THE SUMMERING OF HUNTERS. 139 



and a "scurf" prodnced, which is cleared away by 

 washino; as we have described, and a fresh applica- 

 tion of the blister. This is really an excellent 

 method, and deserves to be more extensively applied. 

 It can be used during work, wdiich is an advantage. 

 The best " sweating " blister is made by warming, 

 for two hours over a half-cold tire, some powdered 

 cantharides in olive oil, one part of the former, by 

 w^eight, to six of the latter. Strain away the spent 

 flies through a piece of rag, and use the oil with a 

 short stiff brush. 



We must finish our remarks about blistering b}^ 

 saying that if a part is inflamed a severe blister 

 does much harm ; indeed, this is so if there is an}^ 

 extra heat in a part. A chronic inflammation and a 

 small amount of extra heat is not incompatible with 

 a little " sweating " blister. 



After our remarks upon the treatment of the ail- 

 ments affecting the lubricating apparatus, we cannot 

 avoid saying a w^ord about the practice of firing and 

 blistering parts with a view to " strengthening " 

 them. Many horsemen have pernicious ideas about 

 these so-called strengthening remedies. For in- 

 stance, if a horse has long oblique pasterns there is 

 much strain upon his fetlock joint and on his back 

 " sinews," as a necessary (mechanical) consequence, 

 and the tendon, at its insertion into the sessamoid 

 bones, which brace the fetlock joint behind, is apt 

 to become injured, in which the sessamoid bones 

 participate. As a consequence, the back of the fet- 



