THE COMPLETE HORSE DOCTOR; CONTAINLNG THE HABITS, DISEASES AND MANAGEMENT ^^2 J OF '^^^ ^^^^^^ IN THE ; J^i^TABLE AND ON THE ftOAD; tice of druggfing, or of giving them water of tho mo?< 40 THE HORSE. filthy condition, would speedily cease. One would almost imagine at times, that ostlers were of opinion that water cannot be too dirty, and that it is so much the better if harness has been washed in it, or if it has been mixed with dust, rancid oil, or blacking. With some grooms, nay, even owners, soapy water, in which the legs of other horses have been washed, is not considered unwholesome. Now, the fact is, the horse is quite an epicure in his water ; he will undergo the utmost deprivation before he will drink anything uncleanly ; but, as drink he must, if he cannot obtain the pure element, he gradually be- comes inured to any nauseous mixture that may be placed before him. He would be too happy in his servitude, if he could even get enough to satisfy his thirst of the abominable liquids with which ostlers are too much in the habit of supplying him ; but, no; the stable-keepers, fancying to show off their own superior acquirements, deny him this miserable gratification. It would be superfluous to show the various ways in which dirty water must be injurious to the and- mal's health ; but there is one absurdity so glaring, and which is so clearly illustrative of the bad con- sequences arising from stinting the horse of this in- dispensable beverage, that it must suffice without going more into detail. Why is nitre given in the horse's water] " Because," you reply, "I observe my horse to be feverish, and I, therefore, give him the nitre to prevent his drinking too much, and for the purpose of removing the fever." How do you expect the nitre to operate 1 " By increasing the secretion of the kidneys, thus lessening the quantity of blood." This is the meaning of what an inquirer would be told by stablemen and those who put faith in such authorities. The extreme folly of this sort of reasoning may be plainly exemplified. In a full state of health, the veins and arteries must always Tilt: HOUSE. 41 have a certain distention, or, in other words, the fluids and sohds must bear a relative proportion to one another. Nitre diminishes fluid, and in what way is it proposed to recruit this expenditure of the animal juices ] Does not the increased thirst of the horse indicate as plainly as nature possibly can, the cure of fever ? Crive the ^liraal as much water as he will drink, when he lias fever upon him : it is better than nitre ; the fluids v/ill become thinner and the end desired answered. But will it act upon the bowels and purge the horse 1 Yes, and upon the kidneys also, and will most likely carry away all traces of fever. Good, but purging weakens the horse. This is a mistake. While there is fever the horse must be weak; remove the fever, and he becomes again strong ; or to be more explicit, any deviation in the pulse from the natural standard must cause weak- ness; restore the pulse to the natural standard, and the horse, or the man, no matter which, will become well. The water, therefore, in the sense in which we are speaking, acts particularly as a tonic, reco- vering the strength of the horse, by reducing his pulse to its proper state. Water, regarded in any respect, is a tonic. Let a bountiful supply of it consequently not be deemed adverse to the health or constitution of the horse. It completely drives away fever, not allowing this insidious disease to work about the frame until it permanently settles in the feet or attacks the lungs. Neither with a due supply of water need a horse be sent to grass to prevent his hecommg groggjj. Give him plenty of this element, and not over-drive him, with ordinary care in other respects, and he will be almost certain to preserve his feet and body cool, his coat good, and his eyes perfect ; in short, he will be sound and healthy. 42 THB HORSE. STUMBLING. When tliis is not the consequence of malformation of the horse, it is to be prevented ; and even if the make of the animal be such that he cannot avoid falling vv^hen he is leg-wearied, it is to be relieved, and leg-weariness eased, by, attention to the prece- ding observations on food, mashes and water. The strength and courage of a horse are sustained by a sufficient quantity of nutritive food. Mashes serve to keep off that low fever, which, if not prevented, ultimately ruins him. But water has more than all to do with the prevention of fever, by assisting the proper digestion of the food. What pain and fever will not indigestion produce ! Yet the horse is de- nied the proper use of the important functions of the stomach, by being stinted of his cheapest aliment, water. At the hazard of a little repetition, it must be repeated, that water dilutes the blood and fluids, and by promoting the natural secretions, is most important in preventing fever. No horse will become painfully costive, if due attention be paid to him in this particular ; and here again, every one must be sensible that the regularity of the bowels is essential to the preservation of health. Now, horses subjected to good treatment in the way prescribed, will be infinitely less liable to that slow fever which is the sure precursor of inflammation of the feet. But this disease once generated, the poor horse is obliged to step short and on his toes, as well as often to drop from sheer pain at every stone he steps upon; when, if he happen to be leg- weary at the same time, from long toil,, down he goes, to the great annoyance and mortification of his owner. When a horse is first observed to stumble, stop- ping and serge round the feet (as described at page 20) should be tried. Give him a short allowance of THE HORSE. 43 water at night, and as much as he will drink just before starting in the morning. The adoption of this plan will answer the purpose of a dose of physic, and will probably prevent inconvenient stoppages on the road, for the express purpose of giving him medicine. Should this, however, not answer the end desired, the feet should, at the same time, be bathed in warm water, and wet woollen bandages applied to them immediately. Leather soles put on for one shoeing, will also be of service. If leg-weariness be the cause, and the directions given in this work should fail, physic to relieve the inflamed muscles and over-wrought tendons, or turning out to grass, are the only remedies. But when a horse is phy- sicked in order to make him fresh for work, his losing of flesh must not be regarded, and then he will soon recover. He should be fed almost wholly on wet bran, and given one dose of moderately strong medicine almost before the other is set, that is, nine or eleven days will be required for the three doses. SWEATING. As much stress is laid upon the sweating of horses by stable-people, and is often made one of their ex- cuses for laziness in not giving them more water, a short space cannot, perhaps, be better employed than in explaining its uses, particularly as there seems to be an unaccountable dread of the secretion of the juices in the animal. Perspiration is a wise provi- sion of nature to moisten the skin, as well as to pre- rent fever, when the blood is forced into violent circulation by exertion. Water, therefore, by dilu- ting the fluids, and enabling this process to go on more freely, keeps down fever. This is another of the horse's best friends, but condemned by the sta- blemen aR his enemy, because it occasion e ihem a 44 THE HORSE. little more trouble in cleaning ; pa.-ticularly, if ho should be a tliick, long-coated one, and horses of this description are iriost liable, from shortness of breath, to feel a quick pace. Not but that it would be much better, if, when the horse begins to per- spire, the pace were slackened, until be becomes cool again : for when the animal is urged into a violent sweat, the probable issue is a violent fever, if profuse perspiration does not come to his relief. The danger is where this secretion is not in propor- tion to the exercise the horse has undergone. Even when in a state of perfect tranquillity, with the pulse at its ordinary beat of about forty vibra- tions to the minute, the insensible perspiration of a horse, in good condition, is very great. The loss of so much moisture must be repaired, or there would be too considerable a draught upon the fluids, and a proper degree of health could not be maintained. But the pores are again replenished by an adequate quantity of water. As well might a horse be ex- pected to bear up against all the wear and tear occasioned by his work, without food, as to suppose he could endure a waste of fluids without injury, unless something supplied their place. SHOEING. Where the feet or hoofs are very strong, it is always best to drive the horse through the summer months, with only tips, or half or three-quarter shoes, as the case may require. When the latter is used, the inside heel is to be free from iron. Corns and thrushes are often cured by this treatment, the heels much opened, and the feet altogether improved. But to no kind of foot is it of equal advantage as to the very strong, crusted, contracted, brittle foot, which clever stablemen, in order to make it last for ever, have spoiled by their oils and their stoppings ; thereby THE HORSE. 45 preventing perspiration, thickening the horn, and pro- ducing fever. They make the hoofs so naiTOW that the horse steps w^ith pain, and so brittle, that they can hardly be got to hold nails enough to keep on their shoes. This sort of foot cannot be kept wet enough ; but w^hen it has been subject to this vile treatment, it may be brought round by the following means. Never allow the feet of your horse to be oiled, or blacked, or polished. Either is extremely injurious, and is never done but by lazy fellows, vvho wish to make the hoofs appear as though the proper labour had been bestowed upon them, when the reverse has been the case ; but even in this they do not always succeed, and what is it to them if they ruin the horse ] What can look nastier, on a fine dry day, than these oiled hoofs, covered with dust, as they must be, before they have been on the road five minutes '? On wet days they are as bad ; the black- ing looks better for a few minutes longer ; but if the hoofs be narrowly examined, it will probably be found they have only been half washed, and then bedaubed over to conceal the remainingr Jiit. Oilins: also makes it more difficult to wash the hoofs clean, and so the oiling grooms do not attempt so arduous a task. But by putting wet serge round the horn of the hoof, a more beautiful appearance is attained, than can be conceived by those who have never seen it. Why should we seek to hide the horse under thick coats of injurious substances? Is not the horn of the horse, when smooth and clean, a pleasing object? Little dust will adhere to it, when not doctored, and that little may be brushed off in a moment with a rubber or pocket handkerchief; but not so when the hoofs are blacked or oiled. The mud may also be removed from so smooth a surface, with the utmost ease, by a wet sponge, or any other substitute. These 46 THE HORSE. considerations do not escape the groom who under- stands his business and performs his duty. But when you have to deal with tea-kettle grooms and ostlers, (and these are the class of people designated stablemen in the present work,) nothing but the eye vOf the owner of the horse can produce any effect upon them. They consider not the good of the ani- mal itself, nor have they any laudable pride in the appearance of the horses they turn out of their sta- bles. If the latter pass muster at all, that is all they care about ; and the less knowledge of horses their owners possess, the more advantage they take of them. Never buy a horse with pummice soles, for any other than slow purposes. This is a disease which has been brought on by violent inflammation of the feet, destroying that support which ought to subsist between the sensitive part of the foot, and the crust through which the horse throws all his weight upon the sole of the hoof, pushing it downwards, and rendering him subject to severe concussion at every step. A horse of this kind is, therefore, unfit for travelling, as it is impossible to tell w4iere, or how Boon, he must unavoidably be left behind. It is an excellent plan, particularly in cold weather, when a horse comes in heated, to have his feet and legs (but not higher than his knees) washed with warm water, and then a bandage put round the legs till they become dry. If the bandages be dispensed with, then should the legs be rubbed until all exter- nal moisture has been removed, especially in the fetlock. This will always prevent cracked heels, and where symptoms of these have already been observed, they may be mostly cured, in two or three days, by an application of an ointment, consisting of a little burnt alum and hog's lard. If, however, they should not get better, under this treatment, in the course of four days, just wet the chaps with vinegar THE HORSE. 47 and a slight admixture of blue vitriol. Under proper care, the cracks will be washed clean and rubbed dry the moment the horse gets to his resting place, and the above application is used immediately after- wards. All persons travelling on the road should carry with them one of those shoes which are nailed upon a leather-sole, and fastens on with buckles and straps, in case of accident; such as in the event of the horse oven'eaching, i. e. treading with his hind shoe upon the fore one, and tearing it off; or lest a shoe should come off from any other cause or circumstance, which in remote districts, and where farriers are scarce, may occasion much inconvenience and an- noyance, as well as injury to the horse. It may probably happen that you have to travel miles before you reach a farrier's, and in the mean while, the unfortunate hoof becomes so broken that a nail can- not be driven into it, or so bruised as to need a poultice, or else a day or two's rest. Whereas, by being provided with one of the shoes above descri- bed, it may be readily buckled on, and it enables the traveller to proceed with comfort and safety, without loss of time, anxiety or yexation. Where the hoof is broken, there is only one remedy, that of getting the horn to grow again as quickly as possible; and the speediest method of effecting this object, is always to keep the hoof wet. THE MOUTH. Much of the satisfaction which a horse is capable of affording his master depends upon the way in which the latter manages the mouth. As the lasting qualities of the horse, as well as his temper, his ap- petite and endurance, the safety of life and limb, all depend, in great measure, upon judicious treat- ment in this important respect, no apology is neces- 48 THE HORSE. eary for offering a few observations on this branch of the subject. Not that any remarks here made will materially serve to teach the science of the hand in the application of that science to the mouth of a horse ; but what is of much more consequence to men of business on the road, a few words may pos- sibly answer the purpose of enabling them to obtain a more entire control over such horses as fall in their way. The man of business has no time to devote to a study of this description, and even if he had, without the assistance of a competent instructor, he would be at the best sadly imperfect. Nor would tie, with every advantage from books and teachers, acquire a knowledge of it on the road. Any attempt CO gain experience in it there, would only have the effect of knocking the horse up and wearing him out; exemplifying the wisdom of Lord Pembroke's ad- cice already quoted. It is, therefore, chiefly to the aian of business that these instructions are addressed, ii^et others may derive some benefit from them ; those for instance, who have not the inclination to study the various peculiarities and tempers of horses, and who would submit, not only to nat^iral, but to ac- quired bad habits in them, rather than take the least trouble to avail themselves of the means sup- plied by nature herself of curing their defects, de- veloping the beauties of their shape, or improving their paces. The same reflections may also be ser- viceable to another class of persons, who expect one horse to perform the work of two or three. With regard to making the mouth of a horse, or teaching him any thing new, or improving his paces, the first thing to be observed is, that he must be fresh, and only taken out of the stable for a short time at every lesson, while being taught, and until he is completely fixed in that lesson, or all the labour will be vain. It is the mode of teaching them that makes horses which caiTy themselves well, valuable; Titi: irvKSi:. 49 tmd because tlierc are few qualified to teach, and still fewer to use them judiciously afterwards : but if once set by a good hand and accustomed to a good jockey, it will be long before they lose the habits they have been taught. But if only recently set, and then put to hard work, under an inferior hand, their good carriage will speedily vanish. This is also another reason, in addition to those already adduced, for preferring aged horses — the age re- commended for work — as the can'iage they have at that time they will probo.bly continue to retain, un- less dreadfully overworked indeed, or used in a way contrary to nature, instead of being left, as recom- mended, as much as possible to themselves; for the best carriage in the world may be easily spoiled. First, then, as you cannot accommodate your hand to the horse's mouth, nor are able to make his mouth acquainted with your hand, furnish him with a bit in which he can go comfortably ; then let him keep on at his natural pace, never urging him forward, except you find him coming joitli'ui your hojid ; that is, if he keeps himself from letting you feel that he is touching the bit, do not make him press hard upon it, as by so doing he would l>e knocked up. To urge him to pull one or two pounds at your hand is pull enough. Keep- in mind the words of Lord rembroke already quoted, *' Do not mind how the horse carries himself, so that he carries you." The. grace and elegance of a parade horse would soon be lost, if he had to perform journeys. It would be impossible for the dancing master, if compelled to work as a ploughman, to preserve his elasticity of gait. Why, then, expect it in the horse ] Rather use mild bits thaiji severe ones, less harm resulting fi'om the former than the latter. 50 THE HORSE. SADDLE AND HARNESS GALLS. It is highly important that the harness should be properly adjusted, leaving room under the bearing hook of the saddle, and bet^yeen the latter and the wither, to put in one finger easily, when the saddle is pressed hard down to the horse's back ; otherwise the nut of the hook may press upon the back-bone, which will most probably produce a sore back ; even should he not be thrown down and bi-eak his knees into the bargain. Slight pressure in this part is often the cause of stumbling. Care should be taken that the pannel stuffing be kept soft and smooth, which may readily be done by causing it every now and then to be dried by the fire, or in the sun, and then beat with a stick. These ixiinute directions to some may appear trifiing, but those who have been plagued with a horse ^v'ith a sore back for some months, toge- ther with the repeated chargers for fresh stuffing, &e. &c., will not be unthankful for the knowledge of a preventive. Neither should the saddle press on the back-bone at the hind part, or eurtle, as this would occasion the hoi'se to drop behind, and sometimes to lame him. It is better to have a collar rather small than large. A large collar is sure to wring the horse^s neck; a small one never will. Should a horse, how- ever, have a swelled back, the place should by all means be bathed for some time with moderately hot water, and the pannel-stuffing diied and beat as above directed. It would be well to bathe the shoulders with alum and cold water, till the swelling Bubside ; and as the sv.