now TO BUT AND SELL. 29 



THEUSHES. 



Thrushes are situated in the frogs of the feet, render- 

 ing them ragged, and causing a fetid moisture to exude. 

 Unless bad, and of old standing, they are not an un- 

 soundness, and are readily cured in twenty- four hours; yet, 

 as they constitute disease, and are deviations from the 

 general rule of health, as implied in a warranty, and 

 therefore oj^en to dispute, I Avill endeavor to make you 

 sufficiently acquainted with the subject to form an opin- 

 ion for yourself, while giving the reasons for altering the 

 rule. 



The frogs are evidently intended to relieve the other 

 portions of the foot from some of the weight of the horse. 

 Besides the interior structure proving this, no stronger 

 evidence of this use of the frogs can ])e adduced than that 

 want of pressure will of itself produce thrushes, and that, 

 when the foot is not too far gone (fleshy), gentle pressure 

 greatly assists a cure. Stopping the feet imj^roperly with 

 dung, and allowing it to remain too long in tlie hoofs, 

 will also produce them. The best preventive is pressure 

 and cleanliness; for, when the frogs become a little rag- 

 ged, loose sand, dirt, or small gravel insinuating itself 

 into the place affected will ultimately cause a running and 

 tenderness; and where thrushes are already formed, the 

 greatest attention to cleanliness is required. Proj^er care 

 and attention, however, will effect a cure in a few hours. 

 Until the frogs become bad or troublesome, or the heels 

 become tender or fleshy, they should not be considered an 

 unsoundness; but when the original structure of the frog 

 has become so altered as to be perpetually tender, render- 

 ing the horse liable to drop at every step, he is then un- 

 questionably Unsoun-d. 



One reason why slight thrushes should be considered as 

 not rendering the horse unsound is, that they are of lit- 

 th consequence, and easily cured; another reason is, that 



