The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-06-17
The Horses Skin.

Who, says the Stock journal, does not s
admire the spirited horse with a thin,
soft skin and glossy coat? Who is not i
displeased with the dull horse, having 4
thick, hard skin, and coarse, harsh hair?
Who that has observed, has not noticed
that the qualities here indicated always
go with the kind Of skin with which we
have coupled them? The thick-i,ided
horse is dull, ploddilg beast, cften
very stupid, and caring little for any
sort of urging, including the whip. The
thick cuticle and coarse, stiff hair so
deaden the sting OF the lash that an or
dinary blow has little effect on the
nerves, and when the nerves are reached
the impression is faint and transitOry.
Goad one of these rhinoeeros- -hided horses
into brisk trot, and the gait win SUBJ
side into slew walk t.or mOnotonous
shack in less time than it took to get the
beast under extra melton.
On the other hand, strike thin skim
he'd horse sharp blow with whip and
he will jump as if suffering the greatest
torture, and become almost frantic. The
memory Of the blow will linger for half
DAY, and perhaps longer, for the ami
NAL acts as if in constant apprehension
| Of another cut from the whip, until you
have restored his confidence by kind
treatment. The veins will show through
such skin like whip-corls, and thu
tWitcliing will show that it is full Of
sensitive nerves, corresponding to the
manifestations Of life and spirit by the
horse. The skin is, therefore, a good
index to the character of tile horse, so
far as the exhibition Of life and energy
are concerned. Tss 81.
The old adage that "beauty is but skin
deep" though containing something Of
a sneer at beauty, is an acknowledge
ment of the high Office of the skin, and
of the fact that it is an expression Of
life, health and beauty. It is most em4'
phatically o tissue Of nerves and blood
vessels, which find in it their final and
minutest rami fcations. In ncsnseqnence
of its highly nervous and vascular char
acter, diseases Of the skin arsasnong tbs
most stubborn and difficult that pEysic-
ians have to encounter, and several to
this day defy all medical skill, whether
calling for treatment on man or beast.
1t is subject to arrangement from Inn
pnrities of the circulating fluids, AMI
sympathizes with all the other organs Of
the body. 1t is to the outward animal
organism, What the mucous membrane
4 is to the internal, and indeed the one il,
a continuation of the other, modified Iii
:, its character by its position and ths
Office it has to fill.
A This is why the skin IS an index Of The
!. life, health. and character Of the horse.
The hair is really an appenaage of tlis
{ skin, and corresponds With it I'M quail.
ity. So is it with the name, tail ami
hoofs, and a feyerisl condition of til,
4 skin quickly shows itself iii all These ap
! pendages. It IS imp pcrtant, therefore. /,
4 see that horse has i fine, piiabie skii
J and glossy coat. For these cembinu
ton, are to the chara acter 4 i Condition
1 Of the horse what The theru,omaser an,
g barometer are 10 the temperature iii.
!. hydro-m meteorolog gscal condition of til
atmosphere lloWanees niay be mad
Z for local and ransitory diseases, as III
! local traasitory states oEEg nla welltiei
2 underlying prineip piss Isniain \. saili
q ut MI times per care, gTopnlilis
q feeding md tlse off the horse Hiil hkeepi 4
NJ In good condition which will be ind
s 81 ssated by she ex praasioil of the aiin.