32 



smith has to contend with. Where it is desired to make the most 

 of the animal's capabilities, soft ground will be selected if possible ; 

 hard, dry roads are very unfavourable, and a willing horse, which 

 might be almost useless if compelled to work upon them, would be 

 capable of doing a great deal of duty upon a farm, and would be 

 even benefitted by the exercise on soft land. If, in addition, his feet 

 are carefully attended to when he returns to his stable, no better 

 system of treatment for cases of chronic fever in the feet could be 

 devised." 



Many hunters are inclined to fever in the feet. Anything that 

 diverts the inflammation from the foot, after work, is beneficial. As 

 a blister rapid in its effects try Farrell's Vesicant, and a little of this, 

 painted on round the coronets after a hard day with hounds, has the 

 best possible effect. Then, last thing at night, put the fore-feet in 

 bran poultices till the following morning. A horse, especially an 

 old one, whose joints fill and are stiff after hunting, will be much 

 benefited by being bandaged, last thing at night, with flannel 

 bandages wrung loosely out of the hottest water that can be borne ; 

 over these dry flannel bandages are placed, and left for the night. 

 In the morning the inner bandage is dry and the outer one wet. 

 The legs should be fine, and will generally be found so. 



Instead of bran poultices some place the feet in squabs previously 

 well saturated with a solution consisting of a wine-glass of tincture 

 of arnica to half a pint of water, and never feed animals with feet 

 having a tendency to fever on beans. 



FIRING. 



Previous to firing a horse, he should be placed for a fortnight on 

 a low diet, and after the operation he will require three months' rest; 

 during which period, if possible, turn out to grass and give one feed 

 of oats daily, or place the animal in a loose box and supply him with 

 two feeds of oats and green meat daily. A horse often goes lame 

 after firing, the lameness being the result of the curb for which the 

 animal was fired. If necessary at all, the firing iron must be ap- 

 plied in such a manner as to leave no doubt of its producing a more 

 decided effect than any other form of counter irritation, and for this 

 purpose one deep cut through the centre of a bony tumour is far 

 preferable to a series of marks which only affect the skin without 

 impinging directly upon the structure of the morbid growth which 

 is causing the mischief. The operation is comparatively painless, 

 quickly performed while the animal is standing, and affords in many 

 cases immediate relief. For the purpose of encouraging suppuration 



