126 THE HORSE 



swelling, to arrest haemorrhage, or to encourage an abcess 

 in its formation. Both the application of hot and cold 

 water affords an invaluable means of deaUng with a 

 variety of troubles which are accessible to their applica- 

 tion. If water is applied too hot it will bhster the skin, 

 and if cold water is apphed for too long it will shut off 

 the circulation, or at any rate it is very liable to do so at 

 the part to which it is applied. Never go to extremes in 

 the application of either of these simple remedies, as they 

 can become just as harmful as they may prove useful. 



Feeding Sick Horses 



The special feeding of horses which are affected by 

 various diseases is a different branch of the horse atten- 

 dant's work, but it is one that every horse owner should 

 make himself personally acquainted with. It is surprising 

 how one person will often fail to coax a sick horse to eat, 

 whereas another will succeed. The great matter is to test 

 the appetite of the patient with various food materials 

 such as steamed carrots, steamed oats, barley, clover or 

 other green food when obtainable ; natural grass ; 

 scalded hay and treacle ; scalded oats ; bran and boiled 

 linseed ; linseed cake ; condensed milk and warm water ; 

 oatmeal gruel. When possible, select a bit of very sweet 

 hay from a truss. Try hand feeding in bad cases of sick- 

 ness. Do not leave any food in front of the patient, 

 Unconsumed food should be removed forthwith. The 

 great secret is to try the patient at frequent intervals 

 throughout the day. 



Castration of Colts 



r?' Colts are usually operated on when they are one year 

 old and in the spring of the year, but if the weather is very 

 cold it is customary to defer the operation until such 

 time as more propitious weather supervenes. The 

 operation can, however, be performed at any season of the 