^elling is occasioned either from the inside of the collar being dirty, or fiom being too large, let the inside be well washed, or the collar altered as circumstances may require. The collar should always be what saddlers call false lined with baked horse hair, which will rendei THE HOUSE. 51 _ it (the collar) soft and pleasant to the shoulders. Should a buckle chafe in any part, remove it; or if this cannot be conveniently done, let a safe be placed under it. In order to cure a sore back, where the skin is off, bathe the place every morning with warm water, and also at night, when putting up ; taking care, after each bathing, to apply a little ointment made of hog'A lard and burnt alum, spread on a piece of linen ; (the full size of the sore ;) and then be careful that the pannel be so charnelled as to prevent chafing. A few days will effect a cure. Again : if, from friction, the neck should become raw before any injury is observed, no time should be lost in bathing it with warm water, and rubbing in the alum ointment, which may be obtained at any chemist's. But mark, the collar must be prevented touching the sore. When warm water is mentioned, it is not meant to be more than temperately warm, and not so hot as to scald ; yet still as warm as the animal can conveniently bear it; for it should be remembered that water only moderately hot to the hand, may be sufficiently so to scald the horse. A breechen should always be used, in order to prevent the crupper cutting the tail, in descending hills. The crupper should also be loose ; a tight one will often provoke a horse to kick ; even where the tail is not rubbed into a state of rawness. It is proper to observe that the front of the winkers be kept wide enough from the eyes of the horse» This precaution will prevent the winkers pressing upon and inflaming the eyes ; and at the same time prevent him seeing behind them, as he mostly can when they are tight in front. It is better to have the weight thrown off the back, than upon it; that is to say, let the shafts at the back- hand be rather too high than too low. It should always be particularly observed whether the back- S2 T^IK HORSE* „ hand ai.d tugs are in good order ; as also the traces, which take the splinter at the eyes, and at the buckles. The reins are also of first-rate importance in the trappings of the horse. Nothing can be more neces- sary than to see that the tongues of the buckles be well tied before they are used, as they not unfrequent- ly give way even in new reins. Next in importance to the reins is the brace, which holds the splinters to the body of the chaise ; for if the brace should give way, and let the splinter come against the hocks of the horse, he is almost sure to kick and run away. The shafts, particularly if made of lancewood, should occasionally be examined about the step, and thence to the backward tug. BAITING. In travelling great distances, it will be better to ba it about every ten miles; let the horse then have a few mouthfuls of hay and as much water as he chooses ; with a feed of corn and water at the end of every twenty or thirty miles ; making the intermediate distances as convenient as possible. The horse will be rarely incapacitated, so long as he retains his appetite ; and, if thus fed, he must be exceedingly overworked (provided he has any pluck and be properly driven) if he lose his appetite. There cannot be greater folly, or something worse, than in boasting of having driven a horse fifty miles a day witliout halting. To say nothing of the cruelty of such usage, "what state must the horse be in the next day ] How long can he endure such treatment % And in what condition would he have been under a course of discipline such as is here recommended 1 It would be well for the thoughtless to ponder these questions. Others say that their horses will not feed upon a journey ; if so. it is useless to take them out. But what is the reusoii of their not feeding — mis- management. This mismanagement originates either in the stable, or consists in over driving, or in inflict- ing unnecessary puiiishment by the whip. Horses coming under this description, i. c. those who reject their food when on a journey, are generally nervous and of high mettle ; but if mismanaged, they become not worth anything ; properly treated, they are very good animals. The foregoing directions are given upon the hypo- thesis that the horse has been treated by the rules laid down in these pages. Should, however, this not be the case, the only difference to be made is, to allow him as many (go dowjis) swallows of water, from five upwards, as his previous habits may war- rant ; but, under any circumstances, let him not be restricted in wa,ter, until lie is inclined to eat. Should he not be inclined to eat without an immediate quan- tity of water, drive slower for the next few miles. Six quarts of water, in many cases, will not inconve- nience a horse more than a glass of beer would a man. It is scarcely necessary to observe, that attention to frequent baiting is ihe more nece.-sarv in winter. Some persons object, on accoui-t of losing time, to baiting too f»freii. Tins obieciion, however, is per- fectly frivohtus. 'i'o call at an inn dt)or, and get the ostler to undo the cuib, and have the brldoon taken out of the mouth, while the horse drinks and eats a few mouthfuls of hay, need not occupy more than three minutes ; while the rene^^'ed freshness of the animal will amply compensate the delay and the ex- pense. Persons who are so unfeeling as not to be able to aflbrd time to bait their horses, find <\mple leisure to refresh themselves much lonoer than it would be necessary to reinvigorate the partially ex- hausted frames of their faithful and hard-working nags. Besides, attention to the natural wants of a horse must of course ['reserve his vigour, and \\\ 64 TB£ HOR8&. crease his ability to perform liis daily duty. To neglect a matter so impoitant as that of supplying a proper quantity of food, is the same as deliberately contriving the destruction of the poor animal. Under all circumstances, therefore, if the traveller desires to preserve the health and mettle of his horse, he will always refresh his nag when he needs refresh- ment himself. It is proverbial, that a good master is always merciful to his beast. BROKEN KNEES. Persons who have travelled much have probably observed, that horses accustomed to road-work, par- ticularly if they should come under the description of those which are let out to hire, or those belong- ing to commercial travellers, are frequently broken- kneed. If you inquire of these traffickers in horses the reason of so many animals being blemished in this manner, they will generally give the most unsa- tisfactory answers. They tell you it is by throwing the horse down, but which is a phi-^se appro2)riate only in certain cases. By over-working a horse, and so making him weary on his legs, he will 2:)robably fall, and so far the phrase of throwing him doivn may not be incorrect. It is scarcely possible to throw down a good horse under proper treatment, but, under contrary usage, it is equally difficult to keep him firm upon his legs. Those who pique themselves on their superior knowledge of horses, are precisely tlie persons who are the most liable to meet with accidents to their nags; because the knowledge of such persons is always shallow, and rather vain-boasting, or pre- tence, than otherwise. Paradoxical though it may seem, the worst as well as the best horsemen meet with the fewest accidents by falls. A good rider or dliver allows his horse to go as he pleases; the ani- THv: HOK61:. 55 mal, therefore, does not fatigue himself uselessly; as his master exercises the precaution of taking advantage of circumstances to assist him as much as possible. A bad rider is too timid to play tricks with a horse, and the animal is consequently, from a very different cause, left much to his own way, and thus there is the less liability to accident in this case. But the self-conceited rider, or driver, mars nature, checks the animal in his step, ultimately renders him what is termed tied in the shoulders, and is always keeping him on the fi*et. The result is, that the horse becomes leg-weary much sooner than he would otherwise be, and hence he is more apt to stumble and fall. But if you ask a gentleman of the descrip- tion alluded to, why he thus keeps his horse in a continual fidget, the answer would probably be, that it is to keep him up. But as accidents, from a variety of causes, will be ever occurring to horses, it will not be irrelevant to say something as to the mode of cure, as well as the means of prevention. In the case of injured knees or falls, as soon after the accident has occurred as possible, the knees should be well bathed for some time with hot water, even though they should not be grazed ; as this timely precaution will tend to prevent swelling from a bruise. If the knees should be cut, they should be well washed and cleansed from even the smallest particle of gravel they may have received. Let them afterwards be well bathed for a moderate period ; but no grease of any kind should be applied to the wounded part. If the cut be not deep, a little burnt alum, finely powdered, and laid over the place, so as to dry it and keep off the dust, will suffice ; but if the wound should be of a more serious nature, the better plan is always to call in the assistance of a veterinary surgeon. Ostlers or stablemen, in cases of this kind should never be trusted ; their nostrums, or supposed remedies, are 56 'i iic n»)i:si;. invariably worse than the disease. The applicatiou of grease is always injurious, yet ostlers will persist, if you let them, in using it upon every slight occa- sion : it always irritates the skin. When it is desir- able to conceal a hurt, it may be done by mixing up a little soot with burnt alum. BREED OF ENGLISH HORSES. The breed of these useful animals may be de- scribed generally under the following denominations i The Road Horse. The Farmer's Horse. The Coach Horse. The Heavy Draught Horse. The Dray Horse. The Cavalry Horse. The Race Horse. The Hunter. Galloways and Ponies. Upon each of these we propose to say a few words. THE ROADSTER. The roadster, or hackney, is the one to which the foregoing pages have been chiefly dedicated ; and as so much has already been said upon that part of the subject, it may not be inappropriate to conclude it Vvdth the following instances of the sagacity and fidelity of this noble animal. The memory of the horse is astonishing, and here is proof of the averment. A gentleman rode a horse from his own residence to a distance of thirty miles, in a direction the horse had never gone before. The road presented difficulties, but the gentleman at length reached his destination. Two years elapsed, and the same party had again occasion to take the same journey ; but the horse had not traversed the THK HOKSE. 57 ground in the interim. Before he reached his journey's end, the gentleman was benighted, and lost his way, but trusting to the sagacity of his steed, he threw the reins upon his neck, and in half an hour was at his friend's door. A foreign Professor, of Halle, relates the follow- ing : — A friend of his riding home through a wood in a dark night, struck his head against the branch of a tree, and fell from his horse stunned. The steed immediately returned to the house which they had lately left, and pawed at the door until some one rose and opened it. The aniinal turned about, and the man, in astonishment, followed him : the faithful and intelligent animal led him to the place where his master lay senseless upon the ground. Hundreds of other similar anecdotes of the saga- city of the horse might be added if space permitted, or if there were any novelty in I'elating them. THE farmer's horse. The farmer's horse is one that has to undergo all sorts of drudgery, both for business and pleasure ; ridden or driven to market, or church, or on a visit to some rather distant neighbour, or sometimes lent to a friend to go anywhere. For this kind of horse, the best standard is reckoned about fifteen hands and two inches ; that is, higher than the road horse. An animal, with a shoulder thicker, lower, and not so slanting, as that in the roadster, is preferable for the collar; and collar-work is that for which the farmer's horse is chiefly destined. Horses for this purpose should be stout and compactly built, with- out being particularly heavy ; and if they are half- bred, meaning that they have some blood in their veins, so much the better. The farmer's horse requires both weight to push forward, and activity to get over the ground. 58 THE HORSE. Formerly there was a prepossession among farmers in favour of huge, bulky horses, but that has declined, and given vs^ay, in a considerable measure, to more rational notions. What the farmer really requires is a horse of moderate size, but strong and active ; not one large in make and slow in progi'ess. It cannot, however, be expected that horses used at the plough, or in draught, will be found the most agi'eeable saddle or pleasure horses ; but what does a small farmer want with a dashing steed ? If his horse will carry him to market or to church, and per- form his week-day's work, he ought to be satisfied ; but if not over-worked, or over-weighted, he will go comfortably enough on other occasions. A farmer, not in an extensive way, should always prefer a mare to a gelding. There is less cost in the purchase, and more work to be obtained in the end, with the former than the latter ; besides, there is advantage to be derived fi'om her breeding ; and she maybe rendered useful while breeding, if worked moderately. The Arabs are perhaps the best judges of horses, as well as the most considerate masters of them, in the world. They set the highest estimation upon mares, and are thoroughly convinced, that the value of the foal depends not so much on the sire as on the dam ; for which reason they refuse very large prices for mares of high-blood. It may also be ob- served, that they trace the pedigree of a horse not through the sire, but through the dam. The follow- ing quotation from Bishop Hall, who ^vrote in tht Elizabethan era, may be here appositely introdmced " Dost thou prize Thy brute beast's worth by their dam's qualities ? Say'st thou this colt shall prove a swift-paced steed Only because a jennet did him breed? Or say'st thou this same horse shall win the prize, Because his dam was swiftest Tranchefice ? THE HORSE. 59 Much useful information on this subject may be found in a work by Mr. Roberts, entitled " The Veterinarian." THE COACH-HORSE. The coach-horse has improved with the refine- ment of the times. He is not now the same vulgar animal he was wont to be in by-gone days. He has cast off his old-fashioned, stiff-looking coat, and mounted one of modern gentility. Formerly he was one of the most clumsy, unmannerly, ill-begotten, misshapen animals in the world ; and just as well qualified to be harnessed to a dray as to a chariot. We shall here take leave to borrow a few passages from old writers, and others, in relation to this topic. Wheel-carriages, or whirlicotes, as they were then called, came first into use so long back as the reign of Richard II., about the year 1381. We are told by Stowe, that " Richard II., being threatened by the rebels of Kent, rode from the Tower of London to the Mile's-end, and with him his mother, because she was sick and weak, in a whirlicote ;^^ which con- sisted of merely four boards put together in the rudest manner. Side-saddles afterwards became the fashion, until the time of Elizabeth, when coaches were first used. Recumng again to old Stowe, he says, in his Survey of London and Westminster, *' Divers great ladies made them coaches, and rode in them up and down the countries to the great admiration of all beholders;" adding, with a quaint- ness peculiar to the times, " the world runs on wheels with many whose parents were glad to go on foot." The clumsiness of the horses, and the cumbrous- ness of the vehicles, rendered this mode of travel- ling, for a long period, any thing but speedy or pleasant. On the demise of George 11., the Duke of Devonshire, the Lord Chamberlain, arrived in 60 THE HORSE. town A-om Chatsworth, in Derbyshire, in three days; but the Duke of Rutland, not being equally expe- ditious, Mr. Speaker Onslow apologized for him, by informing the House that the Duke of Devonshire had travelled at '" a prodigious rate, not less than Jiftt/ miles a-dayT A stage-coach, at that time, took the whole day to travel from London to Epsom, a distance of only sixteen miles, and the passengers dined upon the road. From Edinburgh to London, lietween which cities there was only one monthly conveyance as a stage-coach, the time occupied in performing the distance was from sixteen to eighteen days. Hackney-coaches were first introduced in London in the reign of Charles I. The principal points of the coach-horse are those which qualify him for endurance of hard work ; a deep and Vv'ell-proportioned body, bone under the knee, substance in its right place, and sound, open, tough feet. The origin of the coach-horse is the Cleveland bay, but, perhaps, with a mixture of other north ern counties besides Yorkshire. THi: HEAVY DRAUGHT-HORSE. Horses of this denomination are descended from the Norman stallion and the Suffolk cart-mare ; but the true Suffolk (and the same may be said of the Cleveland) is now nearly extinct. It stood from fifteen to sixteen hands higli, of a sori'el colour; was large-headed, low-shouldered, and thick on the top; deep and round-chested, long-backed, high in the croup, large and strong in the quarters, full in the flanks, round in the legs, and short in the pasterns. The present breed inherits many of the good quali- ties of the original ; it is more or less inclined to a ©orrel colour ; is taller, higher, and finer in the THE HonbE". 