Ghap. LXXXII. Of the Greafe, 241 



and unable to lie down ; fo that by continual {landing the 

 Legs become fwell'd and gourded. 



Secondly y By immoderate hard Riding, the Sinews and 

 Ligaments are aftuated and ftretch'd, which is fuddehly 

 followed with Stiffnefs and Pain in the Joints, whereby, as 

 in the preceeding Cafe, a Flux of Humours is drawn down 

 upon the Legs. 



Thirdly^ When Horfes are come off a Journey, or from 

 Grafs, to ftand in a Stable, their Legs are apt to turn gour- 

 dy and fwell'd ; the firft of thefe Cafes differs not from the 

 preceeding in what relates to the Pain and Stiffnefs in the 

 Limbs ; but it has alfo, in common with the latter, the 

 abrupt breaking off a Habit from the Exercife to Reft and 

 full Feeding ; for while a Horfe is upon his Journey, or at 

 his Liberty in the Fields, he is every Day more or lefs in 

 Motion, whereby the Blood is kept in conftant Agitation ; 

 but when he comes to ftand ftill in the Stable, a Check is 

 put to the Motion of the Blood in the fmall Veffels of the 

 Limbs, while, by an habitual Aptitude, it ftill continues to 

 be equally detached into all Parts by the larger Arteries, 

 which may eafily bring on the Greafe, even while there is 

 yet no manifeft Diforder in the Blood itfelf. But in the 

 Cafe of Horfes newly taken up from Grafs, there is befides 

 this, oftentimes a Default in the Blood, efpecially when 

 they are fuffered to run abroad till late in the Year ; for 

 then the Grafs lofes its Strength, and begets Crudities ; 

 •which render the Blood and other Juices vifcid and thick ; 

 and when a Horfe is taken off his Exercife, and brought to 

 ■more generous Feeding, a Plethora or Fulnefs will foon 

 happen, whereby it will be the more apt to ftagnate in the 

 Limbs, and caufe fuch Heat and Itching, as muft be foon 

 followed with a Gourdinefs and Swelling. The fame Effecft 

 is alfo produced by Colds, Surfeits, and fometimes by pam- 

 pering and full Feeding alone, without the Concurrence of 

 other Circumftances. 



And Lajily^ When a Horfe has been brought low by Sick- 

 nefs or repeated Evacuations, or by any other Caufe, there 

 follows an univerfal Relaxation of Body, fo that the Blood 

 and other Juices become languid, and are apt to ftagnate 

 in thofe Parts that are the moft dependent and remote from 

 the Heart ; not only as the Veflels themfelves are relaxed, 

 and lofe their Spring, but alfo from the Heavinefs and In- 

 adlivity of the Spirits, whereby they become unable to give, 

 their Affiftance in its Return ; and thus the Greafe is often- 

 times complicated with fome other Diftemper, 



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