HORSES. 



109 



feeding provender fi ely, particularly Indian corn, if the 

 animal has not been accustomed to it. We have known 

 severe cases of colic by a change from grass to hay ana 

 com. 



Sometimes a change from oats to barley -u-ill produce 

 colic ; and so \\ill a large allowance of any food to which 

 the horse has not been accustomed, as raw potatoes, car- 

 rots, turnips, or other green food, which produces fer- 

 mentation. If a horse swallows his food hastily, without 

 mastication, he is liable to colic. Feeding too often, that 

 is, filling the stomach with one meal before the previous . 

 one is digested, and the contrary extreme of long fastings , 

 and then full and rapid feeding, is apt to produce cnlie. . 

 Cold water, in excess, is sometimes a cause. 



Symptoms. The horse is taken suddenly ill. and. 

 slackens his pace, and sometimes attempts to lie down • 

 Again, he falls down suddenly, and rolls, and perhafjs 

 starts up suddenly. If in the stable, he paws w\lh his . 

 fore feet : and, if the pain be severe, he is in constant 

 motion, and strikes his belly with his hind ones. He 

 lies down and roUs ; in moments of comparative ease, he 

 looks Anstfully at his flanks. When standing, he makes 

 fruitless attempts to urinate, and the keeper thinks there 

 is '' something wrong with his water." In a little while. . 

 the belly swells, perhaps mostly in the right flank. In. 

 severe cases, the swelling is usually general. As the 

 'disease mcreases, the pain becomes intense ; he dashes 

 aoout with terrible violence ; the perspiration runs in 

 streams, and his contortions are frightful. [See other 

 s}Tnptoms, in the last article.] 



Remedy. The fermentation should be stopped, and , 

 the digestive powers reestablished. A good old-fa. h-- 

 ioned medicine is whiskey and pepper, or gin and pep- 

 per. About a gill and a half of spirits to a tea-spoonful 

 of pepper, given in a quart of milk, or warm water. If 

 the pain does not abate in thirty minutes, repeat the 

 dose ; and again in an hour, if necessary. Rub the 

 horse's belly with a soft vns^, and walk him abou? 

 gently. Give the medicine as early as possible. 



A Better Remedy should be prepared thus : — Take 

 a quart of good brandy ; add four ounces sweet spirits 

 10 