61 shoulders; and is a cross with the Y( rkshire* half or three-fourths bred. The old Suffolk possessed remarkable nimbleness of action, and the modern breed has not entii^ely lost it. The cart-horse has this peculiarity ; he knows the extent of his powers, and failing to accomplish the task imposed upon him, no exercise of the whip, or any other method of spurring him on, will succeed in making him exert his strength, and strain his muscles in vain. The Suffolk punch is now greatly changed from what he was in his high and palmy days. There is also the Clydesdale breed, very good for hilly farms ; and the heavy hlack liorsc, bred chiefly in the midland counties from Lincolnshire to Staffordshire, They are sold by the dealers in the London market at a handsome premium. THE DRAY HORSE. This -kind of horse should have a broad breast, with thick and upright shoulders, a low forehand, deep and round baiTel, loins broad and high, ample quarters, thick fore-arms and thighs ; short legs, round hoofs, broad at the heels, and not too flat in the soles. The heavy draught horse has been latterly much crossed by the Flanders' breed, and evidently to advantage. Those attached to brewers' drays are generally animals of the finest description, large, muscular, and in excellent condition. They always know what they are about, and are coirected as easily as a child, or more so, and are perfectly docile. The dray horses in the metropolis, and other large towns, are of inestimable importance. THE CHARGER, OR CAVALRY HORSE. The noble animal bearing this name is not trained for vulgar uses, either on the road or at the plough ; 62 THE HORSE. but to shine upon the parade, and for prowess in the field of battle. Great judgment is requisite in select- ing horses of this description for the service. Under the system now considered obsolete, the horses of our dragoons were chosen rather for their bulk and strength, than for their lightness and activity. It seemed as if it had been thought that an imposing appearance was the only thing desirable ; but a change has since taken place in this respect, and war-horses have latterly been selected for their nim- bleness and capability of getting over the ground. The artificial method of training a cavalry-horse, so as to make him at once showy on the parade and courageous in the field, must necessarily disqualify him for commonly useful purposes. This innova- tion, however, on old notions, may be carried too far : every one knows the fate of the French cuiras- siers, when opposed to our household troops at Waterloo. It was the weight of the horses that car- ried the day ; and to this Wellington was indebted for his triumph, and to this did the conqueror of many nations owe his final downfall. But, although heavy horses may overcome lighter ones in fierce collision, there can be no question that light horses are of superior value in skirmishing or busy campaigns. The port and demeanour of the charger can never be mistaken. He appears, like the eagle, ready to soar into the heavens. His eye is bright and spark- ling; the neck is curved in the form of a beautiful arch ; and his breast protrudes in graceful majesty. In a word, he is a splendid creature. " The fiery courser, when he hears from far The sprightly trumpets and the shouts of war. Pricks up his ears, and trembling with delight. Shifts place, and paws, and hopes the promised fight On his right shoulder his thick mane reclined. Ruffles nt speed, and dancesi in the win** .* His horny hoots are jetty black and round ; His chine is double ; starting with a bound, He turns the turf, and shakes the solid ground : Fire from his eyes, clouds from his nostrils flow, He bears his rider headlong on the foe. " Mr. Rogers, the author of The Pleasures of Memory, a delightful work, has three lines upon the charger, worthy of being repeated : — " And when the drum beats briskly in the gale. The war-worn courser charges at the sound, And with young vigour wheels the pasture ground." It would be almost unpardonable not to notice the epitaph upon the charger of Sir Ralph Abercrombie, who was killed at the battle of Alexandria, in Egypt, on the 21st of March, 1801, and who was father of the late speaker of the House of Commons, now raised to the peerage by the title of Lord Dunferm- line. His gallant steed received, on that memorable day, no less than seven musket-balls and two sabre- cuts, and afterwards became the property of a person of the name of Watson, at Malta, which person placed a stone over his remains, in the following words : — ** Here lies the celebrated charger of the late Lieu- tenant-General Sir Ralph Abercrombie, who was killed at the memorable battle of Alexandria, 21st March, 1801, where this noble animal received, on that glorious day, seven musket-balls and two sabre- cuts, when he afterwards became the property oi John Watson, of Malta, who placed this stone over hi; remains, in token of his rare services, peculiar quali- ties, high spirits, and good temper. This esteemed horse departed this life of miseiies, September 12th, 1823, aged thirty-six years, * Sua cuique voluptas I ' ** 64 THE MORSE. He is buried in the garden, under the southwest battery, at Marsa, near Floriland, in the island of Malta. THE RACE HORSE. It has been stated, upon good authority, that the race horse is not an aboriginal of Europe, but that it derives its breed from the warmer climes of Asia. It is undoubtedly a fact, that the horses of G-reat Britain surpass those of all other breeds, for the turf, for the chase, or for the road. The English race- horse in blood is nearly allied to the true Arabian courser, but is much larger, and is not to be surpassed by any coursers in the world. Take a thorough- bred English racer, and whether he is placed on the burning plains of India, or in the frigid regions of the north, it will be found that he has a spirit, a speed, and a courage, unequaled by any other quadruped of the same species in the world. It is related, that an ordinary racer has been known to go at the rate of a mile in less than two minutes ; but there have been instances of horses running nearly a mile in one minute. The form of the head of the English racer resem- bles that of the Arabian. The neck is beautifully arched, (one of the greatest beauties in the horse ;) his shoulders are oblique and lengthened ; his hind legs are well proportioned; his quarters ample and muscular; his whole legs, from the knee downwards, sufficiently graduated, " Small by degrees and beautifully less." ThorougJi-hred is a term employed in Britain to indicate the descent of a horse from the Eastern, or Arabian courser; but there can be no doubt that the English racer has been much improved by the com- mixture of his blood with that of Asia. The horses of the first blood, remarks a good judge, or such as ai'e the nearest possible to the Eastern stock, are those hnmediately produced from an Arabian or Barbary stallion with an English mare, which has been already crossed with a Barb or Arabian steed in the first degree. THE HUNTER. The hunter should be well bred, and the more allied to thorough-bred the better. The chief points to be regarded in his make, are, that he should have plenty of haunch ; be well ribbed, or tight and trim built ; of a full chest, with good hams ; and a nose that will go into a quart-pot. The hunter is the field-marshal in the chase : he is one of the most spirited and courageous of animals, and his sagacity and judgment in leaping can scarcely be exceeded by any animals endowed only with instinct. In com- parison with the race horse, he is inferior in blood, but superior in metal, and he may be taken alto- gether as the paragon of animals. THE GALLOWAY. The Galloway is a stout compact horse, taking its name from the district so called, in Scotland, to the soil of which it may be said to be indigenous. It is comparatively small in size, seldom exceeding fourteen hands in heiglit, but for mountainous and rugged districts is invaluable. The best properties of the Galloway are supposed to be its inheritance from the Spanish Jennets that escaped from the wreck of the Armada, in the time of Queen Eliza- beth. The Galloway is generally of a bay colour. Galloways are capable of performing prodigious work. In 1754, a horse of this denomination, be- longing to a Mr. Corker, went one hundred miles a-day, over the Newmarket course, and without the slightest distress. 6* Cti riit HOH5S. I'OMEis. I'oMBS are horses in miniature; and, therefore, the Lrealincnt of animals of mature growth, is appli- cahie to those of smaller size. The less may be con- seijuently said upon this branch of the subject. The sheltle is the most diminutive of the breed, and seems totally distinct from all others. In height it varies from seven and a half hands, and is proba- bly one of the earliest b/eeds introduced into Great ]>ritain. DECORATION. Men have an uneasy propensity for improvement, which leads them to deform almost all the w^orks of Nature of v^^hich they have control ; they cut down trees in one place, and plant them in another, to beautify the landscape ; they shave their own faces, hang ornaments on their ears, and deform their bodies ; they exclude the light of day from their houses to create an artificial night, and at midnight illuminate them with artificial light to create a mimic day. Even the horse, the most beautiful and most useful of all the lower animals, they strive to deco- rate by depriving him of the most prominent of his graces ; they convert his tail into a sightless stump, and his mane into a stubborn brush. But the true principle for man in morals, as in everything else, is to let alone. Stablemen are not often blessed with a very keen perception of the beautiful in externals ; and their attempts at decoration in the case of the horse are generally extremely unfortunate. Many of their operations consist in removing something supposed to be noxious or superfluous. To judge of their propriety it is necessary to consider briefly the uses and properties of HAIR. It is intended to keep the animal warm, and be- ing a slow conductor of heat, is well adapted for 68 THE liOKSE. preserving it ; it absorbs no moisture, and when the horse is in health every hair is anointed with an oily fluid, which imparts a beautiful gloss, and repels moisture. The hair is shed in spring and autumn ; the win- ter coat is much longer and coarser than that of the summer, and requires more care to keep it in order. Moulting, and the length and thickness of the coat, are much influenced by stable management and the weather. Horses that are much exposed to the cold have longer and coarser hair than those that are kept in warm stables. Moulting may even be entirely prevented by heavy clothing and warm stablmg. Grooms often hasten the fall of the win- ter coat by extra dressings but this can never be done without, danger from exposure in unseason- able weather. The hair which grows on the legs of horses is longer and stronger than that which grows on the body, because those parts are more exposed to the wet, and require a coarser protection ; it is always longest in horses that are reared in marshy situa- tions. The hair of the mane seems to add greatly to the beauty of the horse, but it is only beautiful because It is useful ; it protects the neck and head from flies, and in the wild state falls equally on each side of the neck. The hair of the mane and tail are de- ciduous, but they do not fall at regular periods like the coat. DOCKING. It has been supposed that the back becomes stronger after the tail has been docked ; but the supposition is without a particle of evidence, and it is difficult to account for so gross an error. Some writers assert that the tail of the horse assists him in Tiir: HOUSE. 69 turning, like that of the kangaroo, or the gray hound ; and if this is true, as its action when run- ning plainly indicates, cavalry horses and racers must lose a great deal of their natural power by docking. In addition to the manifest cruelty and absurdity of docking, it must be remembered that the operation very frequently induces lockjaw and death. But when docking is determined on, it should be done when the colt is but two or three months old, as at that early age it is less difficult, and accomplished with less danger than when the operation is delayed to a later period. NICKING. This operation is very justly getting into disre- pute. Its object is to make the horse elevate his tail. Two or three deep incisions are made on the lower surface of the tail, the muscles by which it is depressed are divided, and. a portion of them ex- cised. The wounds are kept open for several days, and the tail is kept in elevation by means of pulleys and weights ; but a better method of obtaining the same result is by using the pulleys and weights alone. DRESSING THE TAIL. It was once the custom to colour the tails and manes of horses, and red was a very fashionable tint ; but this practice has been abandoned. The hair of the tail is usually combed and brushed every day ; and when it does not hang gracefully, frequent washings and combings will have a good effect. But if an exuberant tail is wanted, it should have but very little combing. Circus riders never, or rarely, make use of the comb. 70 THE HORSE. DRESSING THE MANE. In general the manes lie to the right side ; but in some horses it is parted in the middle, falling equal- ly on each side of the neck. To make it lie, the groom combs and wets it several times a day. When that is not sufficient, he weaves it into ten or fifteen plaits, with a piece of lead at the extremities. Draught horses should seldom have the mane or tail thinned ; they have a marked, stiff appearance when deprived of too much hair. TRIMMIVG THE EARS. The inside of the ear is coated with fine hair, which is intended as a screen against rain, flies and dirt. It is a very common, but a very stupid prac- tice to trim this hair away by the roots ; and the consequences must be sometimes highly disastrous. Cropping the ears was once frequently practised, but is very rarely done now. TRIMMING THE FACE, The nostrils and lips are protected by long fine hairs, scattered wide apart, and standing perpendicu- larly to the skin ; these hairs perform the same func- tions as the whiskers of the cat, and are of great importance. The roots are endowed with a pe- culiar sensibility, and serve as sentinels to warn the horse of the presence of injurious objects. There are several grouped together above and below the eye. The slightest touch on the ends of these hairs is instantly felt by the horse. It is usual with grooms to cut these hairs off, but they can give no reason for doing so ; and the annoyance which the operation gives the horse ought to warn them to de- TlIK HORSE. 7i sist from so unnatural a practice. The long hair which grows upon the throat channel and necks of horses, like that upon the human neck, is designed as a protection to the most dehcate part of the sys- tem ; and its removal causes fatal colds in both man and beast. The hair is sometimes trimmed from the neck of the horse by clipping and singeing. It certainly does not improve the looks of the horse, and cannot be of service in any other respect. TRIMMING THE HEELS AND LEGS. The hair of the fetlock, the hollow of the pastern, and the posterior aspect of the legs, is larger in draught horses than on those of finer bone. It is m- tended to keep the legs warm,, and to protect them from external violence ; but it is the practice with grooms to cut this hair off short to the roots. There has been considerable question respecting the pro- priety of trimming the heels. Some contend that the hair soaks up the moisture and keeps the skin wet and cold, producing sores and scur.finess ; but others, with greater show of reason, contend that the long hair, instead of causing those evils, is the only sure preventive of them. SINGEING. Singeing off the superfluous hair which grows about the throat, neck, belly and quarters of the horse, is sometimes performed by stablemen m the same way that a cook singes a fowl ; but it is more frequently done with a knife having a moveable back, suiTounded with tow moistened with spirits of wine, and set on fire. As the knife is drawn over the hairs, their points start up and are taken off by the flame. 72 THE HORSE. ARTICLES USED AS FOOD. KINDS OF FOOD. In this country horses are fed upon oats, hay, grass and roots. Many people talk as if they could be fed on nothing else. But in other parts of the world, where the productions of the soil are differ- ent, the food of the horse is different. " In some sterile countries they are forced to subsist on dried fish, and even on vegetable mould ; in Arabia, on milk, flesh-balls, eggs, broth, &;c. In India, horses are variously fed. The native grasses are judged very nutritious. Few, perhaps no oats are grown ; barley is rare, and not commonly given to horses. In Bengal, a vetch, something like the tare, is used. On the western side of India, a sort of pigeon-pea, called gram (cicer arietinum, ) forms the ordinary food, with grass while in season, and hay all the year round. Indian com or rice is seldom given. In the West Indies, maize, Guinea corn, sugar-cane tops, and sometimes molasses, are given. In the Mahratta country, salt, pepper, and other spices are made into balls with flour and butter, and these are supposed to produce animation, and to fine the coat. .l3roth made from sheep's head is sometimes given, in Fiance, Spain and Italy, besides the grasses, the Jeaves of limes, vines, the tops of acacia, and the j^ceds of the carab-tree, are given to horses." The articles upon which horses are fed in this country are usually arranged into three classes. That which possesses the least nutriment in propor- tion to its bulk, is tQ^rae^ fodder, and consists of grass, hay and straw ; that which possesses the most nutriment in proportion to its bulk, is termed grain. Tills word is often used as if it belonged exclusively to oats ; but it is a general name for all the kinds of grain and pulse upon which horses are fed. In this THE HORSE. 7i3 woik 1 is hr^tid only in its general sense. Roots, such as carrots, turnips and potatoes, form the third kind of food. In relation to their bulk, they have less nutriment than grain, and more than fodder. GREEN IIEUBAGE. There are several kinds of green food, but the individual properties of each are so little known, that much cannot be said about them. Grass is the natural food of horses. It is provided for him without the interference of art. It is com- posed of a great number of plants, differing much or little from each other in structure, composition and duration. Some of the natural grasses are to the horse mere weeds, destitute of nutriment, though not positively injurious. Several are rejected, or eaten only when there is nothing else to eat, and none are sufficiently rich to maintain the horse in condition for constant work, even though the work be moderate. At a gentle pace he may travel a few miles to-day, but he is unfit for a journey to-morrow. By cutting the grass and bringing it to the stable, the horse may be saved the labour of collecting it ; but still he can render very little service. Grass, however, or green herbage of some kind, is given to almost all horses during a part of the year. The young animals, from the time they are weaned till they are fit for work, receive gi'ass as long as it can be had. Hunting and racing colts ex- cepted, they receive little else. It is commonly believed that grass has some reno- vating and purifying properties, not possessed by hay nor by grain. It is true that all the kinds of green herbage, including clover, saintfoin, lucerne, tares and ryegrass, produce a change upon the hoi^se. But whether the change be for better or for worae^ ifi another qnnation. For the first two or three days, 74 THE HORSE. green food relaxes the bowels and increases the se- cretion of urine and of perspiration. Very often it produces an eruption on the skir., particularly when given along with a large allowance of grain. When the horse is permitted to eat what he pleases, the belly becomes large. Thesje effects may be termed immediate. They are most apparent at the com- mencement, but are visible so long as the horse re- ceives any considerable quantity of grass. Green food produces other effects not so easily traced. Wounds heal more kindly, inflammatory diseases are not so fatal, and chronic diseases frequently abate, or they entirely disappear, under the use of grass. The horse, however, is always soft, when fed much on green food. He sweats a great deal, and is soon exhausted by his work. Clove?', Rye-grass, Tares, Lucerne, Saintfoin and the Oat-Plant, are all used as green food. So far as the horse is concerned, one seems to be as good as any of the others. They appear to produce the same effects as grass. Amid such variety we might expect to find some difference ; but I have not been able to perceive any. Some horses, indeed, like one article better than another, but this &eems to be mere taste, for no one of them appears to be gene- rally preferred nor rejected. There are various opinions, however, as to the comparative value of these articles. Some affirm that clover is less nutri- tious than rye-grass, some that tares are poor watery feeding, and others that lucerne and saintfoin are the best of the whole lot. But opinion on the sub- ject seems to be quite vague. Whatever one affiiTns, another will be found to deny. In Scotland, lucerne and saintfoin are very little used ; but clover, rye- grass and tares are given each in their season, as if one were equal to another. Beans, wheat, rye and oats, the whole plant, are sometimes, but very seldom, and never regularly THE HORSE. 