FEEDING AILING HORSES 297 



The general treatment in these cases is : 



(a) Keep the animal comfortable and warm. 

 (&) Give a purgative immediately. 

 (c) Feed with nice warm bran mashes, or strengthen- 

 ing gruels (p. 298). 



(3) Ailments due to Errors of Management. The 



ailments falling under this head are: cracked heels, 

 grease, thrush, canker of the foot, mud fever, etc. 

 These may be caused to some extent through allowing 

 horses to stand on heating manure ; leaving the legs 

 wet and dirty ; washing the legs with cold water, and 

 not drying them ; etc. 

 Treat as follows : 



(a) Give a purgative. 



(&) Clean the wounds and, in case of feet, treat with 

 burnt alum. 



(c) Feed with light, strengthening food, say, " bran 



and linseed " mash (p. 298). 



(d) Saltpetre, \ oz. per day, may be given to each 



horse on its food or in its drinking-water. 



(4) Bony Diseases. Bony enlargements may be 

 found on the legs of a horse, often causing pain or 

 lameness. The commonest diseases are ringbone, side- 

 bone, splints, and bone spavins. Navicular disease may 

 possibly be included in this group. 



These are all hereditary. They may be caused, 

 however, by bruises, sprains, concussion of feet while 

 trotting on hard roads, etc. 



The general treatment would be : 



(a) Give rest and a purgative medicine. 



(b) If affected part of foot is hot, it may be 



immersed in cold water. 



