American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-01-17
Clipping Horses.

THE practice of shearing horses is quite
popular in some of the European cities,
and is not entirely without followers in
this country, and even in Chicago. 1t is
done in the fall and winter, in order to
produce the same appearance in winter
rs the short, natural summer coat gives
to the carriage and driving horse in the
warm season; and is claimed to exercise
Il favorable influence on the health of the
animal, giving tone to the system, and
bracing up the constitution generally.
We are not sure that the operation in
connection with the treatment which
such horses generally receive can be de-
Tended on the score of either beauty or
utility. 1t is violent, unnatural opera
ton, TO rob horse in November of the
protection which nature provided for him
in the hair of his body against the rigor
of winter in this latitude. That it may
be done without serious detriment is
conceded but that one driving horse in
ten is so carefully handled as to avoid
serious danger to his health by exposure
under such circumstances, is doubted :;
and, in large ma ority of cases, it be-
comes simply a barbarous outrage upon
the health and life of our most valuable
speeches. servant. Spans of stylish
carriage horses may be seen frequently
before our fashionable dry goods stores,
ping, shivering in the breeze-the mer-
curry down about zero-the driver too ig-
norant or too lazy even to throw a blan-
ket over their closely shorn forms. That
pneumonia or some other fearful acute
disease does and must follow every such
brutal exposure, is a reasonable certainty
SO much for the utility. In regard to
beauty. Few persons who really love
fine horse, and truly admire his qualities,
of a high-bred, well-groomed horse in
winter. 1t is Il feature which every horse
man expects and values.
We have taken some pains to ascertain
who are the advocates of this practice,
and find they may be classed about
follows: First, Il few gentlemen who
know very little of the danger which at
tends it, and who are really pleased with
the change it makes in the appearance of
the animal. Second, few selfdubbed
veterinary surgeons, who, having been
hangers on in foreign stables, have come
to this "blarsted country" full-tiedged
morse DOCTORS" anxious for practice.
But third and chiefly, a lot of lazy, pre-
suming, ignorant grooms, who are not
willing to rub dry the natural winter coat
of a horse after he comes in from exercise.
1t takes fifteen minutes longer, and good
deal more honest work, to groom the lat
ter we'll, than IL does 10 dry out the IOrm-
err No consideration of comfort or health
to the dumb brute, or of the interest of the
owner, enters into their calculations. The
long hair once wet with perspiration,
must be thoroughly rubbed, or it will tell
the tale of neglect until it is, but few
passes of the cloth suffice to cover up all
such evidence on the other. The cloth
ing is thrown on almost Immediately on
the arrival of the latter at the stable, and
the work is done.
1t is sincerely hoped that this practice
will not become fashionable" but
should it be otherwise, we may look for
frightful increase of lung diseases among
horses subjected to it-a harvest of en-
ployment for the doctors, and a harvest of
death to their unprotesting victims
PraiTie Farmer