76 used as food for horses. Cabbage, and some other g^een articles, are eaten, but they deserve no par- ticular notice. Several, which form the ordinary green food of horses in other countries, are not grown here. The leaves and clippings of the vine are much used in many parts of France. Furze is generally used on the frontiers of France and Spain ; and the British cavalry, while in the Pyrenees, under the duke of Wellington, had no other forage. DRY HERBAGE. In Great Britain the dry herbage consists of hay and straw. In France the vine-leaves are collected and stored for winter fodder. In the West Indies the tops of the sugar-cane are deemed highly nutri- tious, after they are dried and sweated a little in heaps. In a season of abundance, ricks of the cane- tops the butt-ends in, are made in a corner of each field, to supply the want of pasturage and other food. These are chopped small and mixed with common salt, or sprinkled with a solution of molasses. Maize is sometimes made into hay. " When Guinea or Indian corn is planted in May, and cut in July, in order to bear seed that year, that cutting properly, tended, makes an excellent hay, which cattle prefer to meadow hay. In like manner, after the corn has done bearing seed, the after crop furnishes abun- dance of that kind of fodder which keeps well in ricks for two or three years."* '* In some places dried ferns, reeds, flags, small branches or twigs are dried and used as substitutes for hay."t Doubtless there are many other plants made into fodder, in different parts of the world. Where Canary com is raised the chaff and straw are given to horses, * Bracy Clark's Pharmacopceia Equina, t Blaine's Outlines of Vet Med. 76 THE HORSE. from which it is said they derive more nutiiraent than from hay. HAY. In Scotland, most of the hay used for horses is composed of rye-grass, or rye-grass and clover. The natural hay, which is not very much used here, con- tains several plants. Much of the hay in Scotland is bad. A good deal is grown on poor land, and this is soft, dwarfish, and destitute of nutriment. But hay in general is not well made. In the south it is cured with more skill, and preserved with more care. The best we have in the west of Scotland is procured from Stirlingshire, and is composed of rye-grass and a little clover. In England clover-hay stands in high repute for hard-working draught horses. In the market it brings 20 per cent, more than meadow or rye-grass hay. Hard upland meadow hay is preferred for hunters and racers, because, I suppose, they are apt to eat too much of the clover. In Scotland, rye- gi*ass, or a mixture of rye-grass and clover, is consi- dered the best for all horses. Here we have almost no good meadow hay, and most of that made from the natural grasses is hardly worth preserving. Good Hay is about a year old, long and large, hard, tough ; its colour inclining to green, rather than" to white ; it has a sweet taste and pleasant smell ; the seed is abundant ; infused in hot water, it pro- duces a rich, dark-coloured tea. The less dust it has about it the better ; but, from the soil, and the way m which hay is made here, it is seldom free from dust. In damp weather hay absorbs much moisture, and weighs a good deal the heavier. New Hay is purgative and debilitating. It seems to be difficult of digestion. [American hay is drier and better cured than English, and we be- THE HORSE. 77 lieve that it contains more saccharine matter ; thes» observations, therefore, can hardly apply to it.] The horse is fond of it, and will eat a large quantity, much of which passes through him little altered by the digestive process, and probably retaining a good deal of its nutriment. On the other hand, hay which is very old is dry, tasteless and brittle. The horse rejects much and. eats little. Old hay is much re- commended ; but by old I suppose is meant not new. In the south, perhaps, stacked hay does not so soon degenerate as in the north, where it is certainly old. enough in one year. Heated Hay, sometimes termed mowburnt, is that which has undergone too much fermentation. In curing hay it is thrown in a heap to sweat, that is, till a slight degree of fermentation takes place, which is arrested by exposing the hay to the air. This, it appeal's, is necessary for its preservation in the stack. But sometimes the process is carried' too far, or, more frequently, it is re-excited, after the hay is stored past. Hay that has been thus injured is not all alike. Some of it ac(]uires a very sweet sugary taste ; and this portion is eaten ; some of it is chang- ed in colour to a dark brown, and has its texture al- tered ; it is short, brittle as rotten wood, and has a disagreeable taste ; this portion seems to be reject- ed ; another portion of the same stack is mouldy, stinking, quite rotten, and no horse will eat this. All kinds of hay, however good originally, may suffer this injury. When the damage has been slight, most horses will eat certain portions of the hay very greedily ; they seem to be fond of it for the first week, but subsequently it is rejected in disgust. Upon the whole, I believe it is the most unprofit- able fodder that horses can receive. When very bad it is dear, though obtained in a gift, for it often does much mischief, particularly to horses of fast work. Much is wasted, and that which is eaten 7» 78 THE HORSE. does little good. It is almost as poisonous as it is nutritious. Slow draught horses may not, indeed, be greatly injured by it. But good wheat-straw may be better. To fast, hard-working horses, such as those employed in mails, it is a strong diuretic ; and its diuretic power does not diminish by use. Hay forms an important part of the horse's food, particularly of those horses that receive no roots nor boiled meat. Bad hay will change the horse's ap- pearance and condition in two days, when he has an unlimited quantity of corn. By bad hay I mean that which is unwholesome. It may be poor, having little nutriment, but sweet and digestible without being pernicious. But good straw is better than unwholesome hay for all kinds of horses. The kid- neys are excited to extraordinary activity. The urine, which, in this disease, is always perfectly transparent, is discharged very frequently and in copious profusion. The horse soon becomes hide- bound, emaciated and feeble. His thirst is exces- sive. He never refuses water, and he drinks it as if he would never give over. The disease does not produce death, but it renders the horse useless, and ruins the constitution. Should he catch cold, or take the influenza, which prevailed so much in Glas- gow during the winter of 1836, glanders is seldom far off.* One ton of good hay will, unless the men be excessively careless, go as far as two tons of that vv^hich is bad. To slow-work horses, mowburnt hay may be given with less detriment, but it is less un- profitable when consumed by cattle. Musty Hay is known by its bad colour, its un- pleasant smell, and bitter taste. It is soft, and coat- ed with fungi. Like all other hay, its smell is most * The influenza I mean was not at all similar to a disease which went under the same name at the same time in England. We had almost none of the English influenza till the last week of May, 1837. In the month of June it was very prevalent. THE HORSE. 79 distinct when slightly damped by breathing upon it. Old hay is often musty, without having been heated. None but a hungry horse will eat it, and when eaten in considerable quantity it is said to be " bad for the wind." In truth it is bad for every part of the body. In some places they sprinkle this musty hay with a solution of salt, which induces the horse to eat it ; but even thus it answers better for bedding than for feeding, and to that purpose the horse applies the most of it. Weather-beaten Hay is that which has lain in the sward exposed to the rain and the sun. It is musty, full of dust, sapless, bleached or blackened, and des- titute of seed. Such, also, is the state of that which has stood too long uncut. All hay should be cut a few days before the seed is quite ripe. After it has lost most of its seed and its juices, little is left to afford nutriment. Salted Hay, that is, hay with which salt has been mingled at the time of stacking it, is not much used ill Scotland. It is not to be had. I can tell nothing about it. Horses are said to prefer it to any other. But the principal motive for salting hay is to pre- serve it when the weather requires that it be stack- ed before it is sufficiently dry. Salt prevents or checks fermentation. It darkens the. colour of the hay and makes it weigh heavier, for salt attracts moisture. Salt, I think, should not be forced on the horse. It may excite too much thirst. Given apart from the food, he may take all that is good for him. Damaged hay is often sprinkled with salt water, which seems to render it less disgusting, and may possibly coiTect its bad properties. It should be wetted as wanted, for it soon becomes sodden and rotten. The Daily Quantity of Hay allowed to each horse must vary with the quality and the work. If the grain b*^ Hmited, the horse will eat a greater weight 80 TlIK HORSK. of poor hay than of that which is more nutiitious. If it be damaged, he must consume more than if it were sound, for he rejects some, perhaps a half, and that which he eats does not furnish so much nutri- ment. When the work is fast, the horse must not have so much as to give him a large belly. Eight pounds of good hay is about the usual allowance to fast-working horses, who may receive from twelve to fifteen or eighteen pounds of grain. Large draught horses will consume from twenty to thirty pounds, but the quantity is seldom limited for these. Much, however, depends upon the allowance of gi'ain. A German agriculturist calculates that eight pounds of meadow hay, or seven of that made from clover, tares, or saintfoin, afford as much nourishment as three pounds of oats. Of the hay raised on poor soils, nine pounds may be required. A horse can live on hay and water, and when thrown off work for a considerable period, he often receives nothing else. This is not always right. The horse becomes so feeble and so pot-bellied, that it is long ere better food will restore his condition for work. A little grain, some roots, or a bran-mash, though given only once in two days, will help to keep him in flesh. I have heard of the horse being kept almost entirely on hay, receiving grain only when he was to be used. I would recommend the owner to confine himself to bread and water for a week or two, and then try what work a beef-steak will enable him to do. There is a material differ- ence between eating to live and eating to work. The stomach and bowels will hardly hold sufficient hay to keep even an idle horse alive. The only preparation which hay receives before it is given, is that of cutting it into chaff, into short pieces. When given uncut, the groom does, oi should, shake out the dust before he puts it in the rack. THE HORSK. 81 Hay Tea. — An infusion of hay made by pouring boiling water upon it, and covering it up till cool, has been recommended as an excellent nutritious drink for sick horses, and also for those in health. It might perhaps be a very good substitute for gruel ; possibly a quart or tw^o of the tea might not be a bad thing for a racer, given between heats, and toward the end of the day, when the horse is beginning to get exhausted from fasting, but it has not been tried. Hay-Seed, — In Scotland, and wherever the hay is made chiefly from rye-grass, the seed is often made use of in feeding. It is sometimes mixed with the oats to prevent the horse from swallowing them whole, but most generally it is given along with the boil- ed food, either to divide it or to soak up the hquor. It contains more nutriment than the hay itself, but probably not a great deal, unless the hay has stood too long uncut. Some people say that hay-seed is bad for the wind, but I have never been able to trace any evil to its use. There is always much dust mingled with it, and this should always be removed by washing. Sometimes the seed is boiled, and Bometimes merely added to the boiled food while it is hot. I do not know that boiUng improves it, but it is much better liked after boiling or masking than in its raw state. STRAW. There are five kinds of straw used as fodder. Straw, however, is little used here. In many parts of Europe, wheat, barley, or rye straw forms the whole or greater part of the dried herbage, hay be- ing almost unknown. In some of the towns, wheat and oat straw are occasionally given to cart-horses, and in some cases to coaching-horses. In the country, both white and black straw are in common use as win- ter fodder for the farm-horses. It is very probable 82 THE HORSE. that wheat straw, and perhaps some of the others, may soon be used much more extensively than they are at present. Good straw is certainly better than bad hay, and possibly, by increasing the allow- ance of grain, and catting the straw, hay might be almost entirely dispensed with. Though containing much less nutriment, it still contains some, and it serves quite as well as hay to divide the grain and give it a wholesome size. It must be understood that food ought to possess bulk proportioned in some degree to the capacity of the digestive organs. Nu- triment can be given in a very concentrated state, yet it is not proper to condense it beyond a certain point. Grain alone will give all the nourishment which any horse can need, but he must also have some fodder to give bulk to the gi'ain, though it need not of necessity yield much nutriment. Straw, there- fore, may often be used where hay is used. But when horses are living chiefly on hay, as many farm-horses do, during part of the v/inter, it must not be supposed that an equal quantity, or indeed any quantity of straw, will supply the place of that hay. The stomach and bowels will hardly hold hay enough to nourish even an idle horse, and as straw yields less nutriment in proportion to its bulk, enough cannot be eaten to furnish the nutriment required. The deficiency must be made up by roots or grain. When much straw is used, part or the whole ought to be cut into chaff. It is laborious work to masti- cate it all, and in time it will tell upon the teeth, which in old horses are often worn to the gums, even by hay and grain. Bai-n Chaff. — The shell which is separated from wheat and oats in thrashing is often given to farm- horses. It seems to be very poor stuft*. It looks as if it contained no nutriment, yet it may serve to di- ▼ide the grain, to make the horse masticate it, and THE HORSE. 83 to prevent him from swallowing it too hurriedly. In this way it may so far supply the place of cut fodder. But the barn chaff is usually mingled with the boiled food, and if the article be very soft, the chaff may give them consistence, but it does little more. The coving chaff of beans is said to form a very good manger food. ROOTS. Potatoes, carrots and turnips are the roots chief- ly used for feeding horses. Parsnips, sugar beet, mangel-wurzel and yams, are occasionally employed. POTATOES Are given both raw and boiled ; in either state they are much relished by all horses as a change from other food. They are rather laxative than otherwise, and especially when given uncooked. Given raw and in considerable quantity to a horse not accustomed to them, they are almost sure to produce indigestion and colic ; when boiled or steamed they are less apt to ferment in the stomach. For horses that do slow, and perhaps not very hard or lon^ continued work, potatoes may, in a great measure, or entirely, supersede grain. They are little used for fast-work horses, yet they may be given, and sometimes they are given, without any harm. On many farms they form, along with straw fodder, the whole of the horse's winter food. In Essex, farm-horses have been kept throughout the winter entirely upon steamed potatoes. Each horse got fifty pounds per day, and did the ordinary work of the farm with the greatest ease. Some salt was mixed with them, and occasionally a little sulphur, which is quite superfluous. According to Professor Low, fifteen pounds of raw potatoes yield as much nutriment as four and a 84 THE HORSE. half pounds of oats. Von Thaer says, that three bushels are equal to 112 pounds of hay. Curwen, who tried potatoes very extensively in feeding horses, says that an acre goes as far as four acres of hay. He steamed them all, and allow^ed each horse daily 2 libs, with a tenth of cut straw, which he preferred to hay for this mode of feeding. The potatoes should be of a good kind, and not frosted. They should always be cooked either by steaming or boiling. They are best when steamed. Horses like them as well raw, but they are exces- sively flatulent, and this bad property is much cor- rected by cooking, and by adding some salt. When boiled, the process should be performed with little water, and as quickly as possible. When nearly ready, the water should be altogether withdrawn, and the potatoes allowed to dry, uncovered, on the fire for a few minutes. They should be put on with hot water. They are always over-boiled. Horses prefer them when hard at the heart. There is a gene- ral prejudice against the liquor in which potatoes are boiled. It is said to be injurious. In small quantities it certainly produces no apparent evil. I often see it given, not as a drink, but along v/ith potatoes, beans and chaff, which are all boiled to- gether and mixed into a uniform mass, in general too soft. In some places the potatoes are not wash ed when boiled. If the earth do not relax the bow els, I am not aware that it does any injury, and tho horses do not appear to dislike it. When the mass^ however, from the addition of chaff, requires much mastication, this sand or earth must wear down the teeth very fast. TURNIPS Are in very general use for farm and cart-horses. Of late they have also been used a good deal in the coaching-stables j in many they have superseded the rUE HORSE, 8d carrot. The Swedish rariety is preferred. Com- mon white and also yellow turnips are almost worth- less. According to Von Thaer, 100 pounds of Swedes are equal in nutiiment to 22 of hay. For slow horses, turnips to a certain extent supersede grain, but for fast-workers, they save the hay more than the grain. They have a fine odor when boiled, and this seems to make the horse feed more hearti- ly. They fatten the horse very rapidly, and pro- duce a smooth glossy coat and loose skin. They are sometimes washed, sliced, and given raw, but in general they are boiled, and occasionally steamed. In the raw state they excite indigestion very readily, and are not much liked. Few horses get them oftener than once a day. They may be given oftener, but the horse soon begins to refuse them. If they are to be used for several successive weeks, they should not be given oftener than once in twenty- four hours, or at most twice, and then not in very large quantities. When the quantity of food is limited, the horse will be glad to get them at all times, but in that case he must have little work. Straw, or hay, and turnips, will make an idle horse fat ; they will enable him to do some slow work, but to perform full work the horse will not, or cannot eat enough to keep him in condition : and for fast work he would eat more than he could well carry. Most usually they are given only once a day, and at night after work is over ; chaff or hay-seed, and some grain, generally beans, are boiled along with them. They should always be washed. They re- quire much boiling, and when large they may be cut. CARROTS. This root is held in much esteem. There is none better, nor perhaps so good. When first given it is slightly diuretic and laxative. But as the hors© be 8 86 THE HORSE. comes accustomed to it, these effects are not pro- duced. Carrots also improve the state of the skin. They form a good substitute for grass, and an ex- cellent alterative for horses out of condition. To sick and idle horses they render grain unnecessary. They are beneficial in all chronic diseases of the organs connected with breathing, and have a mark- ed influence upon chronic cough and broken wind. They are serviceable in diseases of the skin. 