CHAPTER XIII. 



SOUE BACKS. 



In most cases these are attributable to two causes, 

 ignorance and a want of cleanliness. The skin 

 of the horse is subject to many diseases, and 

 is very sensitive ; the cuticle or outer skin is 

 often subject to injury through careless and ill- 

 fitting harness, especially cart saddles, which 

 are the chief cause of bad backs, coupled with 

 unskilful loading. Every one knows that it is 

 necessary to load a cart forward to enable a horse 

 to draw a load up-hill ; but how few do we see 

 who shift the load backward when the horse has 

 to go down-hill. The carters in Scotland are 

 very particular in these matters, and when carry- 

 ing stone from quarries will always have some 

 large stones which they can move to balance the 

 load. Another thing they always use, plenty of 

 grease to the backhand or chain which runs 

 through the saddle, to enable it to run easily 

 through, as the shafts vibrate from side to side 

 over the inequalities of the road. These things 

 are often neglected, especially in Kent, and con- 

 sequently the load, bearing with undue weight 

 upon the horse's back, and the backhand not 

 being greased, every time the cart vibrates the 

 saddle rocks upon the horse's back. The constant 

 friction sets up inflammation of the cuticle, which 



16 



