File:The family horse - its stabling, care and feeding. A practical manual for horse-keepers (1889) (14781190542).jpg

Identifier: familyhorseitsst00mart (find matches)
Title: The family horse : its stabling, care and feeding. A practical manual for horse-keepers
Year: 1889 (1880s)
Authors: Martin, George A., d. 1904
Subjects: Horses
Publisher: New York : Orange Judd Co.
Contributing Library: Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Tufts University

View Book Page: Book Viewer
About This Book: Catalog Entry
View All Images: All Images From Book
Click here to view book online to see this illustration in context in a browseable online version of this book.

Text Appearing Before Image:
operation is shown by figure 48, on next page. No horse should be clipped unless it is in sound health. If it issuffering from any symptoms of a cold or recent indisposition, theclipping must be postponed until health is fully re-established ; norshould any person have a horse clipped until he has provided all theclothing necessary for the clipped animal. Whatever may be said infavor of clipping or singeing under proper circumstances, the practiceis utterly indefensible unless the loss of natural protection is madeup by subsequent care and artificial protection. THE TAIL, MANE, ETC. The tail and mane were given to the horse both for use andbeauty. They are means of protection against the attacks of insectsupon those parts which the horse cannot reach with its teeth or feet.The tail also seems to act in some way as a sort of rudder when the 76 THE FAMILY HORSE. horse is in rapid motion. This may readily be seen by observing ahorse when running or trotting. The mane undoubtedly serves to
Text Appearing After Image:
protect the neck and throat from cold and storms. Yet man in hisefforts to mend nature deprives the horse of one and sometimesboth of these useful appendages. There is some excuse for shortening CLIPPING, SINGEING AND TRIMMING. 77 the hair of a saddle horses tail, for if left at full length it may soilthe legs of the rider. But there is none for amputating any part ofthe sensitive dock. The old idea that such a practice strengthensthe back-bone has no foundation in fact. As well might a manhave his ears cropped in the hope that it would increase his brain-power. Nicking or pricking is a painful operation, performed forthe purpose of making the horse carry his tail more elevated. It con-sists of cutting deeply into the under side of the tail, and then keep-ing the wounds open and inflamed by fastening the tail in an eleva-ted position. The operation is so severe that lockjaw sometimes en-sues. The desired object can be attained in a much more humaneway by fastening the tail to a cord r

Note About Images