142 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



yield to treatment my relative said it was no 

 use wasting any more time over her. However 

 he was going from home for a few days and we 

 made up our minds that she was better and 

 took care to keep him out of the loose box on 

 the morning he left home. On his return the 

 mare was doing well. It is my long experience 

 with the halt and the ailing that makes me 

 advise the reader when he has a horse amiss 

 to consult a veterinary surgeon. Still there are 

 cases of passing ailments which a little know- 

 ledge may easity put right and which an owner 

 can treat himself without any risk ; and there 

 are others again in which he may do something 

 to alleviate suffering before he can obtain pro- 

 fessional assistance. 



I have on a previous page referred fully to 

 the beneficial effects on worn forelegs and sinews 

 which hot and cold water have, so there is no 

 need for me to say any more on that part of the 

 subject. But I may add to what I have already 

 said about weak sinews and failing forelegs that 

 when bandaging the cotton wool system recom- 

 mended by the late Capt. Hayes is desirable. A 

 horse whose forelegs are beginning to wear will 

 also receive great benefit if during the summer 

 months his forelegs have a mercurial charge 

 applied. Indeed if his legs do not yield to the 

 hot and cold water treatment and cotton wool 

 bandaging a mercurial charge must be applied. 



I generally got my charges from Mr. John 

 Osborne of Breckongill and appHed them with 



