7^ The Jrt of Farriert 



Medicine reft fo long as (moftly) 24 Hours, before 

 we obferve any Appearance of its Operation. 



In general, when a Farrier fees a Horfe ^\^lth a 

 flareing-Coat, and his Hide flicking to his Ribs, he 

 immediately pronounces him to be a Surfeited Horfe, 

 although he confiders not but fuch Symptoms may 

 proceed from want of good nourifhing Food, and a 

 proper Sufficiency of it. In fine, I think, under 

 this Head fhould not be ranked any other Diftem- 

 j)ers, which do not take their Rife from foul Feed- 

 ing, or over Exercifmg : For, from thefe, in my 

 Opinion, moil of the Ailments (which may be 

 termed Surfeits) take their Origin or Source. 

 •The Cure. In the firft Place, if a Surfeit proceeds from foul- 

 Feeding, or over-Feeding, and Want of fufficient 

 Exercife, moll; or all the Evacuations, fuch as Bleed- 

 ing, and likewife Purging both by Stool and Urine, 

 are neceffary. 

 A great But I have many Times obferved, that People 



Error in exped when their Horfes do little, they fliould be 

 Feeding. ^^^ ^^^ well-liking in the Stable, provided they 

 have only Hay (and that indeed very often of the 

 worfe Sort) given them ; or that they require little 

 or no Oats, &c., which is a great Error j for, Hay 

 in its Nature is fo drying, that a Horfe muft even 

 fwill to dilute it, otherwife he cannot digeft it ; and 

 this fills his Belly to fuch a Degree, that the Dia- 

 phragm or Midriff is prefs'd upon the Lungs, which 

 require Room to expand and ftretch themfelves. I 

 fay, thefe with a great many more Inconveniencies 

 proceed from feeding Horfes with too much Hay ; 

 fo that I advife thofe Gentlemen, who defign to 

 keep Horfes in tliis cheap Manner, rather not to 

 keep any Horfes at all i fmce the Farrier and his 

 Prefcriptions may amount to more than the Price of 

 the Corn might have done, vv'hich would have kept 

 the Creatures brisk and lively, and fit to do Bufmefs : 

 Whereas a Horfe that eats very little bcfides Hay, 

 yields very little more Benefit, befides his Dung, to 

 Uie Owner, and may truly be term'd a Conduit- 

 Pipe 



