being hogged, and to cut forwards; the
hair will be cut much smoother, and a neater job made of it than when
standing on the ground at the side.

Ragged Legs.

If the horse is not clipped, the long hairs at the back of the legs look
very unsightly. They should be pulled out, not cut off. If a little
powdered resin is rubbed on the finger and thumb, the hair will stick to
it, and come out much more easily, and the legs will have a smooth, even
appearance, which can never be attained if they are cut off with scissors,
no matter how carefully this is done; there will always be jagged ridges
left. The long hairs under the jowl can be singed off by passing a lighted
candle under the jaw once or twice. If the horse is at all frightened at
the candle, he can be blindfolded; but the operation is so quick, that
generally it is all over before he is aware of what is being done. The
long hairs on the muzzle and chin can be clipped off with a pair of
ordinary scissors. If the horse is not clipped all over, attention to
these one or two little details make all the difference in his appearance,
and in his being turned out smart, or the reverse.

Trimming Tails.

The tail should be grasped close to the root with one hand, which is run
down so that the hairs are all gathered together, and a string or tape
tied round below the fleshy part at the tip. The tail should then be drawn
out straight, and the hair cut off with a single sweep of a sharp knife
just below where the string is tied. The blade of the knife must be long
enough to give a drawing sweep, which an ordinary pocket-knife will not
do. There is nothing better for this than a sharp native sword, or
"tulwar," as it is long enough to cut through all the hair at one stroke;
or, failing a sword, a sharp carving-knife will do, the longer in the
blade the better. Any uneven ends of hair that remain can afterwards be
trimmed off with a pair of scissors; or, better still, by a pair of sheep
shears. Tail-cutting machines are sold with an arrangement to fix the hair
of the tail with a clamp, on which there is a sliding cutting-blade. These
cut the hair off very smoothly and evenly; the only drawback is that they
are somewhat expensive, costing about Rs. 16 in Calcutta or Bombay.

Clipping.

Arabs and many country-breds carry such fine coats that they do not
require clipping, but most Australians and colonials do; and if the coat
is at all inclined to get long and thick, it c