'In combination with oats, they restore a worn-out horse much sooner than oats alone. CaiTOts are usually given raw. Sometimes they are boiled or steamed, but horses seem to like them better raw. They are washed and sliced. They are often mingled with the grain, but I think they ought to form a separate feed. They diminish the con- sumption of both hay and grain. Some tell me that six, others that eight pounds of caiTOts, are equal to four pounds of oats. But the calculation cannot be much depended upon, for the horse may eat more or less hay without the difference being observed. According to Curwen, a work-horse getting from eight to twelve pounds of grain, may have four pounds deducted for every five he receives of carrots. Foi fast- working horses, carrots never entirely supersede grain. Mention is made, indeed, of an Essex sports- man who gave his hunters each a-bushel of carrots daily with a little hay, but no grain ; the horses are said to have followed a pack of harriers twice a week, but the possibility of doing this needs furthe ' proof. For slow- working horses, carrots may supply the place of grain quite well, at least for those em- ployed on the farm. Buitows, an English agricul- turist, gave his farm-horses each seventy pounds of carrots per day, along with chaff and barn-door re- fuse, with which the carrots were sliced and mixed. He gave a little rack-hay at night, but no grain. He fed bis horses in this* way from the end of October THE HORSE. 87 to the beginning of June, giving a little less than oeventy pounds in the very shortest days, and a little more in the spring. The tops of the carrots have been given to horses, and it is said they were much liked and quite wholesome. PARSNIPS. This root is used a good deal in France ; in the neighbourhood of Brest, parsnips and cabbages are boiled together and given to the horses warm, along with some buckwheat flour. In the island of Jersey the root is much cultivated, and is extensively used for fattening stock, and for the table of all classes. It is said not to be generally given to horses, for it is alleged that their eyes suffer under its use. Arthur Young, however, assures us, that the horses about Morlaix are ordinarily fed upon parsnips, and that they are considered " the best of all foods for a horse, and. much exceeding oats." They are eaten both raw and boiled. They are most usually washed, sliced, and mixed with bran or chaff. The leaves, mown while in good condition, are eaten as readily as clover. Mangel-wurzel, Yams and the Turnip Cahbage, have each been employed as food for horses, but I have not been able to learn with what effect. • GRAIN. In this country the grain consists chiefly of oats, beans and peas, but barley is now in very common use, and wheat is occasionally given. The last two articles, however, are rarely used to the exclusion of oats, but are generally mixed with them in cer- tain proportions. Rye, buckwheat and maize, are used as grain in various parts of the world, but very little or not at all in this. 88 The horse. OATS. There are several varieties which need not be de scribed. Good Oats are about one year old, plump, short, hard, rattling w^hen poured into the manger, sweet, clean, free from chaff and dust, and weighing about forty pounds per bushel. New Oats are slightly purgative, indigestible and unprofitable. They seem to resist the action of the stomach, and to retain their nutriment. They make the horse soft; he sweats soon and much at work. If they must be used when under three or four months old, they may be improved by kiln-drying. They are not good, however, till they are about a year old. They may be kept till too old, when they become musty and full of insects. The period at which oats begin to degenerate depends so much upon the manner in which they are harvested and preserved, that the age alone affords no rule for re- jecting them. They can be kept in good condition for several years. Oats are sometimes given in the straw, either cut or uncut. The cost of thrashing is saved, but that is no great gain. It cannot be known how much the horse gets. One may be cheated altogether out of a meal, and another may be surfeited. There is al- ways some waste, for the horse must be getting very little grain if he eat all the straw he gets along with it, and if he get more, some of the grain is left in the straw. The Daily Allowance of oats is very variable. Hunt- ers and racers receive almost as much as they will eat during the season of work. The quantity for these horses varies from twelve to sixteen or eigh- teen pounds per day. Stage and mail horses get about the same allowance. Some will not consume my. noRsjK. 89 above fourteen pounds ; others will manage nearly eighteen. In most stables some other grain is used. For every pound of barley or beans that may be given, rather more than an equal weight is taken off the ordinary allowance of oats. Saddle-horses re- ceive about twelve pounds of oats, cart-horses from ten to fourteen. Those employed on the farm get from four to twelve pounds. The ordinary feeding- measure in Scotland, termed a lippy, holds from three to four pounds of heavy oats. Suhstitzites for Oats have been frequently sought. Many experiments have been made to ascertain how far their use might be dispensed with. Roots and bread have both been tried, and the results have shown that horses of moderate work, or even labo- rious work at a slow pace, can be kept in good condi- tion on carrots or potatoes, with some fodder and no grain. The bread has been made from grain, but it does not seem to have been productive of any eco- nomy. Barley, beans, peas and wheat, are partial substitutes for oats. They may form a large por- tion of the grain ; and in Spain barley forms the whole of it. But in this country oats are in gene- ral as cheap as any of the other kinds of grain. It has been alleged that oats contain some aromatic, invigorating property, not possessed by other articles ; and it does appear that horses fed on roots to the ex- clusion of grain, are not so gay as grain-fed horses. But whether oats, in equal weight, give the horse more animation than other kinds of grain, is not known with certainty, although common opinion is in their favour. Gruel is made from oat-meal. It is very useful for sick horses : and after a day of severe exertion, when the horse will not take solid food, gruel is the best thinof he can have. Few stablemen are able to make it properly. The meal is never sufficiently in- corporated with the water. One gallon of good gruel 8* 00 THE HORSE. may be made from a pound of meal, which should be thrown into cold water, set on the fire and stirred till boiling, and afterward permitted to simmer over a gentle lire till the water is quite .thick. It is not gruel at all if tlie meal subside and leave the water transparent. WHEAT. There is a general prejudice against wheat as horse-grain, especially in its raw state. It is sup- posed to be poisonous ; and without doubt many horses have been destroyed by it. Horses eat it very greedily, and are almost sure to eat too much, when permitted. Fermentation, colic and death, are the consequences ; but these are easily avoided. The grain seems difficult to masticate and also difficult to digest, and colic may be produced more readily by one measure of wheat than by two of oats. Wheaten Bread, either brown or white, is much -elished by nearly all horses. Occasionally it may DO given to a horse that has been tired off his appetite, or to an invalid. It should never be less than twen- ty-four hours' old, and it should be given only in small quantity. Bakers sometimes give their horses a good deal of it ; but it ought to be mixed with chaff. Some will not eat it till it is mashed by pour- ing boiling water over it. BUCKWHEAT Is used on the Continent, and the Horses are said to thrive on it. Young says that a bushel goes far- ther than two of oats, and that, mixed with at least four times as much bran, one bushel will be full feed for any horse for a week. The author of the Farm- er's Calendar thinks he has seen it produce a stupi- fying effect; and Bracy Clarke says it appeared to THE HORSE. 91 him to be very laxative. In Holland, and many parts of Germany and Norway, it is made into a black bread, v^ith which the horses are fed. INDIAN CORN Is much used as a horse-food in this country, and in various parts of Europe. Cobbett recommended its introduction, and among its other uses, spoke of horse-feeding. RYE Is used in Germany, but generally in the shape of bread made from the whole flour and bran ; and it is not unusual, in travelling through some parts of that country, and of Holland, to see the postillions help themselves and their horses from the same loaf.* BEANS There are several varieties of the bean in use asr horse-food, but I do not know that one is better than another. The small plump bean is preferred to the large shrivelled kind. Whichever be used, the beans should be old, sweet and sound. New beans are in- dio-estible and flatulent ; they produce cohc, and founder very readily. They should be at least a year old. Beans are often ill-harvested ; and when musty or mouldy, though quite sweet internally, horses do not like them. They are often attacked by an insect which consumes much of the flour, and destroys the vitality of the rest. The ravages of the insect are plain enough. The bean is excavated, light, brittle, and bitter tasted. A few m this state may do no harm; but when the beans are generally infected, it is not likely that they are eaten with im^ » British Husbandr)-,, vol. i., p. 146. 92 THE HOR9K p unity, and very often the horse lefuses them alto gether. Damp, musty, ill-kept beans, though old, are as flatulent as those which are new. All kinds are constipating. PEAS Are.seldom used without beans, with which they are mixed in large or small quantities. They may be given without either beans or other grain, but much care is necessary to inure the horse to them. Peas seem to be very indigestible, more so than beans, and perhaps as much so as wheat ; but when given, very sparingly at first, they may be used with perfect safety. It is often said that peas swell so much in the stomach as to burst it. This is an error. Peas do absorb much water, and swell more perhaps than beans, but they never swell so much as to burst the stomach, for the horse cannot or will not eat such a large quantity. When the stomach is bui-st, it is from fermentation, not from swelling of the peas. All kinds of food will produce the same result when the horse is permitted to gorge himself, or when he is fed in full measure upon food that he has not been accustomed to ; but peas seem to be rather more apt to ferment than some other kinds of grain. LINSEED, In small quantities, either whole or ground, raw or boiled, is sometimes given to sick horses. It is too nutritious for a fevered horse, but is very useful foi a cough, and it makes the skin loose and the coat glossy. Half a pint may be mixed with the usual feed every night. For a cough it should be boiled, and given in a bran mash, to which two or three ounces of coarse sugar may be added. THE HORSE. OIL CAKE, OS Grouncl, and given in the boiled food, when not very rich, consisting chiefly or entirely of roots, is much stronger than bran, and stronger, perhaps, than oat- meal seeds. Two to four pounds per day is the usual allowance. It makes the hair glossy. Horses seem to tire of it soon, but the farmer will find it useful for helping his horses through the winter. *' FRUIT, As pumpkins, apples, &c., and sweet potatoes in America, figs and chestnuts in Spain and Italy, ap- ples in some parts of France, and numerous other fructified exotics, are occasionally employed as food for horses."* Horse Chestnuts, it is said, " would probably form a valuable article of medicinal food for horses. In Turkey the nuts are ground, and mixed with other food ; and they are regarded as a remedy for broken wind, and serviceable to horses troubled with coughs."t Haws, the fruit of the hawthorn, have been employed by West, of Hamp- shire, as an article of'food for farm-horses, with what profit I have not learned. " The people of Medjid feed their horses regularly on dates. At Deyrach, in the country of the Flasaae, dates are mixed with the clover. Barley, however, is the most usual food in all parts of Arabia."| Marc's Milk. — For the first six months of the young horse's life, his principal food is mare's milk. He begins to eat much sooner, but few are entirely weaned before this time. Farm mares are usually * Blaine's Vet. Outlines, p. 94. London, 1832. t Comp. Grazier, p. 529. 1833. X Past and Present State of the English Racers. Hookham, 1836. 04 THE HORSE. put to gentle work two or three weeks aftei parturi- tion. Her work should be moderate, and her diet substantial. She is often treated as if work could have no influence on her milk. When she has much to do, the milk is neither good nor abundant, and the foal is half-starved. The foal is sometimes per- mitted to follow his dam to the field, where he may occasionally suckle her. This renders the foal fami- liar, and at an early age reconciles him to subjec- tion, and prevents engorgement of the udder. Bad weather, or the nature of the mare's work, may for- bid the practice. When the mare comes home, the foal is put to suck her. In some places, the milk is previously stripped on to the ground, and the udder bathed with cold w^al er, or vinegar and water. This is not necessary. It is supposed that the milk is in- jured and pernicious when the mare is overheated ; but, in the first place, her work should never be so severe as to overheat her ; and, in the second, the milk is not apparently altered when she is. Hard work will diminish the quantity of milk, and render it less nutritious, but it will do no more. If the foal be withheld till the udder be gorged and distended, a little inflammation will take place, and the milk will be bad. In such cases it is proper to draw off a portion before the foal is put to it; and it may also be proper to bathe the udder with cold water. But to empty it or to bathe it merely because the rnare has been perspiring, is absurd ; and to neglect both mare and foal till the udder needs such treatment, betrays very bad management. Sometimes a mare, especially with her first foal, will not permit sucking. She requires to be held, to have the udder rubbed with the hand and strip- ped. Hold her by the head and keep her steady till the foal is satisfied. Do so five or six times a day. On the third day, or thereabouts, she usually begins to perform her duty without interference. In gene THE HORSE. 95 ral the mare is merely restless; she will not stand quiet till the foal suckles her ; but sometimes she is ill-natured or vicious. If she strike at the foal, threaten her with the lash, and hold up one of her fore feet. If she continue obstinate and resists the repeated efforts of the foal so long that he is likely to get exhausted, put the twitch on the mare's nose. But, if possible, she must be managed without this, and every time the foal is to suckle her, she must be patiently tried before applying the twitch. It is not good to meddle with the foal by way of assisting or directing him to the udder. He may be very awkward, but he soon learns. It is sufficient to control the mare, and this often requires a great deal of patience and perseverance. After the foal has been permitted to suckle her, she is reconciled to it in a day or two, and may afterward prove a very good nurse. Confinement in a dark loose box sometimes renders her kinder. Unless the mare be very obstinate, or the foal very weak and awkward, no cow's milk should be given to it. If its hunger be appeased by drink, it will make no attempt to suckle, and it is only by constantly persevering with the mother that she can be brought to her duty. ^<^ APPENDIX. DISEASES, AND THEIR TREATMENT. A COLD. Thi3 is such a common disease, that many people look upon it with indifference ; but there are few disorders inci- dent to horses, which do not more or less derive their origin from a Cold. But, as only those who are used to horses, can tell when they have got this disease, it will be necessary to describe the nature of a cold, and the usual symptoms that attend it. Causes of Colds. These are various ; but the most usual are, riding the horse till he is hot, and then suffering him to stand still, exposed to the cold air ; removing him from a hot stable to a cold one : (if the horse have been high-fed, and clothed, the cold contracted in this manner often proves very violent ; and this is the reason why horses often catch a severe cold on their first coming out of the dealer's hands :) neglecting to rub him properly down, and to rub the sweat carefully off when he comes in from a journey. Symptoms. When a horse has caught cold, a cough will follow, and he will be heavy and dull in proportion to the severity of the disease : his eyes will be wateiy ; the kernels about his ears, and under his jaws, will swell, and a thin mucous gleet will run from his nose. If the cold be violent, the horse will be feverish ; his flanks will heave, and he will refuse his food. The owner should be very careful to obsei've these last symptoms ; because, when they appear, and are attended with a slimy mouth, cold ears and feet, moist eyes, and a great inward soreness, there is danger of a fever, and genei-ally of a malignant kind. But when the hor^e coughs stronsjly. and snorts aft<^r it. cats 98 THE HORSB. scalded bran, and drinks warm water, is not much off his stomach, moves briskly in his stall, dungs and stales freely, and without pain, his skin feels kindly, and his coat does not stare, there is no danger, nor any occasion for medicine. You should, however, bleed him, keep him warm, give him some feeds of scalded bran, and let him drink warm water. The Cure. If the horse feel hot, and refuse his meat, it will be necessary to bleed him plentifully, and to give the following drink ; 2 oz. of Ball of Liquorice, 2 do. Salt of Tartar, 2 drams of Saffron, 2 ounces of Honey. Cut the ball small, dissolve all together in hot water, and give it nearly cold. This drink may be repeated as occasion requires, but let twenty-four hours elapse first* Or give — 4 oz. c^ Aniseeds. 