OF FARRIERY. 



63 



C H A P T E R IV. 



OF GREASE, MANGE, SURFEIT, MALLENDERS AND SALLENDERS, 

 WARTS, HIDE-BOUND, AND FARCY, 



GREASE. 



The disease of grease was a pest to stables 

 of almost every horse-master in the kingdom ; 

 and though simple in itself, the real cause was 

 not known until within the last twenty years. 

 The disease is not only disagreeable, but pain- 

 ful in the greatest degree, and not unfre- 

 quently lays the foundation of other diseases, 

 such as cracked heels, canker, &c. Nothing 

 was more common than to see it in stage and 

 hackney-coach Horses, farmer's Horses, and 

 indeed, every kind of Horse but the racer. 

 This, at first, appears strange (but I will en- 

 deavour to explain it presently) ; also the 

 projecting and disagreeable appearance of 

 what is called grapes, projections at once un- 

 sightly, hanging at a Horse's heels. Grease, 

 now being better known, is discovered to be 

 an inflammation and suppuration of the ves- 

 sels of the skin, and that, generally, in the hind 

 legs, its circulation being weaker there, being 

 situated at a greater distance from the heart, 

 the circulation becomes, in a great measure, 

 diminished, and for want of uniform power 

 with other parts, a conjestion takes place. 



The cause of grease is the circulation be- 

 comes quickened by the Horse being brought 



into a hot stable, most likely with his hind 

 legs wet, the evaporation of which moisture 

 produces cold, and then conjestion follows, as 

 a matter of course, for the warm stable will 

 increase the action of the heart. 



Grease does not affect all Horses ahke nor 

 all parts alike, a certain description of Horse 

 being more susceptible of taking on the dis- 

 ease, as I before mentioned. Thorough bred 

 Horses, such as the racer, are the least sub- 

 ject to grease, and that, principally, from his 

 skin, added to good grooming; and this is 

 obtained, in a great measure, also, from tem- 

 perature ; lor, if a thorough bred Horse was 

 exposed to cold for years, his skin would be- 

 come thicker, and thicker, and such Horses 

 would degenerate. 



There are many circumstances which give 

 a predisposition to grease ; the first is, thick 

 skin, white hair, because it is a proof of a 

 weak circulation (hence, grey Horses become 

 white with old age). Another circumstance 

 is the colour and make of the animal ; lio-ht 

 chesnuts with white legs, narrow chests, and 

 long legs. But few Horses have it now, 

 because the existing cause must be applied, 

 which is heat ; but not simple heat, because 

 then we should have it in the summer ; but 



