Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1879-03-14
CLIPPING HORSES.
A Chat With the TonsOriaI Artist Of a
Stable.

Cincinnati EnQuirer.l
"See that mouse-eolored horse in
the phaeton?" asked a horseman of an
Enquirer reporter yesterday.
Yes what about him2
This morning that horse was nearly
as black as your hat see his color
now"
What changed his color p
THAT horse was clipped to-day,
said the horseman. "The process OF
clipping changes the color Of a horse
so much that you would scarcely be-
lieve it was the same animal"
Taking this pointer the Enquirer
man dropped into a Sixth street stable
where horses are clipped to see if there
was anything new to be learned on the
subject.
The operation, which removes a
long rough coat and leaves one as
smooth as silk, is performed with two
Implements clipper" which works
on the same principle as those used by
BARRIERS, and a pair of shears, the
blades of which are bent slightly.
'How long does it take you to clip
a horse2P was asked Of the ~tOnsorial
artist of the establishment.
About five hours, steady work
do you get many to clipP"
THE season is just opening up
new, and / think we will soon have
all we can handle. The operation is
growing in favor, although for a long
time there was a widespread preju-
dice against it. 1t will not be long
until everybody will have their ami
mails clipped, because it makes them
look 50 much better, and they are so
much more easily groOmed and kept
clean. Then you can see what a
horse is. Take the long hair off of
him, and he shows up like a thorough
bred, even if he isn't one. Now,
here's a horse | clipped Yesterday -
and he brought a blanketed animal
from a stall. See his legs. Every
bone, muscle and vein shows up. He
looks a hundred dollars better
This animal was also a mouse-color.
and the artist was asked if all horses
were that color when clipped.
"A brown, a bay and sOrrel are near
ly mouse-colored when the old hair is
cut of. There is some difference in
the shade, but not much. A chestnut
sorrel is the incest color when clipped.
Clip a dark chestnut sorrel horse. and
if he has any style about him at all
he's a beauty. / used TO drive a team
Of clipped chestnuts, and they at
tracted more attention than any team
| ever saw
What change does ii make in the
color Of an iron-gray?"
1T makes a very great change. You
couldn't tell he was a gray. Here's a
bright bay | am working on now, and
he removed the blanket from a horse
tied 70 a post in the stable floor.
When this horse was clipped he was
a light fawn color.
The artist got his clipping-machinc
and shears, and went to work 10 show
how the operation is performed. The
clipper is u over the horses coat
like a lawn-mcwer over the door-yard.
while the handles are manipulated az
ter the fashion Of a pair Of shears.
The machine does all the work ex-
cent around the tanks, throat, ears
and other places where it can not bo
operated. Here the shears arc brought
into use.
The horse then being operated upon
was n Of the few that didn't like II.
II was necessary 10 put a " twister'
IN his nose and strap up ono fore ,lee
to keep him from kicking. Some ami.
mails rather enjoy the process. and
stand perfectly quiet under II. "Ign't
a horse liable to catch cold after being
clippedy'
Keep him blanketed Cor a short
time afterward, especially when he /,
standing still, and il won't hurt him 4
particle, I've clipped horses IN Tho
dead Of winter, and they didn't take
What good does it do to clip q
horse, anyhow
1T makes him look pretty, make
nm feel better, and then you can keer
nm clean, which is everything with 4
horses feeling and doing well Ors
man can clean a dozen clipped horses
easier than he can clean one that /,
not clipped. You needn't use a coml
on them at sll-nothing but a stif
brush and a cloth"
What is your fee tor the opera.
Five dollars"