158 NAVIJ^ ox THE HOESE. 



lot, Avliere the horse has to walk through it. In short, any- 

 thing that will irritate or chill the legs of the horse may pro- 

 duce scratches. 



There can be no doubt that, if horses were properly worked 

 and properly taken care of, scratches would be unknown. It 

 has been entirely banished from cavalry horses in Europe. 



Genuine grease, I think, may be regarded as infectious, at 

 least, when a well horse is put in the same stall where one 

 running grease has been kept. It is certainly difficult to cure 

 a horse while standing in the same stall he occupied before 

 treatment was commenced. 



Treatment. — At the risk of repetition, I must again call atten- 

 tion to the importance of proper management of the horse, as 

 a means of preventing this very distressing aifection. Good 

 stables and clean lots are indispensable to the health of the 

 horse. And neglect of grooming is almost criminal, when the 

 horse has faithfully performed his day of weary toil, through 

 snow, mud, and rain. I do not make these remarks merely 

 to fill up space; I wish them considered well, and hope that 

 they may be the means of arousing many to the realization 

 of their cruel neglect of man's best servant. Let those who 

 use the horse only consider how much of their own comfort 

 depends on his service, and I think their consciences will re- 

 strain them in many an act of cruel neglect of him. 



The medical treatment of scratches is designed to reduce 

 the inflammation, and cause the sores to heal. There are few 

 diseases for wdiich there are more cures among horsemen 

 than for this, and yet it is a disease that we often find to have 

 continued for a great length of time, and to have done great 

 mischief, notwithstanding treatment had been applied con- 

 stantly. Such obstinacy in the disease, in most cases, is 

 caused by the horse still being left exposed to the cause which 

 produced the disease. 



The following treatment I have found the most satisfactory 

 and the least troublesome of any other : 



