SORE BACKS, THEIR PREVENTION AND TREATMENT. 29 



CHAPTER V. 



SICKNESS AND CASUALTIES. 



Sore backs; their prevention and treatment — Tlie feet; attention necessary — 

 Thrush and its cure — The legs ; signs of disease ; treatment — Bandages not 

 recommended — Cracked heels and cure — Treatment of warbles — Quittors, 

 sand-crack, and cutaneous diseases are signs of neglect; their treatment — 

 Coughing and strangles — Treatment of the latter— Cleanliness and air neces- 

 sary — Colds and their prevention — Sore shins ; curious instances — Mr. Cop- 

 perthwaiteon sore shins, and my objections — Swollen joints and ruptures, and 

 their results — Rmgbone, splint, and spavin — Treatment of ringworm — Crib- 

 biting, &c. , are tricks — Lameness ; how frequently caused ; attention to the 

 head-collar and stirrup-irons — Roaring ; in>tances of cure. 



I HAVE no intention to attempt to write at length upon the 

 diseases of the horse. The subject has often been ably 

 handled by veterinary surgeons and other persons duly 

 quaHfied for the task. There are, however, certain ailments 

 the result often of improper or careless stable supervision, 

 which come prominently before the principal of a large racing 

 stable ; and a word on the causes, often preventible, the 

 symptoms, and some simple remedies, may not be thought 

 out of place. 



Sore backs, for one thing, are frequently the source of 

 infinite trouble. These are oftener caused by pressure of an 

 over-tight roller than by the saddle. With the latter, if the 

 saddle-cloth be properly adjusted, they will not occur. But 