2 do. Liquorice Root, 1 do. Gum Scammouy 1 do. Nitre. Boil these together in three pints of water, for ten or twelve minutes ; strain the liq:Uor through a cloth ; and add- tw^o ounces of honey to it v/hen you give it to the horse. It is a common practice with Farriers to give a drench composed of hot, nauseous powders, m a quantity of ale , but this is a ver^' bad practice, for it heats the blood, and consequently increases the fever; and at the same time the powders pall the horse's ston>ach by their loathsomeness. The following ball, commonly called The Cordial Ball, is the best one yet found out for coughs or colds, ei Aer in horse or man, and is much preferable to the horse-balls commonly sold at the druggists' shops, and too often made of bad ingredients. Be careful to get your drugs good, for this ball is of great worth in many disorders, both in racers, hunters, and i-oad-horses. Few things will remove a cough or k cold, or clear a horse's wind, sooner or better. Mr. Markhain recommended one something like it, which is. called Markham's Ball ; but you may depend on it, thpt mine much exceeds it in value. THE HORSE. 99 Take of Aniseeds Powder, Fenugreek, Liquorice Powder, Elecampane Powder, Flour of Brimstone, each 4 ounces ; Grains of Paradise, in fine powder, 6 ounces; 4 ounces of Liquorice, cut small, and dissolved in White Wine ; 1 ounce of Saffron, pounded small ; 1 ounce of Oil of Aniseeds ; 8 ounces of Olive Oil ; and 8 ounces of Honey. Bray them all well together, till they come into paste ; and if they should be too dry, add a little more olive oil and honey. The dose is about two ounces, and may be given three or four times a day, if needful. These balls consist- ing of warm, opening ingredients, are of gi-eat use ; and given in small quantities, about the size of a pullet's egg, will encourage a free perspiration ; but in case of a Fever, they should be given with the greatest caution. It will be of great use to put scalding-hot bran into the manger, that the horse may hold his head over it, and receive the steam up his nostrils, which will cause a run- ning from them, and relieve him very much. I have known asarabacca, dried and rubbed to powder, and blown up th«^ nostrils, to cause a discharge ; for when a horse has cauglit a violent cold, he is often troubled with a pain in his head, which a good discharge at the nose is very likely to cure. For the same purpose the horse should be warmly clothed, especially about the head, neck and throat, as it has a ten- dency to promote a running at the nostrils. By this simple method, with proper care, hot mashes, and warm water, most colds may be cured ; and as soon as the horse begins to feed heartily, and snorts after coughing, an hour's exercise eveiy day, will greatly hasten the cure. If the legs swell, and the horse be full of flesh, rowels are necessary. A COUGH, AND ASTHMA. Causes. The causes are various. Sometimes it is owing to colds imperfectly cured ; sometimes to pleurisies, or malignant fevers, which have left a taint upon the lungs or other vessels ; sometimes to small eruptions in the glands, which cause the lungs to be much larger than they ought to be, and a quantity of phlegm, and mucilaginous juices, to stuff up the glands and branches of the wind-pipe ; and somAtiraes to fleshy substances engendered in the large 100 THE HORSB* blood-vessels ; for all these things hinder a free" respiration, and excite a cough. Cure. If the horse be full of flesh, take from him a moderate quantity of blood. The next day give him scalded bran, and in the evening, the following ball : 1 oz. of Powder of Aniseeds, 1 do. Liquorice Powder, 1 dram of Calomel, 8 drama to an oimce. "Work them into a ball with Barbadoes tar. Give this ball the last thing at night, and be careful to keep the horse out of wet, and from cold water the next day. On the second morning, give the following purge : 1 oz. of Barbadoes Aloes, 1 do. Casti)« Soap, ^ do. Powdered Ginger, 1 dram Oil of Aniseeds. Bray them together in a mortar, with a little syrup of buckthorn, to make them into a ball, which is to be given in the morning ; and plenty of warm water, and walking exer- cise, till it be wrought off. (It will not work the first day.) In three days after, give six ounces of the cordial ball in a little warm ale, fasting, and to fast two hours after. Repeat the calomel ball, physic, and cordial ball, six days after, in the same manner as before. Let the horse's hay be sweet, and his manger-meat scalded bran, with a spoonful of honey in each feed : — let him have walking exercise in the open air, but be careful of wet and of cold water. When this course has been pursued two or three times, give two or three ounces of the cordial ball every morning. The above method will remove most coughs, but if it fail, tiy the following : 1 oz. of Gum Ammoniacum, in fine powder, ^ do. Gam Galbanum, in powder, 2 drams of SaiFron, brayed, 2 do Assafoetida, in powder. Work them up with honey, or Barbadoes tar, into one ball ; roll it in liquorice powder, and give it fasting, and to fast two hours after. This ball must be given every morning, for six or seven times, before it can have a fair trial ; but if the horse be not a good one, it will be thought too expensive. In the cure of this disease, the diet should be very mode- THE HORSE. 101 rate, the usual quantity of hay should be abridged, ano sprinkled with water, and the usual allowance of corn and water divided into several portions; for with these regula- tions in diet, the disease will soon be cured ; and where it is incurable, the horse will be so far recovered as to be able to do a great deal of work. It may not be improper here to add, that some young horses are subject to coughs when cutting their teeth, and their eyes are also affected from the same cause. In these cases, always bleed ; and if the cough be obstinate, repeat it, and give warm mashes, which are often sufficient alone to remove the complaint. When young horses have a cough that is caused by worms, as is often the case, such medicines must be given as are proper to destroy those vermin, of which I shall inform you in the chapter on worms. THE COLIC, OR GRIPES. This disorder is little understood by common Farriers, and has for a long time been a secret to many ; so that many a horse has been lost in it, that might have been saved. The same medicines have generally been given to horses in the Colic, as in the diy gripes, when there is much difference in the disorders. The Colic proceeds from various causes, therefore the method of cure varies ; for otherwise the medicines inten- ded to cure it may increase it, and render it fatnl. We shall, therefore, divide this disorder into three different species, and endeavor to give such plain directions for man- aging each, as cannot fail to prove very beneficial. The three species are these : 1. The Flatulent, or Windy Colic. 2. The Bilious, or Infiammatory Colic. 8. The Dry Gripes. THE FLATULENT, OR WINDY COLIC. Symptoms. The horse is very restless, lying down, and starting up again. He strikes his belly with his hind- feet, stamps with his fore-feet, and refuses his meat. When the pain is violent, he has convulsive twitches ; hiis eyes are turned up, and his limbs stretched out, as if dying, 9* 102 THE iioRhE. Rnd his ears and feet are altevnately cold ; he falls into profiise 8weats, and then into cold damps ; often ti-ies to stale, and turns his head frequently to his flanks ; he then falls down, rolls about, and often turns on his back. This last symp- tona proceeds from a stoppage of urine, which generally attends this species of colic, and may be increased by a load of dung pressing on the neck of the bladder. Causes. This disease often proceeds from catching cold by drinking cold water when hot, and the perspirable mat- ter is by that means thrown upon the bowels, which causes them to distend violently, and sometimes brings on an inflammation in the small intestines, when the body begins to swell, and the cure is despaired of. Cure. The first thing to be done is to empty the straight gut, with a small hand, dipped in oil. This frequently gives room for the wind, before confined in the bowels, to dis- charge itself; and, by taking off the weight that pressed upon the neck of the bladder, the suppression of m'ine is removed, upon which the liorse immediately stales, and becomes much easier. If the horse be young, and full of blood, it will be proper to take a sufficient quantity of blood from the neck. When these purgative operations have been performed, the following may be given, as it seldom fails to give relief; 4 oz. of Tincture of Senna, or Daffy's Elixir, 6 drams of Tincture of Opium, 1 dram of Oil of Juniper, 8 oz. of Juniper Berries, bruised. Put one quart of boiling water on the juniper berries, let them stand a few minutes, strain it off, put all together, and give them to the horse. If he does not find relief soon after taking this dose, both by staling and breaking wind, it is doubtful whether he will receive any benefit from it ; so you must prepare the following clyster for him as soon as you can. Take — Camomile Flowers, 4 ounces; Aniseeds, Fennel, Coriander, 2 ounces of each. Boil them in 1 quart of water, and add 2 oz. of Castile Soap, cut small, while the water is hot, that the soap may dissolve. Give it blood wann. During the fit, the horse may be walked about, or trotted a little, but should by no means be harassed, or driven about till he is jaded. If no better, g^ve the followmg : Tllii HORSE. 108 2 drams of Camphor, 1 dram of Pellitory of Spain, 2 oz. of Ginger Powder, 3 gills of Holland Gin. If the horse sweat much at times, and then falls into cold sweats, give fom* ounces of mithridate, in three gills of Holland gin, and repeat the clyster. If the disorder con- tinue three or four hours, give one ounce of tincture of opium, in three gills of Holland gin. When the horse begins to recover, he will lie quiet, without starting and trembling ; and if he continue in this quiet state an hour, you may conclude that the danger is over. Dress him down well, and give him a small quantity of warm water, if he will drink it ; bed him down well, cover him to keep him warm, and then leave him to get a little rest. You must consider that the disoi-der has left a soreness on him, both within and without ; therefore make him a little gi'uel, with a pint of red wine in it ; and if the skin be knocked off about the eyes, or his huck-bones, rub it with the bottle recommended for bruises THE BILIOUS, OR INFLAMMATORY COLIC. Symptoms. This kind of Colic, besides most of the symptoms of the former, is attended with a fever, great heat, panting, and dryness of the mouth. The horse also generally parts with a little loose dung, and a little scald- ing-hot water ; which,* when it appears blackish, or reddish, indicates an approaching mortification. Cure. — Take three ounces of Senna, and one ounce of Salt of Tartar ; infuse them in one quart of boiling water nearly an hour ; then strain it off, and add two ounces of Lenitive Elec- tuary, and four ounces of Glauber's Salts. Mix them when hot, or they will not dissolve. If the disorder be not removed by the above medicine, but, on the contrary, the fever and inflammation continue to increase, attended with a discharge of flesh-colored matter, the event will probably be fatal ; and the only medicine likely to prevent it, is a strong decoction of Jesuit's bark, a pint of which may be given every three hours, mixed with a gill of red port wine ; or you may give one ounce of the powder of bark with the wine. Or, if these cannot be got easily, give four ounces of tincture of rhubarb in three 104 TH£ HORSK. gills of red port wine. Also give a clyster every two hoars made of two new-laid eggs, well broken, and two ounces of London or Venice treacle, in one quart of milk. Give it warm. Take — 1 oz. of Rhubarb, in Powder, ^ do. Jalap, do. AVork them up into a ball with syrup of buckthorn, and give it to the horse, with warm water to work it off. THE DRY GRIPES. Symptoms. This disorder mostly proceeds from cos- tiveness, and is discovered by the horse's frequent and fruit- less attempts to dung, the blackness and hardness of the dung, the frequent motion of his tail, the high color of his urine, and his great uneasiness. Cure. The first thing to be done is to draw out of the fundament, with a small hand, as far as you can reach, and then give the following : 4 oz. of Castor Oil, 4 do. Tincture of Senna, ^ do. Oil of Juniper. Give them all together, and then the following clyster : Boil a handful of Marshmaliows and Camomile Flowers in a quart of water, then strain it off, and add two ounces of T^in- seed Oil, or P^e Oil. If the horse do not mend, repeat both the drink and the clyster. I>uring this disorder, the horse must not have any dry food ; but boiled linseed, and scalded bran, with warm water to drink. Gentle walking exercise is a great means to cause the physic to work ; but be careful of cold. From the account that I have given of the different spe- cies of the Colic, the reader will be abundantly convinced how necessary it is to be acquainted with each, that he may be able to give proper medicines, and to relieve the creature's excruciating pains. He should cai'efuUy avoid all hot, violent medicines, which always prove hurtful in every species of this disorder, and frequently fatal. Nor is it any wonder, that horses treated in that manner, should die ; for such medicines stimulate the neck of the bladder, augment the heat of the blood, (before, much too great,) and inflame the bowels, by which a raortiii cation is broijght THE HORSK. 106 ou, and the hoi'se is lost by the verj^ means used for his recoveiy. Sharp fits of the Gravel, are sometimes taken for the Colic; but should this happen, the drink recommended for the Colic, will also be proper for the Gravel. WORMS AND BOTS. Much has been said about Worms in horses, and but little understood. I have often been astonished at grooms, farmers, and farriers, not having a better knowledge of them ; for there are more horses killed by these nauseous vermin, than by any thing else ; and many are kept weakly and low in flesh by them. Symptoms. The symptoms which indicate worms, are various as the animals are different, and seated in diffe- rent parts of the body. When the Bots are seated in the straight gut, they are never dangerous, but are often thrust out with the dung. They generally come in the months of May and June, and scarcely ever continue in a horse above a fortnight. But when they breed in the stomach, they often cause convulsions, and even death. The Bots that breed in the stomach, are about the size of a large maggot, composed of circular rings, and have little, sharp, prickly feet along the sides of their bellies, by means of which they fasten themselves to the part from whence they derive their nourishment, to prevent their being loosed from such adhesion before they come to maturity ; and as they drain the coats of the stomach like leeches, it is no wonder that they often throw the horse into convulsions, which terminate in death, unless the cause be removed. The violent agonies of the creature are the only indications of their existence. The other kinds of worms are more troublesome than dangerous, and ^re discovered by the following signs : There is a white fur on the end of the straight gut ; the horse is lean and jaded ; his coat is rough and staring ; and if you rub your hand backward on the hair, a white scurf will rise, as if he had been surfeited ; and though he eats with a remarkable appetite, he does not thrive. He often strikes his hind-feet against his belly, and is sometimes gi*iped, but without the violent pains that attend the colic, or stranguary ; for he never rolls or turn- 10ft THE HORSE. bles, but is uneasy, often laying himself down quietly on his belly for a little while, and then rising and beginning to feed. But the surest symptom is when the horse voids the worms with his dung. C URE. Many medicines have been given to destroy these vermin, without knowledge or judgment, and even con- trary to common reason. Some give coarse sugar for that purpose, but, in my opinion it will rather increase, than destroy them ; although a few Avill fill themselves so full as to loose tbieir hold, and to come away with the dung. I advise all who have horses nearly eaten up with worms, not to give every foolish nostrum that people prescribe, but something that is likely to destroy them. Take — 1 oz. of Socoti-ine Aloes, 1 dram of Calomel, 8 drams to an oz., 1 dram of Oil of Aniseed, 2 drams of Powdered Ginger, ^ oz. of Syrup of Buckthorn. Beat all up together in a mortar till the aloes are well broken, and the whole is brought into a paste ; which give in the morning, fasting, and to fast one hour after ; also give warm water, and walking exercise till wrought off. (It will not work the first day.) Be careful that the horse be open in his body before you give the ball. In grass time, you will have nothing more to do than to give it, and to put the horse where he can get water. This dose is for a pretty strong horse, so you must add or diminish, according to size. This dose must be repeated as need requires, but not within seven days. It will destroy most kinds of worms ; but the hard, round worms require different treatment, as they are the worst of any to get rid of. To destroy them, give the following : 1 dram of Calomel, 8 drams to an oz., 6 drams of Jflap, 6 drams of Rhubarb, in powder. Wrought up into a paste with conserve of hips, and two days after, give the above ball. Or the following : 1 dram of Calomel, 8 drams to an oz., 1 oz. of dried Foxglove Leaves, powdered, ^ oz. of Worm Seed, powdered, I oz. of Jalap, in powder. THE HORSE. t^t To be given in three gills of malt liquor from the mash- together, you may be sure that most of the vermin will be tub. If the above be given every week for three weeks expelled. If the medicines be given in the house, let the food be light and opening, and warm water for two days, with walking exercise. I advise all who have horses troubled with worms, to give savin, dried and powdered, before they give the worm physic. If one ounce a day be given for a week before, in a mash of bran, it will be much better. The above ball is good for many disorders besides worms. THE STAGGERS. This disease is a grievous one indeed. Farriers generally divide it into two heads — the Heart Staggers, and the Head Staggers; but they are both one. It is caused by the liver making blood so fast, that the cavity of the heart is overloaded, and the blood flies up the neck vein till the head is overloaded too ; and if relief cannot be obtained, the horse soon dies. Symptoms. The most common are drowsiness, wateiy, and somewhat full and inflamed eyes, a disposition to reel, feebleness, a bad- appetite, the head generally hanging down, or resting on the manger. There is little or no fever, and the dung and urine are very little altered. The horse soon begins to reel, and falls down, and sometimes is s© outrageous as to bite every thing in his way. Cure. In the first place, bleed him as well as you pos- sibly can, by striking the veins in several places at once, and taking away four or five quarts at one time ; and, in order to raise up his head and shoulders, support them with plenty of sti'aw. If he survive the first fit, cut several rowels, give him clysters at night and morning, made of barley-water and a little sweet oil and salt ; and blow up his nostrils a little Cayenne pepper, or white hellebore Also give him — 4 drams of Bark, 16 grains of Turbeth Mineral, i oz. of Camphor, Give it in a little warm ale. If the horse be outrageous* five him— 108 THE HORSE. 