ROCK SALT 



which affects the respiration and causes the horse to give 

 forth an unnatural grunting sound when he moves fast or 

 suddenly. In some instances the trouble is only temporary, 

 as when a horse is suffering from the effects of laryngitis, and 

 then it usually passes away when his health is restored. 

 On the other hand, in chronic cases there is no hope of cure, 

 and the roarer may therefore be regarded as unsound, and 

 beyond the reach of veterinary skill. Of course there are 

 methods which may be applied to relieve him, and which 

 may often cause him to breathe almost normally, but their 

 effects are only temporary. Many dealers, however, are fully 

 prepared to derive what benefit they can from the know- 

 ledge they possess of such palliatives, and hence it is their 

 practice to administer drenches of linseed oil, opium, or 

 aconite upon an empty stomach, and thereby assist their 

 roarer to breathe with greater freedom when brought out. 

 No doubt a tendency to roar is increased, even if it is not 

 naturally developed, by tight bearing-reins, but the trouble 

 is unquestionably hereditary, though it is an uncommon 

 occurrence to find a pony roar. 



Symptoms. — The sound of roaring is a long-continued 

 one, but is only heard when the breath is drawn in. Some 

 horses which are undoubtedly roarers make very little noise, 

 and it is therefore difficult for an unskilled person to detect 

 their infirmity. If well lunged, or sent a good spin round 

 a field, or in the case of heavy horses if they are given a 

 considerable weight to draw, the sound will always be heard. 

 Most, if not all, roarers will give a grunt if suddenly startled, 

 and hence the method of going up to a horse quickly and 

 threatening to hit him is often tried as a test of roaring. It 

 is not every horse which gives a grunt under such conditions 

 that is a roarer, which fact may be remembered. Once more 

 it may be stated that there is no cure for roaring, and there- 

 fore it is useless to indulge in experiments in that direction. 

 (See Grunting', Whistling.) 



Rock Salt. — All horses are fond of salt, and it is very 



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