CHAPTER XII. 



INJURIES, LAMENESS, AND DISEASE. 



EVERY horseman should know something of the injuries, lame- 

 nesses, and diseases to which the horse is liable, so that, if he 

 cannot avail himself of skilled advice or assistance, he may be 

 able to render succour to the suffering beast, and direct atten- 

 dants how to act in ministering to its relief and comfort. It 

 is only too true, unfortunately, that not very much in this 

 direction can be done by book instruction, and least of all with 

 regard to disease ; as attempts to impart knowledge of symptoms, 

 and the appropriate treatment, are most likely to prove futile, 

 if not dangerous. Therefore, in this place, no pretence will be 

 made to make every horse-owner a horse doctor, but an 

 endeavour will be made to make him somewhat acquainted 

 with such details as to lameness, common injuries and diseases, 

 as may be useful on emergencies, and especially instruction as to 

 nursing, which, when well performed, is often more than three- 

 parts of the cure of disease. Indeed, if the truth were known, 

 there is too much doctoring and too little nursing of sick 

 animals j and more cases are killed, or their recovery greatly 

 retarded, by pouring drugs into them, than perhaps would die if 

 left alone to the nurse's attentive ministrations. A familiarity 

 with nursing, then, is of more importance to the horseman than 

 amateur doctoring and physicking, which is not unfrequently 

 blundering and deadly. 



NURSING. 



When a horse is sick or ill from injury, recovery is much 

 accelerated by careful and sympathetic nursing. However 