1 oz. of Tincture of Opium, 1 gill of Syrup of Poppies, 1 oz. of Tiucture Guaiacum Be careful not to let hira knock his head, for it will increase the disorder. If he get through the first fit, give him two ounces of crocus raetallorum every day, to thin his blood, for fear of a relapse. It will be proper to give him the following ball once a month, for some time after : 1 oz of Rhubarb, in powder, i do of Jalap, 1 dram of Calomel, 8 drams to the oz. To be made into a ball with syrup of buckthorn. T^ia ball will be of great use in thinning the blood, and prevent- ing a return of the disorder ; for when a horse has had one fit of it, he is very likely to have another, if care be not taken to prevent it. A COMPOUND FEVER. Symptoms. The symptoms of this disease are — a slow fever, with great depression ; and sometimes inward heat and outward cold, and at other times heat all over, but not excessive. The horse's eyes are moist and languid ; his mouth is continually moist, so that he is not desirous of drinking, and when he does drink, a very little satisfies him ; he eats very little, and moves his joints in a loose, feeble manner, grating his teeth very disagreeably ; his body ia generally open, his dung soft and moist, and he stales iiTeg- ularly, sometimes making Kttle water, and at others a large quantity, which is of a pale color, and has veiy little sediment. Cure. In the first place, take from the horse a mode- rate quantity of blood. Let it not exceed three pints, but repeat the operation according to its strength, if there be any tendency to inflammation ; after this, the nitre drink already described may be given, with the following addition : 1 oz. of Snake Root, 3 drams of SaflFron, 3 drams of Camphor, dissolved in Spirits of Wine. The horse's diet should be scalded bran ; and linseed, boiled, and wrought up with bran. Also give him the best IHK HOR6£. 109 hay by a handful at a time. It is often necessary to feed him by the hand, for sometimes he is not able to lift his head to the rack. In this disease, drinking is absolutely necessary to thin the blood ; and therefore, if tlie horse refuse warm water, he should be indulged with such only as has had the cold taken off. This may be done with a hot iron, or by letting it stand in the pail in a warm stable ; and this will be bettei than forcing warm water on the horse's stomach. If thif method do not prove sufficient, but the fever shall continue to increase, the following balls should be given immediately, as the danger augments every hour. 1 oz. of Camphor, ^ do. Gum Myrrh, 1 do. Squills, 2 drams of Castor. Make them up into two balls, and give one at night, and the other in the morning. If no better in a short time, give the following infusion : 1 oz. of Snake Root, 2 do. Gentian Root, 2 do. Lemon Peel, 2 drams of Saffron. Boil these well together in three quarts of water, and give a pint once a day. If the above ball fail of success, give the following : 1 oz. of Camphor, dissolved in Spirits of Wine, 1 do. Sal Ammoniac, 1 pint of good Vinegar. Put them all together, and stir them about till the fume subside. This is for two doses, to be taken at twelve hours' distance, diluted with watar. There is not perhaps a more powerful and effectual medicine known than camphor In all kinds of putrid fevers, it being active, attenuating, and par- ticularly calculated to promote urine and perspiration, the two principal outlets by which relief is to be obtained ; and if this medicine were more often given than it is, it would be a greater credit to the farrier, and give greater relief to the horse. If the horse be costive, clysters, or an opening drink, should be given ; and should he purge moderately, be care- 10 no THE HORSE. ful not to suppress it ; but if it continue so long as to enfce ble the horse, give him a little red port wine and bark. Also observe to let the animal drink plentifully, for that will gi'eatly promote the operation of the above-named medicines, as both the disorder and the medicines will cause a thirst. If the horse can bear walking about, a little open air will be very proper, but be careful to keep him well covered. Particular regard should also be paid to his staling, which, if it flow in too gi-eat quantities, must be repressed by proper astringents, and by giving him lime-water; and, on the other hand, if he stale so little as to occasion a fulness or swelling in his body and legs, give him the following drink • 1 oz. of Nitre, 2 do. Castile Soap, 1 do. Venice Turpentine, 2 drams of oil of Juniper. Make them into a ball with liquorice powder, and giv'e them at twice twenty-four hours' distance. These balls may be given as occasions may require, and are very proper to convey off the greasy, slimy matter from the passage of the urine, and to settle swelled legs. These are the best methods of management, and will generally prove successful ; but sometimes art will fail, and the horse wnll discharge a greenish or a reddish gleet from his nostrils, and sneeze very frequently ; he will continue to lose his flesh, become hide-bound, refuse his meat, swell about his joints, and his eyes will appear fixed and dead; a purging also ensues, and a dark-colored foetid matter is discharged. When these symptoms appear, the case may be considered desperate, and all attempts to save the horse will be fruitless. In this disorder you must take care not to let the horse eat too much, for his diet should be light, and in small quan- tities at once, and increased gradually as he may gain strength. When his skin feels kind, his ears and feet con- tinue moderately warm, his eyes look lively, his nose re- mains clean and dry, his appetite mends, he lies down with ease, and dungs and stales well, you may conclude that the danger is nea rly over^ and that nothing, more is needful but care to complete the ,cij3ce. On tj^p Qontrary,^by ,i)vei*foe4-, ing yoti will run the risK oi' bringing on a bad surfeit, aoid THE HOItSE. the Horse may be, according to the old sayiug, — killed with keeping. A BROKEN WIND. This disorder may sometimes be prevented, but cannot De cured ; and it has hitherto been as little understood as any to which a horse is subject. Symptoms. The first symptom of a Broken Wind is an obstinate dry cough, which is neither attended with sick- ness nor loss of appetite ; but, on the contrary, with a dis- position to foul feeding, eating the litter, and drinking large quantities of water. Prevention. When a horse is troubled with an obsti- nate diy cough, and eats his litter, it will be necessary to bleed him, and to give him the mercurial physic already prescribed, repeating it two or three times. Afterwards give the following balls for some time, which have been found of very great service. 4 oz. of Gnm Ammouiacuni, 4 do. Galbanum, 4 do. Assafoetida, 4 do. Squills, ^ do. Saffron, 6 drams of Cinnabar of Antimony Make the whole up into balls with honey and a little liquorice powder, and give one about the size of a pul- let's egg every other morning. This is a very good ball for a dry cough. Some horse-dealers give broken-winded horses a quan- tity of shot when they cany them into the market for sale, and I suppose it is to draw the bowels from the midriff, so that the disorder may not be discoverable ; but at the sam< time there is great danger of killing the horse. But it is not enough to give proper medicines ; tht horse's diet should also be carefally attended to at the samt time, if we would hope for success. In order to do this, the horse should eat very sparingly of hay, which, as well as his corn, should be wetted with chamber-lie, which is much better than water ; and in this disease the horse is always craving after water. Chamber-lie is best for this parpds^, becauise of thfe volatile Billts whlclf it cbntiainisl, as 112 TlIK HORSE. they are a means of removing the thirst. For the same reason, garlic is veiy efficacious in this disorder. Two or three cloves being given in each feed ; or three ounces bruised, and boiled in a quart of milk and water, and given every morning for a fortnight, has been found very service- able. So easy a remedy should never be neglected ; for by warming and stimulating the solids, and at the same time dissolving the tenacious juices which choke up the vessels of the lungs, it greatly relieves this complaint. Moderate exercise should never be omitted ; and although broken-winded horses are not able to endure much labor the first summer, yet many have been found less oppressed the second, and scarcely perceptibly affected the third, being then able to perform a long journey, and to endure gieat fatigue. A horse kept constantly in the field, when n'.'t in work, will be able to do good service for many years. It may not be improper to observe that those who hope to cure a broken-winded horse, or even one that is troubled w. ih an obstinate cough, by putting him to glass, will find th nnselves wretchedly mistaken ; for on his being taken into the stable and fed with dry meat, he will be much worse than before ; and some that had only a dry cough wK^n they were put to grass, have returned broken- winded. Therefore always remember, that if you cannot keep a horse of this description constantly abroad, it is best not to put him to grass at all, as, instead of curing, it will tend to augment the disorder. In short, the grand secret of managing horses of this kind, consists in having particular regard to their diet and exercise. A moderate quantity of hay or corn, and water, should be given at a tiiue, and the former constantly mois- tened, to prevent their wanting too much of the latter. They should have moderate exercise, but never any that is violent. By this method, and giving the following ball once every fortnight or three weeks, the horse will be able to df good service for many years. 6 drams of Socotriue Aloes, 2 do. Myn-h, 2 do. Galbanum, 2 do. Amraoniacum, 2 oz. of Bayberries, in powder. Make the whole into a ball with a little oil of amber, aatf IffE HORSE. 113 a sufficient quantity of syrup of buckthorn. This ball ope- rates so gently that there is no need for confinement, except a little the day following that on which it is given. The horse nmst have warm mashes and warm water, and the utmost care must be taken to prevent his catching cold. THE HIDEBOUND. This disorder is too often brought on by the horse being worked too hard, and badly kept ; although this is not al- ways the case. When the skin of a horse sticks so close to his ribs that it appears immovable, the horse is said to be hidebound. But this is not properly a disease, but rather a symptom, being often caused by previous disorders, such as fevers, convulsions, surfeits, worms, or disorders of the kidneys or lungs. Cure. As the Hidebound may proceed from various causes, it is necessary to determine the cause, before such medicines can be applied as will remove it. If it owe its origin to hard labor and want of food, rest -and plenty will soon remove it. If it is caused by worms, worm medicines must be applied ; or if it be left by any im- perfectly-cured disorder, the following drink must be given : 2 oz. of Aniseeds, in powder, 2 do. Ginger, in powder^ 1 do. Grains of Paradise, 2 do. Mustard, 2 do. Turaieric. All to be powdered, and to be given in warm ale, fasting, and to fast two hours after. Give warm water two or three times. Bleeding, tapping, and physic are also neces- sary, when the Hidebound is left by any disorder. THE FARCY, OR FARCIN. Symptoms. At the beginning of this disorder a few small knobs, or tumors, resembling grapes, are found on the veins, which are so painful to the touch that the crea- ture shows evident marks of uneasiness on their being pressed with the finger. They are at first very hard, like unripe gi'apes, but in a very little time they grow soft, and break and discharge a bloody matter, and become veiy foul and unt( ward ulcers. This disease appears in different 10* tl4 ini; ijOi:;:i:. places in dift'ereut horses. Some show it first on the» head; some on the exUirnai jugular vein; some on the plate vein, extending from thence downward, on the inside of \he fore-leg, towards the knee, or upwards towards the h;-isket. In some it first appears about the pasterns, or the sides of tlie large veins, and on the insides of the thighs, extending towards the groin ; in others on the flanks, spreading by degrees towards the lower belly ; and some horses are nearly covered all over the body at once. Cure. When the Farcy attacks only one part of a horse, and that where the blood-vessels are small, it may be easily cured ; but when the plate vein is affected, and turns corded ; and especially when the crural veins, within- side the tliigh, are in that condition, the cure is very diffi- cult, and the creature is rarely fit for any thing but the lowest work after it. Therefore those who depend upon yome particular medicine, and flatter themselves with being }.ble to cure eveiy species of the Farcy with it, will find themselves wretchedly mistaken ; for different medicines are needful, according as the disease is superficial or invet erate. The former is easily cured, for sometimes mode rate exercise is sufficient ; but the latter requires knowledge and experience ; and sometimes baffles the most skilful, and denes the whole power of medicine. From the above description of this disease, it appears that it is of the inflammatory kind, and that the blood-vessels are affected. Copious bleedings are therefore absolutely necessary, especially if the horse be fat and full of blood. This evacuation always checks the progress of the Farcy in its beginning, but its good effects soon vanish, especially if the horse be low in flesh. After bleeding, mix the fol- lowing : 4 oz. of Cream of Tartar, 4 do. Liver of Artimony, 4 do. Lenitive Electuary. 4 do. Castile Soap, 2 drams of Calomel, 8 drams to au ounce. Make these into balls, and give two ounces a day for some time. While giving these balls, dissolve a little nitre in the water given to the horse to drink. These medicines will keep his body open, and allay the inflammatory heat of his blood, which is the principal cause of the disease ; and THE HORSE. 115 while they are given inwardly to remove the cause, let the tumors be rubbed twice a day with the following ointment : 4 oz. of Elder Ointment, 4 do. Flanders Oil of Bays, 2 do. White Vitriol, 1 do. Red Precipitate, 2 do. Sugar of Lead. Beat all well together into an ointment, and keep it for use. This ointment will soon disperse the tumors, which will leave small bald spots on the skin, but the hair will grow again in time. If the tumors break, and run a thick, well- digested matter, it is a sign that the disease is conquered, and the horse will soon be well ; but it will be necessary to give him two ounces of liver of antimony every day for a fortnight after, in order to sweeten his blood, and disperse the small bunches that remain. This method will never fail, when the small veins only are atfected ; and a short time will complete the cure. But when the Farcy affects the large blood-vessels, the cure is far more difficult. Let the practitioner always attempt it at the beginning of the disease, as he then will have fewer difficulties to encounter ; for delay renders that almost impossible to be overcome which at first might have been easily conquered. Therefore, when the plate, or crural veins are corded, lose no time, but bleed immediately on tlie opposite side, and apply to the distempered vein the following mixture, which is proper to dress the wounds with, but not before they are broken out. 1 dram of Corrosive Sublimate, 1 oz. of Spirits of Salt. Powder the sublimate, and put it into a bottle, and put the spirits of salt upon it to dissolve it; then add two oun- ces of vinegar, by degrees. This is a very proper mixture to dress the ulcers with; but if it cannot be easily got, take — 6 oz. of Oil of Turpentine, 3 do. of Oil of Vitriol. Put the pot in water with the turpentine in it, and pour the oil of Vitriol in, a little at a time, and keep stirring it till it shall have subsided. If the Farcy be situate in the Idose and fleshy parts, such as the flanks and the belly, the *16 THE HoRlSfi. mixture should consist of equal parts of oil of turpentintt and oil of vitriol ; but when the seat of the disease is in tho parts which are ^ess fleshy, the proportions above are best calculated to perform a cure. The medicine must be used in the following manner. Rub the paits affected, with a woollen cloth, and then apply some of the compound oil to every bud and tumor. Continue this method twice a day, and at the same time, give cooling physic every other day. The balls and nitrous draughts, before mentioned, will an- swer the intention. By this treatment, the tumors will be digested, and the cords dissolved ; but it will be necessary to give liver of antimony to complete the cure, and to pre- vent a relapse ; and also to dress the sores, when well di- gested, with a mixture of beeswax and oil, which will heal them and smooth the skin. Sometimes the disease will not yield to this treatment, especially when situate near the flanks or the lower belly. In that case it will be necessary to bathe the parts with the compound oil, as far as the centre of the belly ; at the same time to give a course of antimonial medicines. The following composition is stronger than the last, and on that account is often used when the disease is obstinate. 4 oz. of Spirits of Wine, 2 do. Oil of Turpentine, 4 do. Oil of Vitriol, 2 do. Vinegar. Mix all together, with the caution before directed. When this method fails, and the disorder becomes inveterate, try the following, which is recommended by an eminent prac- titioner. ^ pint of Linseed Oil, 3 oz. of Oil of Turpentine, 3 do Oil of Peter, 2 do. Oil of Bays, ^ do. Oil of Origanum, ^ do. Strong Aquafortis, 2 do. Barbadoes Tar, 2 drams of Tincture of Euphorbium. Mix all together with caution, as before directed. This medicine must be rubbed on the tumors and corded veins once in two or three days, observing that if the mouths of the ulcers are choked up, or so thick as to confine the mat THK HORSE. 