18 HORSE-KEEPING FOR AMATEURS. 



practitioner rarely succeeds in effecting a cure if the injury 

 is a serious one. 



Falling. — In most cases, when a horse falls, he pitches 

 forward on to his head and knees, though a not infrequent 

 occurrence is where, in turning sharply round a corner, or 

 when travelling on greasy stones, as the London streets, he 

 slips up on his side. The latter fall seldom does much harm, 

 provided the ribs escape uninjured, and the horse rises, a 

 moment later, none the worse for the tumble. Where, how- 

 ever, he falls forward, the consequences may be more serious. 

 The first thing to do is to secure his head, and keep it on 

 the ground ; then, assuming he is in harness, detach him, 

 without unnecessary fuss and noise, from the carriage, which 

 should be pushed back clear of him. If he shows any dis- 

 inclination to rise on his head being released, let him lie 

 until he has recovered himself a little; he may be winded, 

 or perhaps a little stunned. "When he manifests any intention 

 of rising, support his head, and the muscles will be enabled 

 to act more freely in raising his body. If he has cut himself 

 severely, get him into the first stable you can find, and wash 

 all the grit out with warm water ; then apply the treatment 

 recommended in the opening lines of this chapter. 



It oftens happens that, in going through gaps in, or in 

 jumping over, quickset hedges, the hunter gets thorns into 

 his skin, especially in the legs and stomach. Bathe with 

 warm water, then run the hand carefully ( ver the part sus- 

 pected, when the smallest projection will manifest itself at 

 once. Most thorns can be removed with the fingers, by means 

 of a sudden jerk ; sometimes, however, the tweezers must be 

 employed ; but the greatest care should be taken to remove 

 the whole of the thorn, or what is left will be sure to give 

 trouble. In all such processes as these, remember this golden 

 rule — that yoa cannot exercise too much patience and gentle- 

 ness, and that a little extra time devoted to the good of your 

 horse will be amply repaid later. 



Lameness is sometimes occasioned by careless shoeing, where 

 the ignorant smith drives a nail into the sensitive part of the 

 hoof, or by the horse picking up a nail or piece of glass on 

 the road. The shoe must be taken off, and the foot examined, 

 when probably some tenderness will be discoverable. Put the 

 foot in a cold bran poultice for a day or two ; if heat and 

 lameness still continue, the hoof should be pared down over 



