tilii THE HORSE 



a horse, tlie action of whose feet generally so much interferes with each 

 other, may advance the hind-f(jot a little more rapidly, or raise the fore one 

 a little more slowly, so that the blow may fall on the heel of the shoe, 

 and loosen or displace it; or the two shoes may be locked together, and 

 the animal may be thrown; or the contusion may be received even higher, 

 and on the tendons of the le^, when considerable swelling and lameness 

 may follow. * 



If the animal is young, the action of the horse may be materially im- 

 proved ; otherwise, nothing can be done, except to keep the toe of the liind- 

 fbot as short and as round as it can safely be, and to bevil off and round 

 the toe of the shoe, like that which has been worn by a stumbler for a fort- 

 night, and, perhaps, a little lower to the heel of the fore- foot. 



A blow, received on the heel of the fore-foot in this manner, has not 

 unfrequently, and especially if neglected, been followed by quittor. 



PAWING. 



Some hot and irritable horses are restless, even in the stable, and paw 

 frequently and violently. Their litter is destroyed, the floor of the stable 

 broketi up, the shoes worn out, the feet bruised, and the legs sometimes 

 sprained. If this habit does not exist to any great extent, yet the stable 

 never looks well. Shackles are the only remedy, with a chain sufficiently 

 long to enable the horse to shift his posture, or move in his stall; but even 

 these must be taken off at night, otherwise the animal will seldom lie down. 



QUIDDING. 



A horse will, sometimes, partly chew his hay, and suffer it to drop from 

 his mouth. If this does not proceed from irregular teeth, which it will be 

 the business of the veterinary surgeon to rasp down, it will be found to be 

 connected with sore-tliroat, and then the horse will exhibit some other 

 symptom of indisposition, and the swallowing of water will be accompanied 

 by a peculiar gulping effort. In this case the disease (catarrh, with sore 

 throat) must be attacked, and the quidding will cease. 



ROLLING. 



This is a very pleasant and perfectly safe amusement for a horse at grass, 

 but cannot be indulged in the stable without the chance of his being dan- 

 gerously entangled with the collar rein, and being cast. Yet, although 

 the horse is cast, and bruised, and half-strangled, he will roll again on the 

 following night, and continue to do so as long as he lives. The only rem- 

 edy is not a very pleasant one to the horse, nor always quite safe; yet it 

 must be had recourse to if the habit of rolling is inveterate. "The horse," 

 says Mr. Castley, in the Veterinarian, "should be tied with length enough 

 of collar to lie down, but not to allow of his head resting on the ground ; 

 because, in order to roll over, a horse is obliged to place his head quite 

 down upon the ground." 



SHYING. 



Ve have briefly treated of the cause of this vice at page 98, and observed 

 that while it is often the result of cowardice, or playfulness, or want of 

 work, it is at other times the consequence of a defect of sight. It Jias 

 been 'emarked, and we believe very truly, that shying is ofiener a vi(.c of 



