109 



veffels remove the fluid from the legs to make up the 

 deficiency. Purges are given to remove too great fat, 

 the fat being one of the fluids; and the body becomes 

 abforbed to fupply the wafle occafioned by the 

 purging : thus the fat that was too redundant, and 

 hindered the lungs from expanding, and the mufcles 

 from contrading, is removed; and hence the horfe 

 becomes more vigorous and lafling, and his wind 

 ftrengthened ;— -and this is called being in condition. 



Horfes are, fome of them, purged more eafily 

 than others : hence the firft purge fhould be mild ; 

 for, if it does not operate, it does no harm, though it 

 is often erroneoufly fuppofed fo to do. 



From the horizontal pofition of the body, and the 

 long track of inteftines, with their peculiar ftrudure, 

 it requires not only a medicine of confiderable 

 ftrength, but likewife it requires a long time to purge 

 a horfe. It is from this caufe that purging afFcds the 

 conftitution infinitely more in a horfe than in our- 

 felves : but it does not require ten or twelve days 

 for a horfe to recover himfelf between each dofe, as 

 is ufually fuppofed, unlefs the operation has been 

 very fevere, which is always hurtful, and unnecef- 

 fary. 



Exercife is of particular importance in phyficking; 

 but I do not recommend very a6iive trotting : brifk 

 and continu<id walking, or, at moft, a very gentle, 

 trot, is to be preferred. 



