FACTS OF GENERAL INTEREST 123 



usually, though not always, in accordance with their 

 weight. Some horses are much more susceptible to the 

 action of physic than others ; moreover, a great deal will 

 depend whether the animal has, prior to the administra- 

 tion of the ball, been prepared by giving it a bran mash. 

 The latter makes all the difference, and no horse should 

 have physic unless it has been thus prepared, otherwise 

 the proper action of the medicament is not obtained. For 

 light horses a 5 drm. ball is all that is necessary and 6 

 drms. for heavy draught horses. In Scotland 8 drm. 

 balls are commonly given for heavy horses. For a cob 

 a 5 drm. ball is correct and for a pony 3 or 4 drms., after 

 being duly prepared. The effects of the phj^sic usually 

 pass off within 24 hours. If purgation is excessive put 

 the animal on dry bran, but keep it without hay for the 

 time being. It is not advisable to work a horse whilst the 

 physic is acting. Exercise increases the activity of the 

 ball, so does warm water, and so do bran and linseed 

 mashes. If there is any drug in the British Pharmacopoeia 

 which is universally employed in veterinary work that 

 drug is Barbados aloes, and in nine cases out of ten it is 

 given in the form of a ball. There are plenty of other 

 medicines capable of establishing free purgation in the 

 horse, but somehow or another they have never found the 

 popularity of the physic ball. Indisputably it is a valuable 

 remedy for a multiplicity of ills from which our equine 

 friends suffer. It should never, however, be abused, 

 which, unfortunately, it very often is. 



Administering Medicine to Horses 



Medicine can be given to the horse either in solid or 

 liquid form. Drenching horses with nauseating drugs 

 has been far too much practised, and we hope to see less of 

 it in future. Whenever possible give a horse its medicine 

 either in its food or with its drinking water. We do not 

 argue that drenching may not be necessary, but it should 



