OF FARRIERY. 



2^)3 



desired, apply a bran poultice, as before di- 

 rected. 



The most usual cases of puncture, are those 

 wriich arise from a wrong direction of a nail, 

 during the operation of shoeing, in which it 

 either presses on, or actually wounds the sen- 

 sible laminae. This is frequently known to 

 the workman, but through idleness he will 

 not draw it out again, or a great deal of in- 

 jury might be prevented. 



Were the nail immediately taken out, and 

 a little tincture of myrrh poured down the 

 hole, the smith might introduce a much 

 smaller one, and all things go on well. 



But if suppuration should proceed, the shoe 

 must be taken off, and the horn that may 

 have been covering the confined part, must be 

 neatly cut away, and that to its farthest ex- 

 tent, detaching a portion of the fleshy part 

 from the horny sole. Sliould it proceed up- 

 wards, and break out at the coronet, a lengthy 

 job sometimes ensues ; but every means must 

 be had recourse to, to prevent so unpleasant 

 an affair. However, after having pared out 

 the sole as directed, next take your probe, and 

 ascertain if any other sinuses are formed. If 

 not, proceed at once to poultice with linseed 

 meal, in which has been well worked a large 

 piece of digestive ointment (see medicines.) 

 Repeat this every day, until you perceive the 

 wound looking healthy. When such is the 

 case, apply tincture of myrrh to the wound 

 (first ha,ving placed on the shoe), and a large 

 plegit of tow over all, fastened in with two 

 pieces of stick crossed, as instructed in other 

 applications for the feet. Five or six days 

 may elapse before the discovery of the di-sease. 

 When so ascertained, have the shoe taken 

 off, and let the smith tap round the foot with 

 his hammer; if the Korse does not flinch, 



let him try with his pincers, which will easily 

 discover the seat of lameness immediately, 

 when proceed as directed above. 



ON OVER-REACHING. 



Wounds about the coronet are very com- 

 mon to Horses, from one foot being set on the 

 other. Hence it is called over-reaching, ami 

 generally occurs from a blow of the hind-foot 

 against the fore-foot, wounding the edge of 

 the coronet, or that part between hair and 

 hoof; also if the pasterns should be long, and 

 descend much when brought to the ground : 1 

 have known the hind-foot strike as high up as 

 the fetlock, and make a complete sore ; but 

 these are only to be considered as simple 

 wounds, or rather as lacerations, or bruises. 

 In no case let the old farriers dress the sores, 

 as they invariably apply caustic remedies, 

 which will make the matter much worse than 

 before. First, with warm water and sponge, 

 wash away every particle of dirt that may be 

 in the sore, or around it ; then take a plegit of 

 tow, and saturate in compound tincture of 

 myrrh, and bind on with a linen bandage. 

 Repeat morning and night, until well. 



As I have given you a remedy for ovajr- 

 reaching, a preventative would probably be 

 acceptable. Now this arises principally from 

 the formationoftheHor.se; it generally occur- 

 ring with Horses having thick, upright shoul- 

 ders, in which case they are from such forma- 

 tion partially deprived of the action of the 

 fore-leg, and cannot throw it out in that bold 

 action-like manner, as Horses whose shoulders 

 are placed more oblique ; consequently, the 

 hind-legs having more freedom of action, 

 reach the fore-legs before he is able to get 

 them out of the way, which produces the dis- 

 ease I am now writing of 

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