The anti-monopolist. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1874-1878, 1877-02-08
Clipping Horses.

Clipping Horses.
This was done great deal in Eng
land, forty years ago. and shaving, too.
About forty five years ago was just
beginning to ride after the fox-hounds.
was a farmers son and kept nag or
two of my own, and met the Warwick
shire hounds "a subscription pack, the
Duke Of Beaufort's pack, and then
Col. Berkley's afterwards Lord Lea
grave. then Earl Fitzharding1. A good
many horses were shaved in the latter
end of September and beginning OF
October, carefully covered with linen
under the rug for the first week after,
and these would have an even short
coat Of hair; but quite number were
clipped in October and November, and
when nicely done, grays looked well
but it spoiled the gloss Of the black
ones and changed the shade of the bays
and chestnuts. However, for all quick
working horses, there was never any
question about the comfort to the ami
NAL and, more especially, the relief Of
the groom, for, of course, if the horse
had to stand anywhere on the journey,
a cloth and breast cloth, also, were put
| on just the same as on all short coated
horses, which have their hair remain
ing short, from being confined in the
stable early [Augustl and kept SO as to
prevent the growth of the hair.
| About thirty years ago singeing be-
came general, instead Of clipping, and
this was done with kind Of comb,
with teeth like a currycomb, and a
wick and oil running SO that the flame
would catch the hair as it rose from
the combing. Some used spirits Of
wine, but mostly naphtha, and this be-
| ing done once week, and commenced
as soon as the hair began to grow, took
off but little each. time. 1t was very
quickly done, and did not change the
color, and the first sweat after took
off the grooming, the peculiar smell,
etc, of burnt hair.
| In England this is doubtless still
done, and when horse is had up late
in the autumn, or from any other cause
| has very long coat, clipping is prob
ably still resorted to, because smuggling
can't be done evenly with long hair.
Cart, or what are here called heavy
draft horses, have nothing Of this kind
done to them, their hair is longer,
naturally, and they are never driven
SO fast as to. sweat much. Besides,
they lie in cooler stables, and have to
stand about often while cart or wag-
on is loaded, so that more hair is nec-
essary to keep them warm, and farm
ers in England, Of the first class even,
never think Of clothing their teams !;
for they all have their mag stables
totally distinct from the"cart STABLES, !"
and their saddle horses never have a
collar or, and their driving nags seldom
do aught on the farm, beyond, perhaps,
narrowing little in busy seeding
time.
In the Northern States of America,
for doctor, whose groom drives him
in his rounds, clipped horse is best,
because he can be driven very fast,
thus saving time, and the Groom can
carefully keep the clothes on, breast
cloth and hood, too, in cold spells or a
long stop, and he can stir him around
also, and SO in all cases similar to a
doctors work, or on regular stages, to
! coach or other vehicles, the clipped
horses are better for their own COM
fort and the groom's attendance, for
they are comfortable in few minutes
after being put in the stable, whereas,
with long hair, they will not dry and
break out sweating again, 50 that fell
low may .swork his heart out" and
they will look miserable.
WORKING FARMER.