SOIL — SORE BACKS 



Soil. — There can be no doubt that the nature of the soil 

 on which horses, and especially young ones, are kept affects 

 their development to a very considerable extent. Speak- 

 ing generally, a heavy, cold, clay soil is bad for all horses 

 excepting Shires which flourish on land where the herbage 

 is rich and profuse. For lighter breeds a dry, sandy sub- 

 soil underneath a rich loam is excellent, and so are subsoils 

 of limestone and chalk ; indeed the limestone districts are 

 preferred by most breeders of blood-horses and hunters. 

 Strong, undrained clay or marl and boggy land are most 

 objectionable if bone of the proper quality is desired. (See 

 Breeding Studs, Climate, Pasture) 



Sole of the Foot. — The sole of a horse's foot should be 

 sound and concave, the horn being softer than that of the walls, 

 which renders it more susceptible to bruises and accidents. 

 At the back are the bars, frog, and heels, and its surface when 

 left in a natural condition is rather rough, owing to the 

 presence of flakes of loose horn. These are usually cleared 

 away by the farrier in the case of light horses which are at 

 work, but they have a use inasmuch as they retain moisture 

 and so increase the softness of the horn ; at the same time 

 these flakes do not improve the appearance of the horse's foot 

 when lifted off the ground. (See Bars, Foot, Frog, Hoofs) 



Sore Backs may result from various causes, such as a 

 badly-stuffed saddle, sometimes with an indifferent rider on 

 the top of it, the chafing of the pad of the harness, or an 

 ill-made roller buckled too tightly over the clothing. Should 

 the horse's blood not be in a good state, a great deal of 

 trouble may arise from a comparatively small beginning, and 

 consequently the matter should be attended to forthwith, and 

 the cause sought for and dealt with afterwards. 



Treatment. — Should the skin not be broken — that is to say, 

 if the sore is discovered in time — the swelling which will be 

 present should be fomented and a salt and water lotion 

 applied. If the skin is broken, dress with a lotion carbolic 



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