OF FARRIERY. 



2Io 



ment ; and it is only by a repetition of such 

 injuries, that at length it is rendered incapable 

 of digesting sufficient food for the repairs of the 

 body. That degree of exhaustion, or diminished 

 power ; or, rather that morbid condition of 

 the stomach on which staggers depends, is 

 seldom curable. If the animal does recover 

 from staargers, the morbid state of the sto- 

 mach is such, that unless he is afterwards fed 

 in the most careful manner, he generaK^ dies 

 suddenly; and it is supposed to be of some 

 other dii^order. There is nothing, perhaps, 

 does so much injury to the stomach as bad 

 hay, except excessive exerlion ; and when 

 these causes occur, as they unfortunately do 

 in this country, the most formidable diseases 

 are produced ; and almost all of them depend 

 on the diminished energy of the stomach. 



The stomach is a muscular organ, and by 

 excessive exertions of the body may become 

 weakened, or injured, in common with all 

 other muscular bodies ; for, if the source of 

 muscular power, that is, the brain, be im- 

 paired, the stomach will of course, participate 

 with the other muscles in the effect. 



But if we consider the important office of 

 the stomach ; that is, the preparation of food 

 in order to form blood, and thereby repair the 

 waste or wear, wliich all the muscles are 

 constantly undergoing, what can b», expected 

 when it is supplied with food that contains 

 but little nutriment, and requires its utmost 

 exertions in order to be digested ? The ex- 

 cessive exertions, in which Horses are com- 

 monly employed in this country, are sufficiently 

 known ; and I trust, require only to be re- 

 flected upon, to be put a stop to. Custom, I 

 fear, has so far familiarized many Horse- 

 proprietors to these cruelties, as to prevent 

 them from viewing the situation of the Horse 



as they ought ; and we frequently hear them 

 boasting of their cruelly excessive exertions of 

 the animal, as if the merit of his performance 

 was due to them, and often for the sake of a 

 small sum, but will completely exhaust his 

 vital powers. The stomach-staggers, how- 

 ever, is not so common as it used to be. I 

 have known farmers absolutely ruined by the 

 disease ; the disorder having continued among 

 their Horses, until all of them have been 

 destroyed. At present they seem to be better 

 aware of the error of their treatment, and dis» 

 eases among this class of Horses, are far less 

 frequent than they used to he. A concurrence 

 of the causes before noticed ; that is, exces- 

 sive exertion and improper feedisig, is most 

 common among post and stage-coach Horses ; 

 and it is here that diseases of the digestive 

 organs are most frequently met with. Sto- 

 mach-staggers, however, is not the symptom 

 that occurs, it is one of a different description; 

 that is, flatulent colic, or gripes. The con- 

 dition of the stomach on which this depends, is 

 exhaustion of its vital power ; differing from 

 that which produces stomach-staggers, not 

 ohlv in de2:ree, but also in kind. In stomach- 

 staggers, the power of the stomach is so 

 gradually diminished, that the disorder almost 

 imperceptibly takes place, and is rarely ob- 

 served until it is incurable. In the other, the 

 disease is more quickly produced, and there- 

 fore the effect is different. I have already 

 said, that stomach-staggers is becoming le.ss 

 and less frequent, and I trust v\ ill continue to do 

 so. The disorders and ill-treatment of post and 

 stage-horses are daily becoming less, con- 

 sequently removing the cause. Horses of this 

 description are not so cruelly treated as they 

 formerly were. So materially does the Horse 

 contribute to supply the necessities, as well jt.^ 



