144 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



from the wound as quickly as possible. This can 

 be done with a clean sponge and a little warm 

 water. It is important that the sponge should 

 be clean. The wound should be dressed with 

 a weak solution of Iodine or some other antiseptic 

 and, if the cut is a bad one the edges of the wound 

 must be pressed together and a moderately tight 

 bandage put on. The knee is not an easy place 

 to bandage and care must be taken not to put 

 the bandages on too tightly so as to stop circula- 

 tion. A cotton wool wadding bandage will be 

 found best and care must be taken to have the 

 bandage well covered with cold cream or zinc 

 ointment so that it may not stick into the wound. 

 Care must be taken that the horse cannot get to 

 the wound with his teeth. This is easily pre- 

 vented by putting a cradle on him. 



The general treatment of ordinary wounds 

 is on the same lines as that of broken knees, 

 cleanliness and the use of antiseptics being the 

 underlying principles. A wound should not heal 

 too quickly and it should heal from the bottom. 

 Probing by a ' layman ' is to be deprecated but 

 if it should happen from force of circumstances 

 to be necessary he should use nothing for the 

 purpose of less calibre than a tallow candle. 

 Frequently when a wound is healing there will 

 be too much granulation and what is known 

 as ' proud flesh ' will form. A little powdered 

 Sulphate of Copper (blue-stone) dusted on it a 

 few times will be a sufficient remedy in ordinary 

 cases. 



