134 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



hanging them up to enclose the stall. In putting them on the horse keep them 

 well forward and tied under the chest and in hanging them up to enclose the 

 stall be sure sufficient space is left for ventilation. The blankets should be 

 woolen and their weight carefully adapted to the weather. The extremities 

 may be protected with light woolen bandages after being rubbed lightly to 

 increase the circulation. In applying a bandage take a strip of woolen cloth 

 about three inches wide and six feet long, roll it into a neat roll and begin 

 wrapping the part at the bottom winding upward. With a little practice a 

 good bandage can be put on in this way. If a liniment is applied to a part 

 after it is bandaged care should be taken to prevent its blistering. 



Slings. It is often necessary to place a sick or injured horse in slings. 

 A sling can be made from a wide piece of stout canvas or from wide straps. 

 It is supported from above by means of a chain and tackle. This enables the 

 patient to rest his legs and still be in an upright position. It is seldom neces- 

 sary to carry the whole weight of the animal in using a sling. It is better to 

 place the sling under him so he can settle his weight into it when his legs 

 are tired or stand on his legs at will. Remember to so adjust the sling as 

 to have it fit closely behind the elbows and throw the animal's weight on his 

 chest and not on his abdomen. 



Side Supports. Side supports are often very beneficial to the patient that 

 is unable to lie down. These should be placed in about the same position 

 that the shafts would come. It may also be well to place one in front of his 

 breast and one in back of him, in case he is injured behind. Such supports 

 should be wound with clothes to protect the animal. 



Food for Sick Animals. It is very important to know what and how to 

 feed a sick animal if he is to make the speediest recovery possible. As a rule 

 the main thing is to preserve the animal's strength. If the patient can eat he 

 should be given cooling, laxative, nutritious but not bulky foods. This will 

 keep his bowels free and open. Food should not be forced upon an animal. It 

 should be prepared attractively so as to tempt him to eat. In case it is re- 

 fused, the food should be at once removed and offered again in a short time. 

 Do not force the animal to eat unless recovery depends upon his conservation 

 of strength alone. Medicine should not be given in the food if it spoils the 

 flavor for the patient. The following make excellent foods for sick animals : 

 roots such as carrots, good fresh grass, apples (fed from the hand), milk, 

 gruels and bran mashes. Gruels and mashes may contain dry or boiled oats, 

 raw eggs (beaten), bran and ground oats mixed in cut hay and wet with cold 

 water. To make a gruel stir about a quart of oatmeal or cornmeal into a 

 gallon of cold water and let it soak for an hour. To make a bran mash add 

 some salt to about five quarts of bran. Put this into a pail and cover with 

 boiling water. Cover the pail with cloths to keep in the steam and to keep 

 it warm. It is well to add a few oats to the mash if necessary to tempt the 

 horse to eat. 



Giving a Horse Medicine. Medicine is given to horses in the form of a 

 drench, in the form of pills or with a small syringe. 



