140 DISEASES OF THE HORSE. 



roaring arises from an affection of the nerves, before alluded to, 

 by which the muscles are thrown out of action, and therefore 

 become absorbed. To this opinion I am disposed to incline. 



Such are the various diseases which produce roaring in the 

 horse ; and to them may be added tumours pressing on the wind- 

 pipe, polypi in the nostrils, and indeed any thing, either tempo- 

 rary or not, that becomes an impediment to respiration. 



The usual method pursued by dealers to detect roaring is to 

 strike the horse in the flank with a stick, or pretend to do so ; 

 when, if a roarer, he generally makes a grunting noise. This 

 method, however, will very frequently fail, and sometimes a 

 horse will grunt when he is not a roarer : the better plan is to 

 ride the horse, if fit for the saddle, or if a draught horse to put 

 him in harness. On galloping the horse, so as to accelerate the 

 respiration considerably., he will not fail, if a roarer, to exhibit its 

 symptoms. Some horses will roar in the trot, some not till they 

 canter, and others only Avhen they gallop, depending of course 

 on the degree of impediment existing, and on the exhaustion of 

 the animal. 



In the treatment of the majority of cases we can render no 

 service whatever. It is only when there is sore thi'oat or actual 

 inflammation existing, that we can bestow benefit by external 

 counter-irritation, and other treatment before advised. 



It is an object of much importance to bring the horse to the 

 highest possible condition, so that his wind shall be in a good 

 state, as he will then be much less likely to roar than if out of 

 condition. For the same reason the rules recommended for 

 broken wind should also be observed in roaring ; for although 

 the wind is not usually impaired, yet the noise will be great in 

 proportion to the demand made on the lungs. Thus we often 

 find that a thorouo;h-bred horse will roar in racino;, but not in 

 hunting ; a hunter will do so in hunting, but not in harness ; 

 a harness horse may roar in fast work, and not in slow ; and yet 

 all these horses may have the defect in the same degree, the 

 difference arising from their different natural capacities. 



Hoaring is decidedly hereditary, at least the disposition to 

 become so is, for the offspring of roarers have in a great number 

 of instances become roarers themselves. 



When the roaring is so severe as to render the horse quite 

 useless the operation of tracheotomy is to be recommended, a 

 tube made for the purpose being kept in the opening made in 

 the windpipe, out of wiiicli the horse will breathe. By taking 

 great care that the tube remains in its place, the animal may be 

 able to do moderate work. — Ed.] 



On this subject the Author states: — "I once saved a horse's 

 life that appeared to have an oat or some of his food in the 

 larynx, by the operation named bronchotomy. I found the 



