254 THE HORSE BOOK. 



degree of cold, but they do not thrive in the 

 rain. Give them good shelter always. Close 

 confinement is bad for any horse, more espe- 

 cially in his younger days. If he is kept up 

 closely his feet will grow awry somehow, un- 

 due strain will be put on some part or other 

 and unsoundness will develop as the inevitable 

 result. 



Tracing the life history of the horse from 

 foalhood to maturity we find that the first thing 

 he is likely to encounter is joint disease (om- 

 phalo phlebitis) due to germ infection at the 

 navel. Usual symptoms of this dread malady 

 are droopiness, listlessness and swelling of the 

 joints. Protrusion of the intestines in the re- 

 gion of the navel (umbilical hernia) is also com- 

 mon, the apparent swelling being soft and capa- 

 ble of reduction by gentle manipulation with 

 the fingers, forcing the intestines back into 

 their proper place. In both of these cases the 

 services of a veterinarian should be requisi- 

 tioned as quickly as possible. Joint disease 

 is greatly to be feared and for that reason a 

 condition of the utmost cleanliness should be 

 provided when a mare foals. 



As a yearling strangles is about the next thing 

 a colt will encounter. Like children and mea- 

 sles, few colts get away without a spell of this 

 trouble. This is a disease which is contagious 

 and which runs a well defined course, as a gen- 

 eral thing, and usually a benign one. It is a 



