THE HORSE. 43 



water at night, and as much as he will drink just 

 before starting in the morning. The adoption of 

 this plan will answer the purpose of a dose of physic, 

 and will probably prevent inconvenient stoppages 

 on the road, for the express purpose of giving him 

 medicine. Should this, however, not answer the end 

 desired, the feet should, at the same time, be bathed 

 in warm water, and wet woollen bandages applied 

 to them immediately. Leather soles put on for one 

 shoeing, will also be of service. If leg-weariness 

 be the cause, and the directions given in this work 

 should fail, physic to relieve the inflamed muscles 

 and over-wrought tendons, or turning out to grass, 

 are the only remedies. But when a horse is phy- 

 sicked in order to make him fresh for work, his 

 losing of flesh must not be regarded, and then he 

 will soon recover. He should be fed almost wholly 

 on wet bran, and given one dose of moderately 

 strong medicine almost before the other is set, that 

 is, nine or eleven days will be required for the three 

 doses. 



SWEATING. 



As much stress is laid upon the sweating of horses 

 by stable-people, and is often made one of their ex- 

 cuses for laziness in not giving them more water, a 

 short space cannot, perhaps, be better employed than 

 in explaining its uses, particularly as there seems to 

 be an unaccountable dread of the secretion of the 

 juices in the animal. Perspiration is a wise provi- 

 sion of nature to moisten the skin, as well as to pre- 

 rent fever, when the blood is forced into violent 

 circulation by exertion. Water, therefore, by dilu- 

 ting the fluids, and enabling this process to go on 

 more freely, keeps down fever. This is another of 

 the horse's best friends, but condemned by the sta- 

 blemen aR his enemy, because it occasion e ihem a 



