OF FARRIERY. 



49 



Bplent, and divide the periosteum, which is 

 that membranous skin-hke substance, imme- 

 diately attached to the bone, and from the 

 stretching of which, in consequence of the 

 bony excrescence or splent forming, occasions 

 the pain and lameness ; but these remedies, 

 though practised at that royal establishment, 

 are not calculated for practice either in town 

 or country, they both leaving a considerable 

 blemish; and where persons have to make 

 merchandize of their Horses, it deteriorates 

 very much their value. My practice lias 

 always been the following, and I never found 

 it to fail or blemish in any one case : if the 

 case is a recent one, 



Take Spirit Turpentine - - 1 oz. 

 Olive Oil - - - - 2 do. 



Rub this liniment well on the part, night and 

 morning, and apply a woolen bandage mode- 

 rately tight round the leg; have the shoe re- 

 moved and apply a thick heeled one, it will 

 relieve the parts amazingly : should the lame- 

 ness not be removed in the course of three 

 days, then you must apply some stronger 

 apphcation, and especially if the splcnt be 

 large. 



Take Mercurial Ointment - - 1 oz. 



and rub about the size of an hazle-nut well in 

 on the part, morning and night, as long as any 

 remains : then apply 



Blister Ointment - - - - '2 drams. 



By this method of practice you will get rid of 

 splents, without the fear of blemish or injury to 

 the Horse's leg : if you are obliged to have 

 recourse to the last remedy above named, do 

 not forget to have a cradle on the Horse's 

 neck, as he may, by biting it, occasion what is 



so much to be desired keeping him free frono 

 blemish. 



During the application ot the local remedies, 

 give the following : 



Take Cape Aloes - - - 6 drams. 



Resin, powdered - - - 6 do. 

 Common soap, to form into a mass : 



divide into three balls, and give one every 

 second day ; for food, give half bran and half 

 corn, made moderately wet. 



BONE SPAVIN. 



This is also an exostosis or bony enlarge- 

 ment of, or about the inner part, of the hock 

 joint, but more particularly at the lower part 

 of the joint, or, in some cases, only situated at 

 the upper end of the leg bone, though spavin 

 may occur on any part of the hock ; for, from 

 the peculiar construction of the hock joint, and 

 the number of bones nature has placed there, 

 for it to perform its natural functions, added 

 to which, it being the seat from whence the 

 principle propelling motion arises, it is little to 

 be wondered at, that Horses should be so very 

 liable to spavin. Young Horses are extremely 

 liable to spavin, in consequence of farmers and 

 breeders putting them to work at too early a . 

 period ; farmers generally commence using 

 their young Horses in the summer time, to 

 assist in drawing their hay, corn, &c., together. 

 Now, any sudden strain on uneven ground, and 

 colts, as a matter of course, pull awkwardly at 

 first, being frightened at the sound of the 

 carter's vo'ce, much more the crack of his 

 whip, makes a sudden start forwards, and, 

 from the violent exertion he puts on, in all 

 probability strains his hock. This being so 

 complicated a joint, sufficiently to produce 

 considerable inflammation, lameness, and 



