180 The Management and Treatment of the Horse, 



Christian gentlemen, and who would be quite ready to 

 punish severely any slight act of cruelty done by an 

 ignorant drover. It may be easily conceived the great 

 pain this causes to the poor animal, and those who have 

 had the slightest touch of inflammation of the gums will 

 have some idea of its sufferings. Every man with any 

 feeling will make it his first study to see that the bit 

 fits the horse, does not hurt its mouth, and can in no 

 way injure the sides of the mouth or the palate. Even 

 his own comfort ought to dictate this, as no horse can 

 perform its work pleasantly while it is suffering from 

 an irritation of the mouth. When the owner or groom 

 finds the bone injured he should at once send for a 

 veterinary surgeon, as it may be necessary to perform 

 an operation to remove the shattered portions of the 

 bone, but if the wounds are only of a fleshy nature 

 they may be cured by the parts being frequently 

 washed with alum, one ounce to one quart of water. 

 If the wound has become ulcerated it may be necessary 

 to touch the parts affected with lunar caustic or liquid 

 nitrate of silver, to stimulate and cause them to 

 heat ; at tbe same time the wash is being used it will 

 be proper to give a laxative such as has been re- 

 commended for farcy. This complaint is one that 

 could be entirely prevented by a little care and patience 

 on the part of the rider or driver, yet we often see men 

 pull at the sensitive mouth of a horse as if they had a 

 bull by the horns, and this frequently happens from 

 some fault of their own. The horse may be nervous 

 and shy at some object it does not thoroughly under- 

 stand, when, instead of a gentle word and a slight pull 



