154 ^f ^^^^^^ Thyfical. Lib. I* 



but if he be old, and his Blood in the Ebb, then you cannot let Blood too 

 feldom. Now that it is fit a young Horie fhould be let Blood, is appro- 

 ved by the daily Experience of the Poland Horfes, who being at Liberty, 

 (out of Natural Inftinft themfelves) fail not once a Year to let themfelves 

 Blood ^ yet we have divers of our beft Farriers, who would not have a 

 Horfe let Blood before there be urgent Necefiity, left the Ufe of letting 

 Blood bring a Horfe to an evil Cuftom, and dranr on Sicknefs unexpected ^ 

 but with that Opinion 1 cannot agree, becaufe 1 hold it more vertue to 

 prevent a Danger before it come, than to drive it away being prefent. 

 Now that of letting Blood breedeth in a Horfe weaknefs^ and maketh the 

 Blood to refort to the inward Parts, cloying the Heart and hitrails, and 

 making the outward Parts fat and Unwelldy, there is no Qiieftion but 

 that the letting a Horfe Blood twice in a Year, Namely, at beginning of 

 May and the §nd of December (at which times only I would have a Horf? 

 let Blood and no other j ifiould be accounted often, I fee no reafon. Now 

 for Stallions,the ancient Farriers would by no means have them let Blood, 

 becaufe fiy they, the Covering of Mares is as great an expence of Blood 

 as may be, affirming that one Ounce of Seed doth countervail five Ounces 

 of Blood -^ and truly I am of that Opinion too : But whereas they like- 

 wife advile by no menas to let Geldings Blood, becaufe the Lefs of their 

 Stones is the lofs of their natural heat ^ to that 1 am much contrary, be- 

 caufe I have found it by continual Experience, that Geldings do as oft die 

 through the corruption and abundance of Blood as Horfes ^ nay, and much 

 more oftner, inafmuch as they want the helps which the Horfes have for 

 purging their Blood from uncleannefs. Now in the letting of Horfes 

 Blood, every careful Farrier is firft to relpe£l the Climate under which 

 the Horfe is bred, knowing that thofe Horfes which are bred in cold 

 Countries, have ever more Blood than thofe which are bred in the hot : 

 Then he muft confider the time of the Year, which ihould ever be the 

 Spring, or the Fall of the Leaf, both thele times being moft temperate, 

 neither exceeding in heat nor in cold. Next he muft regard the time of 

 the Day, which ftiould ever be in the Morning fafting, fo it be not the 

 Horfe's waking from fleep, but at leaft an hour or two after-, then he muft 

 look unto the ftate of the Moon, that the Sign be not in that part of the 

 Body where he intendeth to let Blood. Next he muft look to the Horfe's 

 Age ^ if he be Young, and not come to his Growth, it will hinder his 

 waxing : And if he be Old and come to Decrepidnefs, his Blood had 

 more need be repaired than wafted. Laftly, he ftiall look to the Horfe's 

 Strength and ancient Cuftom, and fo accordingly he fhall deal with him, 

 obferviiig that fome Horfes may better fpare two or three Pound of Blood 

 than other fome one Pound. Now thus much I have fpoken touching or- 

 dinary and natural letting of Blood, without compulfion of any Sicknefs 

 or Difeafe j but in Cafe where Sicknefs or Infirmity craveth this Office of 



letting 



