82 THE NOBLE SCIEiVCE. 



to be capable of admitting both fore-legs at the same 

 time. I have known no instances of horses showing any 

 refractory dislike to this process, but, on the contrary, 

 they have appeared to enjoy it thoroughly; standing quiet 

 for several hours, during which the heat must, of course, 

 be renewed by occasional supplies from the copper, with 

 which every saddle-room should be furnished. If you 

 find a decided tendency to fever or inflammation in the 

 foot itself, which you will ascertain by the feel of the 

 hoof in your hand, by opening a vein just above the 

 coronet, and immersing the foot immediately in warm 

 water, you may effect a local abstraction of blood, which 

 will afford material relief. Many farriers urge, as an 

 objection to bleeding in the foot, that you can rarely 

 obtain the removal of blood enough to be of any service ; 

 but, when the operation is skilfully performed, it is fol- 

 lowed by the flow of blood in no inconsiderable quantity. 

 Whenever a lameness is such as to demand rest beyond 

 a horse's proper turn for coming out again, you will do 

 well to give a gentle dose of physic. It is always useful, 

 if only as a precautionary measure, upon the slightest 

 ailing of an nnimal in a high and forced state of con- 

 dition. You will gain instead of losing time : by cooling 

 his body you greatly accelerate the recovery from any 

 local affection, and one ball of three, four, five, or six 

 drachms, according to the constitution of the horse, 

 cannot in any degree impair his stamina. There can 

 be no greater mistake than the anxiety which is felt 

 by ignorant grooms as to the appetite of a hunter, after 



