162 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



for the operation, and is therefore quite willing 

 to fall in with the other's views and substitute 

 firing for blistering, as the animal does not belong 

 to him, and he knows that as much success will 

 probably follow this treatment as any other. 



Though the leg may not get perfectly fine, even 

 after three blisterings it should eventually do so, 

 and any thickening that remains may be assisted 

 to depart by applying iodine. The compound 

 liniment should be rubbed in with a brush for 

 about half a minute, for three or four days, until 

 the scarf skin begins to rise. In about four days 

 more the scarf skin ought to fall off, and then 

 the application may be renewed. This is an 

 excellent method of reducing any enlargement 

 after an injury. 



It is a very common mistake to imagine a 

 horse has strained the back sinew when he has 

 only struck the back of the foreleg with his 

 hindfoot, either in landing over a fence : or by 

 suddenly striding into very soft boggy ground 

 without being prepared for it. If the blow is 

 a severe one, the appearance is exactly that of 

 a breakdown ; the horse will be extremely lame 

 at first, but will be better in a few days, and be 

 as sound as ever. Hence, no doubt, originate 

 some of the marvellous testimonials one sees 

 attached to this or that patent application, for 

 the wonderful cures they have performed within 

 the space of a few hours ; but if tested on a real 

 case of breakdown they cannot repeat the success 

 attributed to them, without also the grand remedy 

 of Rest. In the absence of this the whole phar- 

 macopoeia remains quite useless. 



An infallible test as to whether the swelling 

 has been a blow or a sprain can be decided in a 



