Chap. LXVIII. Of a /way d Back. Iif 

 CHAP. LXVIII. 



Of a fwayd Back, and Strains of the Hips. 



A Swaying of the Back, is a Pain and Weaknefs in the 

 '^ Reins, caufed by a Fall, the carrying of fome heavy 

 Burden, or fome other violent Accident, and fometimes the 

 Horfe is alfo hurt inwardly, which brings him into the great- 

 eft Diforders imaginable; yet I am of Mr. Snctpe's Mind, 

 that there is no fuch thing as a broken Back, in the Senfe 

 the Farriers generally mean, otherwife the Horfe could not 

 furvive it many Minutes : Neither is it very probable that 

 the Spines or Procefl'es of the Rack- bones fliould be often 

 broke, unlefs the Horfe be very poor and lean, thefe being, 

 for the moft Part, very well guarded by the thick Mufcles 

 of the Back ; and therefore, by a Swaying of the Back, is 

 properly to be underftood a ilretching and Relaxation of 

 the Mufcles and Ligaments of thofe Parts ; and when the 

 Hurt is more inward, the Malady muft then conlifl in the 

 Ilretching of the large Blood-veflels, ^'c. But in all fuch 

 Cafes, the Farrier ought, in his Cure, to treat a Horfe as 

 if he was hurt both inwardly and outwardly, as there is a 

 conflant Simpathy between both. 



The firft thing therefore to be done, is to take a plentiful 

 deal of Blood from the Neck ; after which, the cold Charge, 

 and the other Remedies prefcrib'd in the preceeding Chap- 

 ter, ought to be apply'd inwardly ; thofe things that are pro- 

 per to promote Sweat ; and, as Mr. Snape advifes, he may 

 be fweated m a Dunghill, if the common Remedies fail ; 

 his Diet muft be opening, and all imaginable Care taken to 

 keep down a Fever. He ought to be girt pretty firm over 

 his Reins, yet not ^o as to hinder the Motion of his Flanks ; 

 he ought alfo to be hung up, or kept in a fteady Pofture : 

 But if the Weaknefs continues, you may proceed to the 

 Fire, which muft be done by piercing the Skin on the Muf- 

 cles that lie on each fide of the Spine, avoiding, as much as 

 poffible, to burn him near the Flanks, otherwife it will be 

 apt to create a violent Swelling in the Sheath, which would 

 very readily bring on a Fever. 



The Strains in the Hips are to be accounted for in the 

 fame Manner as thofe of the Back and Shoulders, only 

 they are not fo apt to create a Fever, as a Swaying of the 

 Back. Sometimes the round Head of the Thigh bone is, 

 by the Violence of the Accident, thruft out of its Socket, 

 Z and 



