THE HORSE. 43 



Rheumatism. 



Rheumatism can be discovered only when the horse is 

 lame, and, consequently, unsound ; but should you be 

 able to prove that the horse was afflicted with rheumatism 

 within a reasonable time of purchase, and that he was 

 subject to that disease before you purchased him, even 

 though he was going sound at the time of purchase, if 

 he was warranted, he is returnable. This is a disease 

 generally brought on horses by carelessness and the sup- 

 position that they are never afflicted by it. Horses 

 should not be exposed to draughts, particularly in the 

 stable, the flooring of which, more especially the straw, 

 should be dry for them to lie upon. As horses are 

 exposed to damp and cold out of doors, people imagine 

 it matters not what condition the stable may be in, 

 thinking only that, if foul, it may spoil their coats. 

 Out of doors and at liberty horses are not exposed to 

 draughts ; whenever they can they will get out of them ; 

 and when unpleasantly cold, will move about and warm 

 themselves. This they have not room to do in the 

 stable. Do they ever lie down in the wet out of doors ? 

 They choose the driest spot they can find ; and when 

 cold, they will either roll and get an extra layer of 

 dirt as a covering, or otherwise exercise themselves. 



For this disease it is usual to treat in the vicinity of 

 the round bone. Therefore, when you see marks of blis- 

 tering, setons, or firing on this part, even though the horse 



