PECULIAK TO HOKSES. 81 



irjjure him; but this is rather a faulty assuraption, because no one 

 can ever determine the precise quantity suitable to meet the wants 

 of all acimals, and therefore the assumptioa falls to the ground. 



Horses should, in warm weather, be watered often, say two to 

 three quarts every three or four hours, provided the horse be at 

 work ; should he be in a cool stable enjoying a sort of lazy life, he 

 will require less, and three times a day will be often enough to sup- 

 ply his wants. 



" Strange water,'''' as it is termed, is not good for horses, yet when 

 given in small quantities at a time, seldom, if ever, does harm. 



Stagnant and filthy water is always more or less injurious, and 

 should never be offered to so noble an animal as a horse. 



On the road a horse may be watered often, provided he have but 

 a small quantity at a time ; if he obtain more, it occupies space in 

 the abdominal cavity, and in rapid motion interferes with the physi- 

 ological action of important viscera. 



Watering immediately after a full meal is a practice highly cen- 

 surable ; for at such times water retards digestion, and the food, 

 instead of being digested, is apt to undergo a process of fermentation. 



TEETHING IN HORSES. 



There is no doubt that many young colts suffer as much pain in 

 cutting their teeth as is the case with children ; and the pain does 

 not always arise, as some persons suppose, from irritation of the 

 raucous membrane of the mouth, occasioned by the point of the 

 tooth, but frequently from pressure on, and irritation of, the dental 

 nerve. The remedy {^instead of tormenting the suffering creature 

 with a red hot iron for thepurpose of'-'- burning out the lampas^'' as 

 some jyersons profess to do) is a common thumb lancet. Make an in- 

 cision through the gian, or mucous membrane of the mouth, in the 

 region of the tusks or incisors, wherever the difficulty may be, and 

 relief is almost immediate. This is a sure remedy to relieve local 

 distension of the mucous membrane of the mouth, if it exist, and 

 at the same time prevents the fang of the tooth from irritating the 

 dental nerve. 



Sharp and Projecting Teeth. — Owing to the unequal wear of 

 some horses' teeth, they become sharp on the outside margins, and 

 are then apt to irritate and perhaps lacerate the buccal membrane of 

 the cheeks. Should this be the case, we generally find that the sali- 

 vary secretion is augmented, mastication is imperfect, and the sub- 

 ject generally looses flesh, and appears unthrifty. The remedy is a 

 mouth rasp. By means of this instrument, the sharp or projecting 

 edges may be smoothed. 



Inelamed and Tender Mouth. — Inflammation, tenderness, and 

 tumefaction of the horse's mouth, arising from whatever cause it may, 

 generally indicates the application of cooling and astringent lotions ; 

 and light diet of bran mashes, cooling lotion, composed of solution 

 of hydrochlorate of ammonia, or chlorate of potassa, are indicated 

 when the mouth is hot or inflamed. A tender mouth, accompanied 

 by corrugations and^ relaxation of the soft palate, known as " lam- 