117 ter, to open a imssage with a amall hot iron ; and also to destroy the proud flesh, which may be kept down by touch- ing it occasionally with oil of vitriol, aquafortis, or butter of antimony. In this disorder, these are the best ways of proceeding that have yet been discovered ; but it is to be considered as an obstinate one, and is sometimes very bad to cure. It has hitherto baffled many an able practitioner, and it is to be feared will baffle many more ; for when the blood has got into such a corrupted state, it bids defiance to medi- cines. The ingenious Dr. Brackden recommends the strong mer- curial ointment, for rubbing the cords and tumors with before they break ; and in order to disperse them when they are broken, to dress the sores with a mixture composed of equal parts of Venice turpentine and quicksilver. If the mouth become sore by this means, a gentle purge should be given to prevent salivation. This is doubtless a very good method, and if care be taken, will often prove effectual. " A SPRAIN IN THE SHOULDER. When the shoulder of a horse is sprained, he does not put out that leg like the other, but in order to ease it, sets the sound foot firmly on the gi'ound. When trotted in hand, he performs a kind of circle with his lame leg, in- stead of putting it forward ; and when he stands in the stable, that leg is advanced before the other. There is what is called a Shoulder-slip, which is worse than a Sprain. When this happens, the horse can neither lift his leg nor put it forwards. You may know this fi'om the shoulder-blade standing higher than the other ; but to discern that, you must make him stand on the lame leg, for the leg he stands on will always appear a little higher than the other. The flesh will also shortly waste away from the shoulder-blade, which is a sure sign of a Shoulder-slip. When this accident has taken place, put a tap into the lame side of the animal's breast, and blow the shoulder full of wind with a pipe. When you have rinded the skin to put the tap in, hold the skin ftist to the pipe, and blow the part that you have rinded, full, and let some one draw the wind up into the shoulder with the edge of his hand, as far a* 118 THE HORSE. the shoulder-blade, aud then put in the tap, or rowel, and stop the hole up well with tow and salve. Give warm water for three days, and then open the place, stir the tap round, and rub the shoulder all over with the following liniment : 2 oz. of Spirits of Wine, 2 do. Svi^eet Oil, 2 do. Spirits of Sal Ammoniac. Shake them well together, rub the shoulder well with the mixture every third day for some time, and if the horse do not get better with three or four times rubbing, use the following: 2 oz. of Oil of Turpentine, 1 do. Oil of Origanum, 1 do. Oil of Bricks. Shake these up together, rub all on at a time, and walk the horse about a little, afterwards. When near the sea, swimming in the salt water is verj' proper, and I have known swimming in fresh water to be of great use. A Sprain in the shoulder point, requires nearly the same treatment as a slip, but you need not blow it. When it is attended by inflammation, cooling mixtures, such as extract of lead and water, niust be used. But when a swelhng, or aji inflammation takes place, it is mostly caused by a hurt, or by a stroke from another horse. If there be no swell- ing, rub the shoulder point well with the following mixture, every third day. 1 oz. of Oil of Peter, 1 do. Oil of Amber, 1 do. Oil of Spike, 1 do. Oil of Bricks Shake these well together, and rub the shoulder point every other day. If the horse ye not better, take — 1 oz. of Oil of Turpentine 1 do. Oil of Origanum, 1 do. Oil of Swallows, I do. Oil of Amber Shake these together, and rub the shoulder point well with them every third day; and if the horse continue lame; recourse must be h»d to blistering. TK£ MOUSE. 110 THE BONE-SPAVIN. A-lthougla this is a common disorder among horses, yet it is Httle understood by either breeders or farriers. The Bone-Spavin is a bony excrescence, or hard swelling on the inside of the hock in a horse's leg, and sometimes owes its origin to kicks and blows, and sometimes to natural causes ; but in the former case it is much more easily cured than in the latter ; and those that grow spontaneously on colts, or young horses, are not so bad as those that appear in horses that have arrived at their full strength and maturity. In old horses, they are generally incurable. Our horse-dealers and jobbers make a second kind of Bone-Spavin, which they call a Jack, but this is only a pol- ished name for a Bone-Spavin, as there is no difference between the two. Some call it a Dry Knot, but still it is a Bone-Spavin. Sometimes the horse is very lame when the Spavin is first coming out, and wken it has come out, is better for some time, and then grows lamer as the bone hardens. I would advise you to apply a blister as soon as you have any suspicion that a horse is likely to put out a Spavin, and to continue blistering eveiy fortnight, for some time ; by which means you may stop a Spavin in a young horse. Cure. Mild medicines should be used if the horse is young, as they will in a short time wear the tumor down by degi'ees, which is much better than trying to remove it at once by severer methods, which often have a very bad effect, and produce worse consequences than those they were intended to remove. But in full-grown horses they are absolutely necessary, and accordingly, various authors have given prescriptions for compounding medicines to an- swer the intention ; but I will not enumerate them here, as the blistering ointment given in the last chapter, will be found to answer better for young horses than anything yet found out ; and for an old horse, or one that has come to his full strength, you may add a dram of sublimate, finely powdered, to two ounces of the blistering ointment, and stir it well up. Before these are applied, the hair must be cut off very close, and then the ointment laid on very thick on the affect ed part. It is proper to make the application in the morn- 120 THE HORSE. V ing, and to keep the horse tied up to tlie rack all daj with- out any litter ; but at night he must be littered, in order that he may lie down ; and to prevent the blister from coming ofl', put a white pitch plaster over it, and tie it on with broad tape. When the blister has done running, and the scabs begin to dry and peel off, it should be applied a second time in the same manner as before, and the second will have a much greater effect than the first. When the Spavin has continued long, the blister will have to be often r»oewed, perhaps five or six times ; but it is necessary to observe, that after the second time, you must not be less than three weeks before you lay on the third, or you will destroy the roots of the hair, and leave the place bald. By these means, Bone-Spavins may often be cured ; but when they fail, recourse must be had to firing. Before you fire a horse for the Bone-Spavin, be careful to take the vein out of the way, for it generally lies over the Spavin ; and you cannot fire deep enough to come at the callous substance, without its remov-al. In order to destroy the vein, cut a nick through the skin upon it, just below the Spavin, and another just above it, and put a crooked needle under the vein, and tie both ends : then cut the vein across between the tyings, both above and below, and you may either draw the piece of the vein out, or leave it in. Let the iron you fire with be pretty sharp ; cut four or five nicks upon the bone, and let the iron take hold of the superfluous bone, in order that it may waste away by mat- tering ; and when you have done, lay on some white pitch, pretty hot, and put a cloth around it to keep it on. In three days, open the place, and dress it with yellow basilicon. Some people put lunar caustic, or sublimate, into the places ; but it is a dangerous practice, and often lames the horse foi-ever. I wish those who have got a horse with a Bone-Spavin, to make a full trial of the directions here given, and I trust they will find them to answer the pur- pose, as well as any hitherto found out. THR HORSR. 121 THE BLOOD-SPAVIN, OR BOG-Sl'AVlN, Many farriers and horse-dealers divide this disease into two heads, and give them different names ; but to my cer- tain knowledge, they are both one, for I have proved it many ways. A Blood- Spavin does not come by breeding from spavined mares, nor by being got by spavined horses, as the Bone- Spavin does ; but you may safely breed out of a Blood-Spavined mare, or have foals got by a Blood-Spav- ined horse. In mj^ opinion, Blood-Spavins are generally brought on either by Sprains, or hard labor when the horse is young, and sometimes when he is full-gi'own. The Blood-Spavin, or Bog-Spavin, is a dilation of the vein that runs along the inside of the hock, and forms a small soft swelling in the hollow part, which in time ren- ders the creature lame, but seldom till the gelatinous mat- ter becomes ropy, like melted glue in a bag, and is situate on the inside of the hough. Sometimes it goes through to the back part of the joint, and then it is called a thorough- pin. Cure. Soon as you discover the vein puffed up, or forming a bag, lay on some blistering ointment, and in four days after, bathe the swelling well with hot vinegar, with a little saltpetre dissolved in it. Also put a bandage round it to disperse the swelling as much as you can. If this me- thod do not succeed, you must make two incisions in the skin lengthwise, as the vein runs, one just above, and the other just below the joint, and lay the vein bare ; then put the end of a buck's horn under it, raise it up, and fasten it in both places with waxed thread ; then cut fhe vein in two at both places, within the tyings, and if you think pro- per, draw the vein out. This method of proceeding will cure most Bog-Spavins at the beginning. Spring, or the back end of the year, is the most proper time for this ope- ration ; but the latter is preferable, as you can then let the horse run out most of winter, which will be of great ser- vice to him. If the above method fail of a cure, you may make an ia- cision into the bag with a knife, and let out the gelatinous matter, and then dress the wound with a digestive ointment tin the bag be destroyed. But this is a dangerqus method, I* 122 THF, HORSE, and although it may answer in some cases, it will not .'ft others. Should the joint run a joint-lee, the cure is not to be depended on. In old horses, nothing can be done that will be of service. A CORB. This is a soft swelling that rises out of the joint on the back part of the hind-leg, just below the hock, and mostly lames the horse, besides being unpleasant to the eye. To cure it, strike a few holes into it with a pricker, made so as just to go through the skin ; then rub well with oil of ori- ganum, and blister as often as needful. A RING-BONE. This is so well known that I need not describe it, but only point out the remedy; yet I must observe, that a Sprain in the Coffin is sometimes taken for a Pting-Bone, when it causes a rim to rise just above the foot. Ring- Bones come out from the pastern, between the fetlock and the foot ; but if the pastern is long, they are nearer the foot. They will generally yield to the same method of cure as a Corb, especially if just coming out ; but if not, recourse must be had to firing. Spleuts, Osselets, or any other bony or fleshy sub^i - ces on the legs, may be cured in the same manner. A Splent on the shank-bone is only a grievance to the eye, and will go away of itself when the horse comes to age •- but the sooner those that are near the knees or the tendons are removed, the better. MALLENDERS AND SALLENDERS. The first is on the fore-leg, at the bend of the knee, and die last on the hind-leg, at the bend of the hough. They crack and thr ^w out a thin brown matter, and sometimes a hard scurf, or scab, which prevents the hor?e from bending the limbs which are affected, as he should do. Cure. They both proceed from the same cause, and consequently require the same treatment; which consists in washing the parts with old chamberlie or a warm lather THK HORSE. 12S of soap-suds, and afterwards a|)plying strong mercurial ointment, spread on tow, to the cracks, once a day till the scabs fiill off, when the cure will bo completed; and then it will be necessar}^ to give him a dose of physic. If the disorder will not yield to the meicurial ointment, make a strong mixture of vitriol water, and wash the cracks with It, and it will dry them up, and cause the scabs to fall off. THE STRANCtLES. Most horses have this disorder while young, but at seven years old they are out of danger. There are two kinds of this disorder. The common kind is a swelling under, or between the jaw-bones. The other, which is called the bastard kind, is much the worst. Sometimes swellings appear on the buttocks, break, and discharge matter for a few days, and then dry up, after which, others appear in a fresh place in the same manner. I have known horses that have had this complaint eight or ten weeks. The common kind begins with a swelling between the jaw-bones, which sometimes extends to the muscles of the tongue, and is often attended with so much heat, pain and inflammation, that before the matter is formed the crea- ture swallows with the utmost difficulty. ■ Symptoms. The Strangles is attended w^ith great heat and fever, a painful cough, and great inclination to drink, without being able. Some horses lose their appetites en- tirely, and others eat but very little, occasioned by the pain resulting from the motion of the jaws in chewing and swal- lowing. When the horse runs much at the nose, it is not a good sign. Although this disease is very troublesome, it is not dan- gerous, except when the swelling turns upwards against the wind- pipe and gullet, and then there is danger of suffo* cation if it do not break soon. Cure. The Strangles is not properly a disease, but a discharge common to young horses, and therefore it follows that the discharge must be promoted, in order to throw ofl the offensive matter. The best method of doing this is, to keep the swelling always soft by soaking it with softening ointment, such as marshmallows, or eider ointment. 1 have known oil of swallows, with a little spirit'-, of harts- 124 THE HORSE. horn in it, be veiy useful in bringing the swelling forward, and causing it to break. A. cloth in the form of a cap, put on the horse's head, and stuffed with wool to keep the swelling warm, will be of great service. Some people ap- ply a poultice, but there is no need of this if the above be properly used. Give plenty of warm water, with a little meal in it ; for in this disorder a horse cannot swallow dry meat enough for its support. Sometimes the Strangles gather four or five times, and break in many places ; and you must observe that if the orifices are not wide enough, they must be opened with the point of a knife, and by this means it will be prevented from breaking out in so many places. After the sv/eliing appears, it will be five or six days before it breaks and dis- charges. There is always a small discharge at the nostrils, but it is little or no gi'ievance to the horse. ' When the swelling is broken, and the orifice of a proper size to discharge the matter, dress with the following oint- ment spread on tow : Take Yellow Rosin and Burgundy Pitch, of each one pound ; Honey and common Tui-pentine, of each half a pound ; Bees WaXj four ounces; Hog's Lard, one pound and a half; and of Verdigrise, finely powdered, one ounce. Melt the ingredients together, but do not put the Yerdigrise in till nea:\y cold, and keep stirring all the time till cold, or the Verdigrise wvll^ fall to the bottom. This is one of the best salves for wounds that has been found out, and especially for old ones. The Bastard Strangles requires the same kind of treat- ment, but it is proper to give the horse a dose or two of calomel physic also. THE GLANDERS. This disease has banled all who have ti'ied to cure it, and probably will do so to the end of time ; so I advise those who may have a glandered horse, to put him off as soon as they shall be certain that he is so. People often mistake other disorders for the Glanders. A violent cold sometimes causes a running at the nostrils, and kernels under the jaws, when the horse is free from the Glanders. Some times a running at the nostrils is caused by laying too much THE HORSE. 125 weight on the horse. 1 once bought one at Boroughbridge fair, which I soon after sold, and eleven weeks after, had him returned fis a glandered horse ; but I kept him for some time afterwards, and he neither infected others, nor lost his flesh. This horse was bought from a miller, who had overloaded him, which caused him to bleed at the nose ; afterwards he began to run at the nose, and did so duriTig tlie time that 1 had him, which was nearly half a year. I do not pretend to cure this disorder. Symptoms. The matter discharged from the nostrils of a glandered horse, is either white, yellow, greenish, or streaked or tinged with blood. When the disease has been of long standing, and the bones are fouled, the matter turns blackish, and becomes very bad. The Glanders is always attended with a swelling of the kernels, or glands under the jaws, but in every other re- spect, the horse is generally healthy and sound, till the disorder has continued some time, and the morbid matter has affected other parts. If a thin, limpid fluid be first discharged, and afterwards a whitish matter — if the gland under the jaw do not con- tinue to swell, and the disorder shall have been recently contracted, a speedy cure may be effected by applying the following : 1 oz. of iloHch. Alum., 1 do. White Vitriol. Powder these well, put them into a pint of warm vine- gar, and syringe about an ounce up his nostrils every day. This may do good if the disorder be newly caught. SCRATCHES. This disease is the forerunner of the Grease, and is a hot oozing matter that breaks out hke kins, with a nauseous smell. It is very ti'oublesome to a horse, causing his heels to look red and angry, and to be very sore ; and sometimes it is so violent as to render a horse lame, and unfit for use. If you do not bleed and physic as soon as you find a heat in a horse's heels, you may seen have him laid up with the Grease. Sometimes in slight touches of this complaint, the heels are not hotter than usual. In that case, take a little flour of sulphur, and spirits of wine, mix Vi^i ' THK, Jiou.Sr:. iheui to;:erhev into an ointment, and fill the cracks well with it. When the disorder is too hot to be healed by this oint- ment, rub with a little ^^^gyptiacum ointment, but be care- ful not to lay too much on, for it is a great drier. Rat-tails at first resemble the Grease, and are attended with a hot, scorbutic humor at the beginning, and often by neglect, destroy the roots of the hair, and then-therais no complete cure for them ; but they may be relieved by rub- bing with equal parts of strong mercurial ointment and Flanders oil of bays. If a horse have got the Scurvy, or Scabs on his legs, this ointment v»'ill mostly take them off; but if not, mix well with hog's lard, one dram of sublimate, in fine pow- der. These two last mixtures will cure most Scabs, and mixed together, they will cure the Itch. WINDGALLS. These are mostly on the hind-legs, near the fetlock, but I have known them above the fetlock, and on the arm. Windgalls are not only eye-soreSj but lame many a horse. Many methods are tried to disperse them without effect. If you put your finger '^'" one side, and your thumb on the other, and press with one of them, you will find the Wind- gall to go quite through the leg. The reason that they are mostly on the hind-legs is, because the horse stands lower behind thaij before, and throws most weight on the hind- legs. Cure. On the first appearance of a Wiudgail, bathe the place well with w^arm vinegar and spirits of wine, and put a pretty tight bandage round it. If this do not remove it, lay on blistering ointment till the cure shall be completed. But should this method also fail, which it seldom does, you must lay the WindgaU open, and dress it as a common wound. Before you use the knife, be careful to get the horse's body into a proper cool state, by physic. Some people fire, to cure Windgalls, running tlie iron on the skin, (what is called scoring,) but thereby do little good, as that cannot destroy the bag of wind and matter. It may draw the skin a little tighter, so that the Windgall will not appear so large. THE ARCHITECT, A SERIES OF ORIGINAL DESIGNS, FOR DOMESTIC AND OKNAMENTAL rOTT4GEI CONNECTED WITH ADAPTED TO THE UNITED STATES. 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