IN SEARCH OF A HORSE. 215 



country farrier ; fomentations, and even poultices 

 are troublesome, and therefore not continued, even if 

 at first adopted ; to a recent wound in shoeing, or 

 treading on a nail. Friar's balsam may be usefully 

 applied ; but where the wound is severe, this or any 

 stimulant will increase the inflammation to a mis- 

 chievous extent. The horn (if the wound is in the 

 foot) should be pared away, and the place poulticed. 

 Lameness occurring soon after shoeing should always 

 excite a suspicion that the sensible sole has been 

 pricked, and in such a case it is obviously impolitic 

 to consult the smith by whom the horse was shod. 

 In applying a poultice, it is a common practice to 

 tie it tightly round the foot or legs with strings. 

 This is injurious : a worsted stocking is a very con- 

 venient bag, and may easily be kept on by apply- 

 ing another stocking to the other foot, and passing 

 a roller over the withers to connect the two. Any 

 tight ligature round the leg is injudicious, if it can 

 be avoided. 



Where any place is galled or swelled by the saddle, 

 or the harness, fomentation is the best of all reme- 

 dies ; should any abscess be formed it should be 

 opened and kept open by a seton, till the matter is 



