80 XAYIX ox THE HOESE. 



their natural action, gives rise to great pain. This gas is 

 mostly carbonic-acid gas. It is not "wind," but is like it in 

 some respects. 



But what causes these gases to be formed in the horse's 

 stomach, is a very proper inquiry. This being known, much 

 may be done to prevent horses taking colic. 



Indigestion is the great cause of colic. Food is taken into 

 the stomach which does not digest properly, but remains for 

 some time, and undergoes fermentation, and in this process 

 large quantities of gas are formed, and colic is the result. As 

 fermentation progresses, more gas is formed, the colic becomes 

 worse and worse, until suffocation and death take place. The 

 attack may be produced by the horse eating largely of green 

 grass, especially clover, green corn, etc. ; and it will be more 

 likely to come on if the horse is allowed to drink after eating 

 gi-een food, and particularly if he is being w^orked or ridden. 

 A drink of cold water, or of limestone water, will frequently 

 bring on an attack of flatulent colic in horses whose diges- 

 tion is not good. But in such horses the attack may come 

 on after any kind of food, and often without any observable 

 cause. 



Flatulent colic may be mistaken for spasmodic colic, and 

 for inflammation of the bowels. In flatulent colic the swelling 

 of the belly commences very soon, and becomes very great, 

 and the spells of pain are close together, the intermission not 

 being very perfect. In spasmodic colic the intermission or 

 relief between the spells of cramping is more perfect, and 

 there is but little swelling of the belly. The horse moves 

 quicker in getting up and lying dowm than he does in flatulent 

 colic. 



The table on the following page shows the symptoms by 

 which to tell colic from inflammation of the bowels. 



