The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1875-01-01
Horse Clothing.

A great many more horses are prema-
turely worn out by neglect than by hard
work. Cold kills more than work dos
Sudden chills, when they are warmed mn
by severe exercise, ruin numberless
horses. In how few stables can a good ser
OF blankets be found? These are al
ways seen In the stables OF valuable horses.
Dul rarely elsewhere. But a cheap horse
feels and suffers from sudden changes a.
lnuch us costly one. and humanity calls
Tor proper care of such a one as much as
Tor any other. Nor should the lap-robe or
the buiialo-robe. with which the driver
protects himself, be used 10 cover the
horse while he stands for short time
ms conveys the disagreeable smell of the
animals not always clean skin 10 the
clothes, from which il is plcntifulIv
evolved and difiused when a warm room +
entered. The horse should be provided
with blankets for its special use. These
need not be costly. and may be easily made
at home. pair of coarse, heavy brown
wool blankets, costing 50. will make a
very serviccable suit OF horse clothing
The clothing should bemade in two parts.
one to cover IN back from the withers To
the crupper and reaching beneath the belly.
and another 10 cover the neck and throat
both should be lined with gunny cloth 10
strengthen them. The neck and chest of n
horse are very sensitive parts of the ami
NAL. aud need ample protection as well as
the body. The body clothing should be
made OF two pieces, cut so as TO admit of
TWO CORES; one short, narrow one upon
the rump, and one longer, wide one al
the wthers. There should be cnt 80
that the blanket fits smoothly to the curve
of the back, else il will not lie in its proper
place, but will slip down and gather in
wrinkles in the middle OF the back. A
saddle piece of stiff cloth should be stitched
upon the blanket, and two Sits worked I'M
1t upon each side. through which the girth
Is placed TO retain it in its place. Two
straps and buckles should be stitched I'm
ftont 10 fasten the blanket close upon the
chest. and il should be bound with broad
strip of colored flannel. The throat-piece
should be carefully cut to fit the neck. and
be made low enough To lap over the
blanket for several inches. A strap is fas-
tened TO 60 across the forehead To hold the
covering IN its place. and Others are at
tached by which IL Is fastened beneath the
throat. This part of the clothing should
be bound and trimmed 10 match the
blanket. These coverings should not be
worn in the stable. but only out of doors.
when the horse is exposed 10 cold winds,
or when 1t is standing after having been
warmed by work. No stable should be so
exposed as to make il necessary TO blanket
A herse when within il. Stables should be
light and warm, and ventilated in such
manner as not 10 throw cold drafts upon
the horse. Pure fresh air in the stable.
il may be of low temperature,
will so nvigorate the circulation of horse
that no protection beyond its own natural
covering will be needed, even in the cold
sst winter weather. IL i when brought
)ut from the still air of the stable into the
,utting winds that the animal needs COW
ring. or when careless driver leaves him
after a brisk drive, standing i'm
/ December snow-storm while he is warm
ng himself before a hot stove.