Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-02-04
Clipping Horses.

The Prairie Farmer, which is pretty
good authority in horse matters, has
the following article on the subject of
question, but this is fair presentation
of the negative side:
The practice of shearing horses is
quite popular in some Of the European
cities, and is not entirely without fol-
lowers in this country, and even in
Chicago. It is done in the fall and
winter, in order to produce the same
appearance in the winter as the short,
natural summer coat gives to the
carriage and driving horse in the warm
season and is claimed to exercise a
favora Die Influence on the health of the
animal, giving tone to the system, and
bracing in the constitution generally.
We are not sure thar the operation
in connection with the treatment which
such horses generally receive can be
defended on the score Of either beauty
or utility. 1t is violent, unnatural
operation to rob horse in November
of the protection which nature provid-
ed for him in the hair of his body
against the rigor of winter in this lati-
tude. 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 cir
cumstances, is doubted, and, iii a
large majority of cases, it becomes
simply barbarous outrage upon the
health and life of our most valuable
/ speechless servant. Spans Of stylish
carriage horses may be seen frequently
before our fashionable dry goods
! houses, waiting for their mistresses to
finish shopping, shlvering in the
breeze-the mercury down about zero
the driver too ignorant or too lazy
even to throw blanket over their
closely shorn forms. That pneu-
monia or some other fearful acute dis
ease does and must follow every such
brutal exposure is a reasonable GER
4 tainty. So much for utility. Ip re-
gard to beauty Few persons who
really love fine horse, and truly adj
mire his qualities, fail to find pleasure
in the soft, silky coat of high bred,
we'll -groomed horse in winter 1t is a
feature which every horseman expects
and values.
We have taken some pains to ascer-
tain who are the advocates of this
practice, and find that they may be
classed about as follows First, few
gentlemen who know very little of the
danger which attends it, and who are
really pleased with the change it makes
in the appearance of the animal. Sec
onl, few self-dubbed veterinary sur
geons, who, having been hangers on in
foreign stables, have come to this
" blarsted country full-fedged
"horse DOCTORS" anxious for practice.
But third and chiefly, lot of lazy,
presuming ignorant grooms, who are
not willing to rub dry the natural win
ter coat of a horse after he comes in
from exercise. It takes about fiji
teen minutes longer, and good
deal more honest work, to
groom the latter we'll, than 1t does to
dry out the former No consideration
of comfort Or health to the dumb
brute, or of the dumb brute, or of the
interest of the owner, enters INTO their
calculation. The long hair once wet
with perspirat1on, 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 evil
dence on the other. The clothing 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 prac-
tice will not become fashionable ;"
but should it be otherwise, we may
look for frightful increase of lung
diseases among horses subjected to it
harvest of employment for the doc
tors, and harvest of death to their
unprotesting victims.