5 UNS TROKE — SURFEIT 



Sunstroke. — Many horses suffer a good deal from the 

 heat of a hot summer, and these, naturally enough, are most 

 susceptible of sunstroke. 



Symptoms. — As a rule an attack comes on suddenly — that 

 is to say, if the premonitory symptoms, quick breathing 

 and listlessness, have been unnoticed or disregarded. The 

 horse collapses all in a heap, and generally will lie perfectly 

 quiet and completely insensible. In others he will try to 

 get up, and dash himself about a good deal in his struggles, 

 which, however, rarely succeed in getting him on his legs. 

 That he is unconscious is easily proved by examining his 

 eyes, whilst the breathing is fast and feeble, and the pulse 

 very faint. 



Treatment. — Apply the coldest water procurable to his 

 head and spine, using ice if it can be obtained. Means should 

 also be adopted to erect some sort of shade to protect him 

 from the sun without excluding the air, and his head may 

 be fanned by flapping a towel or piece of cloth in front of it. 

 When got back to the stable he should be kept cool and 

 quiet, roots and green food, or mashes, should be substituted 

 for his corn, he should also be allowed plenty of cold water 

 to drink, and if considered necessary, cooling medicine may 

 be administered. (See Medicines, Prescriptions?) 



Surcingle. — A wide piece of webbing which passes round 

 the body of a horse and buckles on the near side. It is used 

 for breaking and exercising purposes, and can have a crupper 

 attached or not. The ends of the side-reins buckle on to the 

 sides of the surcingle. (See Breaking, Crupper, Side Rein.) 



Surfeit. — Over-feeding, an impaired constitution, and 

 exposure to the heat of the sun are the most frequent causes 

 of surfeit, which usually takes the form of an eruption of 

 the nature of nettle - rash, causing considerable irritation, 

 and sometimes a loss of hair on the parts affected. In one 

 form of surfeit small blisters appear all over the body, 

 and eventually burst. These often drive a horse half mad by 



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