.l ga- ..=.E
i 1t is the poorest of all policies te
secure sleek, supple skin at thu
expense of constitutional vigor ano
native Hearth and Home